LOCATION AND GEOGRAPHY

New Zealand is an island country situated about 2,000 km (1250 miles) southeast of Australia, in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It has two main islands (North Island and South Island) and a number of smaller islands. The South Island is the largest land mass and is divided along its length by the Southern Alps. The North Island is less mountainous but marked by volcanism.

New Zealand, with a total area of 268,680 square kilometres, is comparable in size to Great Britain, Japan, or Colorado. Its closest neighbours to the north are New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. Its capital city is Wellington, the southernmost national capital in the world.

CLIMATE

New Zealand has four distinct seasons but a mild climate characterises most of the country, along with fairly high regional rainfall but also lots of sunshine. New Zealand is one of the few places in the world where tropical rainforests, sunny coastline, alpine mountains and a variety of flora and fauna are found within a relatively close distance of each other.

HISTORY AND POPULATION

New Zealand has a rich heritage from both Maori (aboriginal peoples) and European influences. The Europeans did not discover New Zealand until 1642 and it took another 150 years for settlers to begin to arrive. As European expansion increased, so did Maori resistance, and there were many conflicts in the 19th century. There have been several aboriginal/government settlements since that time to redress land lost by the Maori during European expansion, and Maori are now celebrated as an integral part of New Zealand culture.

The population of New Zealand is approximately 4.6 million, with over 80% living in urban areas including Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, and Dunedin. There is a great mix of ethnicities in the population, with Asians and Polynesians making up notable minorities in the majority Caucasian population. Christianity is the dominant religion, and English the most common language.

ECONOMY

New Zealand has a stable, healthy economy characterised by low inflation and steady growth, and a high standard of living. Over 50% of exports are agricultural products. The country is heavily dependent on free trade, and maintains a strong export industry with partners such as the United States, the U.K., Japan, and Australia. Tourism is also a major contributor to the economy; New Zealand is recognised around the world as being uniquely beautiful. The currency is the New Zealand Dollar.

LIVING CONDITIONS AND COST OF LIVING

Living conditions in New Zealand are very good due to its thriving economy, low crime rate, and relative lack of congestion and poverty. The OECD notes: "New Zealand ranks at the top in health status and social connections. It ranks above the average in income and wealth, environmental quality, civic engagement, personal security, housing, subjective well-being, education and skills, and jobs and earnings." To study in New Zealand for more than one year, you‘ll need to prove that you have at least $15,000 to support yourself for the first year. Tuition fees range from about $22,000 to $32,000. International PhD students pay the same as New Zealand PhD students, which is about $6,500 to $9,000 per year for most subjects."

EDUCATION SYSTEM

The New Zealand higher education system includes universities, private institutions, colleges, and polytechnics. There are 8 state-funded universities & around 90 Polytechnics & Private Institutions in New Zealand. Student can choose from a wide variety of courses that lead to qualifications in a large range of vocations from scuba diving to hospitality to business.

The university year begins in late February or early March and ends in October. July start date may also be available for some courses. Most of the courses are ‘full year’ courses.