New Zealand – The Land of the Long White Cloud

New Zealand is a place of adventure and invention and is home to a race of warm, friendly people who exhibit a modest spirit of independence and resourcefulness.  New Zealanders (also known as Kiwi’s, in reference to their flightless, native bird) have fused the food, fashions and lifestyles of other Pacific Rim nations with their indigenous Maori and ancestral European cultures to create a unique Kiwi identity.

Situated in the South Western Pacific Ocean and being Island Country  with two main islands which are North Island and South Island with numerous smaller islands and Wellington being the Capital of New Zealand. Because New Zealand is so isolated from everyone the country has vary precious and untouched environment such as distinctive fauna which is dominated by birds and mammals.

New Zealand is about two thousand kilometres south of Australia across the Tasman Sea, with neighbours such as Fiji, Tonga, and New Caledonia. Elizabeth II is the Queen of New Zealand and is the country’s head of state with representation by a ceremonial Governor General with political power being held by Prime Minister who is head of Government.

The population is only 4.3 million which are mostly European descendents and Indigenous Maori being the largest minority, the mostly common spoken language is English.

If we look back in history the first settlers were Eastern Polynesians who went to New Zealand between around 700 and 2000 years ago with development of distinct culture now known as Maori and the first Europeans  reaching its shores in 1642 by the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman and his crew, but Captain James Cook has a greater meaning due to being the first to map almost the entire coastline with his voyage in 1768 – 71.

New Zealand has its own Indigenous Maori name being the Aotearoa where if you translate it in English it has a meaning of being The Land of Long White Cloud. Now New Zealand cities are ranked amongst being the world most liveable and being rank highly in international comparison of human development because of peace, prosperity, life expectancy, economic freedom and lack of corruption being just the few.

With International trade shows being popular in New Zealand where conferences, industry events, products and service are presented by New Zealand companies. Some of the few upcoming events are, Aus Biotech 2009 October 27-30 being known as the premier biotechnological conference for the Asia Pacific region, Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show 29 Oct – 2 November 2009 known as the world largest boat show. 

The thin, long shape of the country means that the climate can change dramatically from region to region.  New Zealand’s climate is mostly influenced by the mountains and the sea.  With most of the urban areas situated close to the sea, New Zealand residents typically enjoy a mild climate, with moderate rainfall and plentiful sunshine.

New Zealand has a low crime rate when compared to other nations around the world.

Studying in New Zealand gives graduates a competitive edge.  Universities and employers worldwide recognise and appreciate the academic excellence that is the trademark of New Zealand higher education.

New Zealanders are amongst the most technologically savvy people in the world, with 63% of the country logging onto the internet on a regular basis.  This technological innovation is prominent throughout their universities. New Zealand universities also offer thousands of courses and an experience that encourages independent learning, critical thinking and teacher student interactions.