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Aotearoa/New Zealand is larger than the UK but smaller than Japan. However, whereas the UK has 240 people per square kilometre and Japan 332, New Zealand has a mere 14, leaving a lot of wide open spaces to go round.
The Country comprises two main islands (the North and South Islands) and lots of other smaller islands dotted all around its coast. It also has numerous bays and harbours, splendid fiords, lakes and rivers, snow-capped mountains and glaciers, fertile pastures and farmland.
Of course, seasons are upside-down. February is the height of summer and August the depth of winter. The weather itself is very ‘British’, and people are always prepared for such changes. By way of an extra quick overview, Auckland tends on the humid side, Wellington is the ‘windy city’; and it might snow in Dunedin and Christchurch once a year.
New Zealand lies at the juncture of two tectonic plates which gives rise to quakes, hot springs and volcanic activity in the North Island. Earthquakes tend to be small and do not cause much damage. Mount Ruapehu in the Tongariri National Park (North Island), for example, erupted in 1996 and 1997 but blew only ash, mud and steam. In the South Island, the two tectonic plates clash to form the Southern Alps. This mountain range runs like a spine up most of the island and increases in height by about 10mm each year.

A Very Brief History of New Zealand
When a canoe full of Polynesian settlers arrived around the 10th century they called their new home Aotea-roa – long daylight. They felt that summer days were longer, mountains higher, seas rougher and tides greater than back home on their tropical islands. ‘Land of the long white cloud’ was the meaning Europeans settled on when they arrived in the 18th century. In 1769, James Cook became the first European to set foot on New Zealand although back in 1642 the Dutch seafarer Abel Tasman had sighted Aotearoa, naming it Nieuw Zeeland – after a region in the Netherlands.
The Maori were known as a fierce people and inter-tribal warfare was rife. Although the European settlers brought firearms and killer diseases, they also brought missionaries who preached peace and goodwill. By 1840, inter-tribal warfare had almost ceased. On 6th February 1840, the Treaty of Waitangi, signed by over 500 Maori tribal leaders, gave the ‘pakeha’ (Europeans) the right to stay, and the Maori people the right to own their lands, forests and fisheries as long as they wished. Today, the Treaty is still central to race relations and has meanwhile fostered the Waitangi Tribunal, a forum that mediates between Maori and the New Zealand government.

The People
By the late 1980s, New Zealand numbered 3.3 million people (most living in the North Island, some 865,000 in the South Island) nearly 500,000 Maori and Pacific Island Polynesians – and 70 million sheep. Ask a Kiwi why they are proud of their nation and they tell you ‘we are a friendly, spirited lot, adventurous and active, always game for a laugh and not short on self-esteem.’ Often the butt of rude sheep jokes told by their Aussie neighbours Kiwis would nevertheless remind you proudly that their current sheep-shearing record stands at 480 sheep a day. It is clearly difficult to feel outraged when a river, a lake or a mountain is never far away from the doorstep and no-one lives further than 70km away from a scenic shore.

Kiwi Culture
Its long history of welcoming migrants from around the world has produced a vibrant multi-cultural society. Maori tribes, in particular, have retained strong tribal links. Northland, Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Hawkes Bay, for example, are all home to four major Maori tribes. As well as upholding many of their ancient traditions, Maoris host their own TV channel, have their own political party and four guaranteed seats in Parliament.

Healthcare in New Zealand
The publicity funded health care system in New Zealand has many features in common with our NHS. 21 District Health Boards oversee health care and disability services provision in the regions. Primary Health Care centres deliver services on the ground. Hospital care is free but visits to GPs incur a charge of around NZ$45 per adult. Children under six go free (over sixes are subsidized). Maternity health care is also free but dental treatment is subject to fees. Children of school age receive free dental care. Subsidies are also available for prescriptions, physiotherapists, chiropractors, osteopaths, whilst maternity health care is free.
Visitors to New Zealand can access public health care under a reciprocal health care agreement with the UK. Permanent Residency Visa holders and long-term Work Permit holders (2 years and over) are also entitled to use it. Private health insurance is necessary for anyone who does not meet eligibility criteria.