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Holiday Destination
New Zealand's spectacularly beautiful landscape includes vast mountain
chains, steaming volcanoes, sweeping coastlines, deeply indented
fiords and lush rainforests.
Comparable in size and/or shape to Great Britain, Colorado and
Japan, New Zealand has a population of only 3.8 million - making
it one of the world's least crowded countries. It is a haven for
those seeking peace, rejuvenation and relaxation as well as a playground
for thrillseekers and adventurers. A temperate climate with relatively
small seasonal variation makes it a year-round holiday destination.
Seasons
The North of New Zealand is sub-tropical and the South temperate.
The warmest months are December, January and February, and the coldest
June, July and August.
In summer, the average maximum temperature ranges between 20-30ºC
and in winter between 10-15ºC. You can check on weather conditions
in New Zealand on the New
Zealand Met Service website.
Getting Here
New Zealand is a three and a half hour flight from Eastern Australia,
a non-stop overnight flight from the United States, and around 10
hours flight from most places on the Pacific Rim, like Singapore,
Hong Kong and Tokyo.
Population
New Zealand is an independent nation and a member of the British
Commonwealth. It has a diverse multicultural population of around
3.8
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million people. The majority of New Zealanders are of British descent,
and the largest minority is New Zealand's indigenous Maori who make
up around 14 percent of the population.
Language
English is the common and everyday language of New Zealand. You
may also hear other languages spoken, including Maori, which is
also an official language of New Zealand.
Time Differences
New Zealand is one of the first places in the world to see the new
day. It is 12 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). In summer
New Zealand has daylight saving, when clocks are put forward one
hour to GMT+13. Daylight saving begins on the first Sunday in October
and ends on the last Sunday of the following March, when clocks
are put back to GMT+12.
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