Practical information

New Zealand is a country in Oceania in the southwest Pacific Ocean. It is formed by two large islands, North Island and South Island, and several smaller islands, among which Stewart Island and the Chatham Islands stand out. This island nation borders on the north and east with the South Pacific, on the west with the Tasmanian Sea, and to the south with the Antarctic Ocean.

The North Island is the most populated and is the nucleus of business and commercial activities, whereas the South Island is richer in majestic landscapes and natural parks. The biggest city is Auckland and the capital is Wellington. Another important centre is Queenstown. The kingdom of New Zealand also includes the Cook Islands, and Niue, which are sovereign territories, but in free association. The kingdom also includes Tokelau and the Ross Dependency, which is the territorial claim of New Zealand in the Antarctic.

On the North Island one should visit Auckland, Whangarei, Hamilton, Rotorua (the centre of thermal waters) y the capital, Wellington, in the southern extreme of the island. On the South Island on finds the most interesting tourist centres: Nelson, Christchurch and Queenstown, among others. The Gulf of Hauraki, off the coast of Auckland, is full of islands, some only minutes away from the city, which make them a perfect place for day trips. In Auckland one also finds the Whangaparoa Peninsula, ideal spot for water sports. In the far north of the peninsula the Shakespeare Regional Park has much to offer, and one can observe a wide variety of New Zealand’s flora and fauna.

New Zealand’s climate is cool temperate and warm temperate. Average temperatures lie between 8ºC on South Island and 16ºC on North Island. January and February are the warmest months, while July is the coldest. New Zealand does not experience large temperature ranges although the weather is very changeable. In Northland the extreme north of the North Island) there are subtropical conditions, and her latitude influences the predominance of the westerly winds.