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FACTS FOR TRAVELLERS

FACTS FOR TRAVELLERS
                      

TOUR OF NEWZEALAND

ABOUT NEWZEALAND

PLACES OF ATTRACTION
New Zealand is a country of rare seismic beauty: glacial mountains, fast-flowing rivers, deep, clear lakes, hissing geysers and boiling mud. There are also abundant forest reserves, long, deserted beaches and a variety of fauna, such as the kiwi, endemic to its shores. Any number of vigorous outdoor activities - hiking, skiing, rafting and, of course, that perennial favourite, bungy jumping - await the adventurous. You can swim with dolphins, gambol with newborn lambs, whalewatch or fish for fattened trout in the many streams. The peo8ple, bound in a culture that melds European with Maori ancestry, are resourceful, helpful and overwhelmingly friendly. The extraordinary place names - try Te Awamutu, Whangamomona or Paekakariki for tongue-trippers - are resonant and, with a modicum of practice, easy to pronounce.
Because it's such a compact place, travel within New Zealand - whether by plane, bus, rail, car or campervan - is affordable and efficient. Accommodation too is cheap and varied. And the culinary promise of venison, fresh seafood, sublime ice cream and award-winning wines should more than whet the appetite.
Full country name: New Zealand
Area: 269,000 sq km
Population: 3.8 million
Capital city: Wellington (pop 345,000 )
People: 88% European (Pakeha), 12% Maori and Polynesian
Languages: English and Maori
Religion: Predominantly Christian (81%)
Government: Independent member of the British Commonwealth
Prime Minister: Helen Clark
GDP: US$85 billion
GDP per head: US$22,360
Annual growth: 2%
Inflation: 2%
Major industries: Food processing, wood and paper products, wool, textiles, dairy products, iron and steel, machinery, tourism
Major trading partners: Australia, Japan, UK, China and the USA
Facts for the Traveler

Visas:
only a valid passport is necessary for citizens of most countries
Health risks:Amoebic Meningitis from bathing in natural hot thermal pools
Time: GMT/UTC +12(two hours ahead of Australian Eastern Standard Time)
Electricity: 240V AC, 50 Hz
Weights & measures: metric
When to Go
The weather is never so miserable that there's no point in going to New Zealand: there are things to see and do all year-round. The warmer months (November to April) are busiest, especially during the school holidays from December 20 to the end of January. Ski resort towns are obviously busier during the winter months. If you're travelling during peak periods (especially the Christmas season) it's best to book ahead, as much accommodation and transport fills up. It's probably more pleasant to visit either before or after this hectic period, when the weather is still warm and there aren't as many other travellers around.
Events Some of the noteworthy cultural events include: Summer City Programme (January to February; Wellington) which is a series of festivals around the city; Marlborough Food & Wine Festival (2nd week in February; Blenheim); International Festival of the Arts (February, even-numbered years only; Wellington), an entire month of national and international culture; Golden Shears Sheep-Shearing Contest (March; Masterton), a must for lovers of sheep, scat and sweat; and Canterbury Show Week (November; Christchurch), which has agricultural exhibits, rides and local