Geography, Climate and main places
New Zealand is long and narrow and comprises three main islands in a relatively small space - North Island, South Island and Stewart Island all located in the South Pacific Ocean south east of Australia. NZ is comparable in size and shape to Great Britain or Japan, but with a much smaller population of only about 4 million - making it one of the world's least crowded countries.
New Zealand’s landscape is a unique unrivalled variety of mountain ranges, sandy beaches, lush rainforests, glaciers and fiords and active volcanoes. In spite of around 1000 years of native bush clearance by humans, about a quarter of the country still remains forested - mostly in high-country areas protected from exploitation in national and forest parks.
By 2050 it is projected there will be 4.5 million people living in NZ. This is on a land mass roughly the size of Japan, the United Kingdom or Italy. Auckland is the largest city, with a population of over 1.1 million people. Wellington and Christchurch are the next largest cities with approximately 300,000 residents each. Christchurch is the largest of the South Island cities. Download a printable map showing location distances. (PDF)
Because if its unique location close to the sea NZ offers a variety of climate zones, from the mild subtropical far north of the North Island to the snow covered southern Alps of the South Island and everything in between. The climate overall is temperate with moderate year-round rainfall and in the North Island especially, an absence of extreme temperatures.
Wellington, the capital city and cultural capital is a perfect place to live and work offering its citizens a wide range of arts, cultural and sporting opportunities. The city also gets more sunshine than Auckland, Melbourne and London and less rain than Auckland and Sydney. Most Wellington residents are within 3 km of the sea.
Auckland is a cosmopolitan city ranked among the best in the world to live in with a sunny climate averaging 20°C in summer. Population is some 1.3 million, about one third of the country's entire population. The Auckland region boasts three harbours, two mountain ranges, 48 volcanic cones and more than 50 islands. Everyone lives within thirty minute drive of white sand beaches, rainforest, over twenty regional parks and a maritime zone embracing fifty islands.
Located on the east coast of the South Island, Christchurch the gateway to South Island is a city of contrasts with a growing cosmopolitan ambience. The city has an international airport, deep harbour port, radial road and rail link feeding commerce growth. Residents enjoy a healthy, active lifestyle amidst a natural environment world-renowned for its beauty and understated elegance.
Queenstown is a sophisticated and relaxing place to live, work and ‘get more out of life’ and is ideal for people with a "can do" attitude. This tourist holiday resort is known as the country’s ‘action capital’ with a dream-like-setting on the shores of Lake Wakatipu set against the backdrop of the Remarkables Mountain range. Seasonal employment is plentiful in Queenstown, with a good choice of more permanent careers.
Dunedin with a dynamic, vibrant and lively atmosphere is the most southerly of New Zealand’s major cities. Business growth and prosperity go hand in hand with an enviable quality of life, including affordable family style homes and a deserved reputation as the country's premier centre of learning.
Read much more…detail about Geography – Climate – Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown, Dunedin and smaller towns (PDF)
