New Zealand is made up of two main islands The main North and South Islands are separated by the Cook Strait The country is situated some 1,500 kilometers East of Australia. New Zealand boasts a diverse natural landscape. People from all over the world, travel to NZ to experience the stunning scenery and enjoy the vast range of outdoor activities.

There are just over four million New Zealanders, and every single one is either an immigrant or descended from one. In fact, people from over 145 countries now call New Zealand home. It was the Mâori who first arrived here over 600 years ago, followed in the 19th century by large numbers of migrants from the United Kingdom. The end of World War II saw an influx of European migrants from war-weary countries looking to rebuild shattered lives.

Being in the Southern Hemisphere, seasons in NZ are completely opposite to countries north of the equator. Winter lasts from June until August and summer is between December and February. Because NZ is surrounded by sea, the climate doesn’t get uncomfortably hot or unbearably cold in the areas where the majority of us live, although extremes will be found, particularly in our mountain ranges in winter. Overall, temperate climate ranges from 20–30°C (68–86°F) in summer, and from 5–15°C (41-59°F) in winter.