New Zealand (269,063 km²), independent from 1907, is located in the south-west Pacific about 1,931 kilometres south-east of Australia. The terrain is highly varied, from snow-capped mountains to lowland plains. The country consists of two main islands, North Island and South Island, separated by the Cook Strait; Stewart Island, a smaller island to the south with fewer than 600 inhabitants; and various other small coastal islands.

In the centre of North Island is a high, volcanic plateau containing the scenic thermal district where Rotorua, a resort and commercial forestry centre, is located. The northern part of North Island is a narrow, indented, and sparsely populated peninsula. Across its base lie the fertile plains of the Waikato, Piak, and Waihou Rivers - the greatest dairy region in the country.
New Zealand is well watered by rivers, although few are of sufficient length or volume for transport. Swift rivers rise in the mountains but are broken by rapids and gorges, and often have sandbars at their mouths. The main North Island river is the Waikato, the longest river in New Zealand (434 km).

The climate is temperate, without marked extremes but with sharp regional contrasts. Most areas experience only a few days of freezing weather or temperatures above 32°c annually. It is warmest in the subtropical "winterless north" of the North Auckland Peninsula and is increasingly colder to the south. Rainfall is heavy in most areas, especially on the west coasts, which are exposed to the prevailing winds. Annual rainfall varies from 33 centimetres in the centre of South Island to 635 centimetres in part of the Southern Alps. Average rainfall is 130 centimetres. The seasons are opposite those of the Northern Hemisphere.

The total population is 3.35 million. More than 3 million New Zealanders are of British origin. Indigenous Maoris of Polynesian origin number more than 400,000. Nearly 74% of the people, including more than 89% of the Maoris, live on the North Island. More than 89,000 Polynesians from other Pacific islands also live in New Zealand. Cities include Wellington (pop. 325,697), the capital, Auckland (820,754) and Christchurch (299,373). 

Timaru, South Island: Mountains and Lakes Timaru, the gateway to the lakes and mountains of the South island, is an attractive, safe coastal city situated on rolling hill country at the southern end of the Canterbury Plains. It has excellent sporting, cultural and recreational facilities and lies within two hours of Christchurch city and international airport. Learn more.....