About New Zealand
New Zealand has never been closer to the rest of the world. Online communications and advances in international transport mean local institutions and industries can easily participate in world markets.Our passion for experiencing other cultures and countries has earned New Zealanders the reputation of being the world’s greatest travellers.
New Zealand is a compact country and highly responsive to the changing needs of global communities and international business. We are keen observers of emerging trends and are inclined to adopt new technologies early and successfully. In the 1980s, for example, New Zealand was the first country in the world to trial electronic payment systems (EFTPOS).
Young and free of constricting traditions, New Zealand has learned to be self-reliant and to forge its own way in the world. New Zealand’s youth and fresh outlook make it the natural home for fresh ideas. This innovative thinking is reflected in the way we teach and learn. Our education system encourages inventive thinking and teaching techniques that reach far beyond traditional rote learning. Our innovative approach to learning – and esteemed qualifications – are highly valued by the world’s business and community leaders. New Zealanders who embody this inventive spirit include Bert Munro – who broke world speed records on an Indian motorbike he had modified in his garage, Richard Taylor – whose Weta Workshop created the stunning visual effects in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, and Alan MacDiarmid – winner of the Nobel Prize in chemistry. New Zealand’s education system is based on the prestigious British system. We offer world-class facilities, resources and teaching staff, and our qualifications are valued and transferable throughout the world.
History
New Zealand was one of the last major landmasses settled by humans. Radiocarbon dating, evidence of deforestation and mitochondrial DNA variability within Māori populations suggest New Zealand was first settled by Eastern Polynesians between 1250 and 1300,concluding a long series of voyages through the southern Pacific islands. Over the centuries that followed, these settlers developed a distinct culture now known as Māori. The population was divided into iwi (tribes) and hapū (subtribes) who would sometimes cooperate, sometimes compete and sometimes fight against each other. At some point a group of Māori migrated to Rēkohu, now known as the Chatham Islands, where they developed their distinct Moriori culture. The Moriori population was all but wiped out between 1835 and 1862, largely because of Taranaki Māori invasion and enslavement in the 1830s, although European diseases also contributed. In 1862 only 101 survived, and the last known full-blooded Moriori died in 1933.
Education
Primary and secondary schooling is compulsory for children aged 6 to 16, with the majority attending from the age of 5. There are 13 school years and attending state (public) schools is free to New Zealand citizens and permanent residents from a person’s 5th birthday to the end of the calendar year following their 19th birthday. New Zealand has an adult literacy rate of 99%, and over half of the population aged 15 to 29 hold a tertiary qualification.
There are five types of government-owned tertiary institutions: universities, colleges of education, polytechnics, specialist colleges, and wānanga, in addition to private training establishments. In the adult population 14.2% have a bachelor’s degree or higher, 30.4% have some form of secondary qualification as their highest qualification and 22.4% have no formal qualification. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment ranks New Zealand’s education system as the seventh best in the world, with students performing exceptionally well in reading, mathematics and science
Climate
New Zealand’s climate is predominantly temperate maritime (Köppen: Cfb), with mean annual temperatures ranging from 10 °C (50 °F) in the south to 16 °C (61 °F) in the north.Historical maxima and minima are 42.4 °C (108.32 °F) in Rangiora, Canterbury and −25.6 °C (−14.08 °F) in Ranfurly, Otago. Conditions vary sharply across regions from extremely wet on the West Coast of the South Island to almost semi-arid in Central Otago and the Mackenzie Basin of inland Canterbury and subtropical in Northland. Of the seven largest cities, Christchurch is the driest, receiving on average only 640 millimetres (25 in) of rain per year and Wellington the wettest, receiving almost twice that amount. Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch all receive a yearly average of more than 2,000 hours of sunshine. The southern and southwestern parts of the South Island have a cooler and cloudier climate, with around 1,400–1,600 hours; the northern and northeastern parts of the South Island are the sunniest areas of the country and receive about 2,400–2,500 hours. The general snow season is early June until early October, though cold snaps can occur outside this season.Snowfall is common in the eastern and southern parts of the South Island and mountain areas across the country.
Language
English is the predominant language in New Zealand, spoken by 96.1% of the population. New Zealand English is similar to Australian English and many speakers from the Northern Hemisphere are unable to tell the accents apart. The most prominent differences between the New Zealand English dialect and other English dialects are the shifts in the short front vowels: the short-“i” sound (as in “kit”) has centralised towards the schwa sound (the “a” in “comma” and “about”); the short-“e” sound (as in “dress”) has moved towards the short-“i” sound; and the short-“a” sound (as in “trap”) has moved to the short-“e” sound.
After the Second World War, Māori were discouraged from speaking their own language (te reo Māori) in schools and workplaces and it existed as a community language only in a few remote areas. It has recently undergone a process of revitalisation,being declared one of New Zealand’s official languages in 1987, and is spoken by 3.7% of the population.There are now Māori language immersion schools and two television channels that broadcast predominantly in Māori. Many places have both their Māori and English names officially recognised.
Safety
New Zealand is a safe country to travel to. Its crime rates are similar to those of other western countries. Petty crime and theft are definitely the most common types of crime. However, if visitors take simple, precautions expected during any trip such as keeping their valuables out of sight or in a secure place and locking doors of vehicles, even in remote locations, their trip should go without any problems.
There is some violent crime, but it is not too common. It usually happens at night, in public places and is generally associated with alcohol or illicit drug consumption. Tourists are advised to avoid groups of young intoxicated people in city centers, or any kinds of rowdy groups, especially late at night and in the early morning. Another fact worth knowing is that New Zealand has one of the lowest recorded rates of gun crime in the world.
Famous Places
1) Bay Of Islands
2) Tongariro National Park
3) Rotorua
4) Napier In Hawke’s Bay
5) Auckland
6) Coromandel Peninsula
7) Queenstown
8) Fiordland National Park
9) Fox And Franz Josef Glaciers
Industries
1) Agriculture
2) Horticulture
3) Forestry
4) Mining
5) Fishing
Universities
1) Auckland University of Technology
2) Lincoln University
3) Massey University
4) University of Auckland
5) University of Canterbury
6) University of Otago
7) University of Waikato
8) Victoria University of Wellington
