New Zealand: general information

New Zealand is an island in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island), and numerous smaller islands. The indigenous name for New Zealand is Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud.

New Zealand is notable for its geographic isolation: it is situated about 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) southeast of Australia across the Tasman sea, and its closest neighbours to the north are New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga.

During its long isolation New Zealand developed a distinctive fauna dominated by birds, a number of which became extinct after the arrival of humans and the mammals they introduced.

The majority of New Zealand's population is of European decent; the indigenous Māori are the largest minority. The most commonly spoken language is English.

New Zealand is a developed country that ranks highly in international comparisons on many topics, including education, economic freedom, and lack of corruption. Its cities also consistently rank among the world's most liveable.

New Zealand's climate is complex and varies from warm subtropical in the far north, to cool temperate climates in the far south, with severe alpine conditions in the mountainous areas.