Complete description of New Zealand. Animals and plants of New Zealand - the unique nature of the country
- a developed and modern country, but for residents of many other countries it still remains a “blank spot” - in Russia they also know little about it. We know that this country is located in the farthest south - more precisely, in the southwest Pacific Ocean, and consists of a group of islands. There are only two large islands - North and South: they are approximately the same in area - the difference is 36 thousand square meters. km. Besides them, there are many small islands and archipelagos, but not all of them are suitable for life - New Zealand even has Antarctic possessions.
The distant country of New Zealand
The population density in New Zealand is low: its territory exceeds the total territory of Great Britain, and only 4 million people live on it - it is not surprising that lovers of tranquility and vast spaces come here, tired of life in big cities.
Extreme entertainment attracts tourists from all over the world - New Zealand has a whole industry of such entertainment. These include rides on mountain rivers in high-speed boats, rides down steep mountains using special equipment, all kinds of bungee jumping, rafting on underground rivers; heliboarding – snowboarding with a helicopter; rafting, parachute soaring; air surfing - flying in the air on small boats equipped with a parachute; flying in an “air kayak” between hills, zorbing - descending from a mountain in huge inflatable balloons, etc. A very extreme entertainment can be called descending into the craters of extinct volcanoes: they have geysers with boiling water, and you can even go down in a thermally insulated capsule into a seething magma
New Zealand is still far from Russia - in the sense that there are not even direct flights there, and you have to fly through Korea and Japan - with a transfer. In total, to get to your destination, you have to stay in the air for about 24 hours - this is quite serious.
History and climate in New Zealand
The islands on which it is located were inhabited about 1000 years ago, and Europeans learned about them in the 17th-18th centuries. England was able to quickly “take control” of new lands, and to this day New Zealand is a monarchy and a member of the British Commonwealth, although this membership is rather formal. Queen Elizabeth II is also the formal head of state: she reigns and the country is governed by parliament, just like in Great Britain itself.
Tourists planning to visit this distant country are interested in learning about its climate and weather conditions. The New Zealand climate can be called mild: there is winter there when we have summer, and the air temperature rarely drops below 10°C; in summer it rarely rises above 30°C - our annual temperature range is more noticeable. But sudden changes in weather are a common occurrence here: heat can be replaced by cold rain, and vice versa - this happens because warm and cold air masses move very quickly. Residents of Russia are recommended to come here from November to March - January and February are considered the warmest months.
New Zealand's pristine nature
New Zealand has many amazing attractions, although by European standards it cannot be called a country with a rich cultural and historical past. The lack of historical monuments is more than compensated by the unique and perfectly preserved nature: it is not for nothing that New Zealand is considered one of the cleanest countries in the world in terms of ecology. Local landscapes are truly natural - they are untouched, and the state carefully protects them, considering them its main asset. In a relatively small territory of the country, there are 12 national parks, including marine parks.
Fiordland is considered the largest and most luxurious, occupying an area of about 12.5 thousand square meters. km, and included in the UNESCO World Heritage List - however, like many other New Zealand parks. Every year thousands of tourists from all over the world come here, and it seems to them that “no human has ever set foot on the territory of this park”: there are many clean and transparent mountain lakes; ancient forests are growing - they are dominated by southern trees, but they are adjacent to glaciers, no less ancient - the sight is more than amazing. The animals here are like no other on Earth - New Zealand is famous for this, but you don't have to worry about large predators, poisonous snakes and insects.
Auckland is the country's largest city
Wellington is the country's capital, but the largest city is Auckland. It is huge, but almost all the buildings in it are one-story, but this does not prevent it from being an economic, cultural and industrial center. There are few historical attractions, but they are there: first of all, this is the University of Auckland, founded in 1883; several beautiful Victorian mansions; a monument to the country's first minister - Michael Savage; Fort Victoria, built in 1885. The history of its construction is interesting: they say that they decided to build the fort after Russia strengthened its position in the Pacific Ocean - the British feared that the Russians might attack their colony.
Since there are no such number of different animals as in New Zealand anywhere else, Auckland Zoo is recognized as one of the best in the world - it has many different awards, including international ones. The zoo is divided into zones so that it is convenient for animals to live there, and it is convenient for people to watch them. About 180 species of animals live on a not very large territory - only about 20 hectares, but both they and visitors feel very comfortable in the zoo - local residents love to come here on weekends with the whole family.
Auckland also has a unique aquarium. Of course, there are now dozens of grandiose aquariums in the world, but almost all of them are of the same type: visitors watch the life of aquatic animals through glass, standing outside - the Auckland Aquarium is designed differently. A glass tunnel runs along its bottom, and when people get into it, they find themselves as if on the seabed: sea creatures swim not just nearby, behind the glass, but also right above their heads, and the sun from there seems like a distant luminous spot - an unforgettable experience.
Of course, Auckland has many entertainment and cultural venues, many interesting museums and parks, and from the tops of extinct volcanoes located within the city, there is a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean. There are about 15 thousand km of beaches on the coast of New Zealand - landscaped and “wild” - this is surprising, considering that the country’s territory is not so large. They merge into one another, but the western beaches are sharply different from the eastern ones: some have golden sands, while others have jet-black, volcanic sands. A great variety of sports facilities have been built - lovers of active recreation will not be bored, and surfers from all over the world come here every summer: there are no such waves anywhere else - they are very different, so both professionals and beginners can ride.
It is impossible to briefly talk about what is worth seeing in modern New Zealand - you need to go there, but not everyone can afford it: tours are very expensive, and with flights it turns out even more expensive. It is more profitable to travel to this country in groups, or combine the trip with a visit to Australia - the distance to New Zealand from the southern mainland is only 2000 km.
Peculiarities
There are practically no natural hazards in the country. The fauna does not contain any poisonous snakes or dangerous wild animals, and there are almost no blood-sucking insects. Sand fleas, which are common on beaches, pose a minor threat, but can be effectively controlled with insect repellents. The only poisonous creature on the islands is the very rare katipo spider.
There are no special restrictions on clothing, even when visiting churches or traditional Maori celebrations.
There are also no restrictions on photography, only in churches and museums, you must ask permission before using a camera. And even then, there are usually signs everywhere explaining the norms accepted here.
New Zealand is recognized as one of the world's leaders in providing facilities for disabled and disabled people. All buildings and most public transport means are equipped with special devices to facilitate the movement of people with disabilities. It is customary to always and everywhere give way to them and help them move. The same actions are expected from tourists.
Tips are 5-10% Tips are usually not taken from the bill in a restaurant (but not in a simple cafe) in large tourist centers; in provincial establishments, tips are usually not taken.
Electrical voltage 220 V, 50 Hz. Three-pin sockets (flat pins). Most hotels provide 110 volts in their rooms with no more than 20 watts per outlet, only sufficient for electric shavers.
The cleanliness of city streets is amazing, New Zealand is even cleaner than Switzerland, famous for its pedantic neatness.
Pubs. Calm and uncrowded on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays. The atmosphere begins to warm up on Wednesday, on Thursday life is in full swing, on Friday it’s just hell. Those who can still make it to the pub also come on Saturday. Pubs are open until 2 am, and some all night. From Wednesday to Saturday, guest musicians play or the audience is entertained by a DJ. Dances are often held. Music - national Irish or disco. Beer flows like a river. Everyone is having fun indiscriminately.
Beverages. Preference is given to beer, which, to its credit, is simply magnificent. The most famous brands are Lion Red, DB Natural, DB Draft, Speight (the best beer in Dunedin), Canterbury Draft... and 44 more brands. Some are served only in a single pub, where they are brewed. New Zealanders drink an average of 120 liters of beer per year. Wine varies greatly in quality, and it happens that an excellent drink is sold only slightly more expensive than the most ordinary wine. As for strong alcoholic drinks, they are not sold in supermarkets, but only in special Bottle Stores. The minimum age for selling alcoholic beverages in shops and bars is 18 years. Some restaurants allow you to bring your own alcoholic beverages, in which case a "BYO" sign will be displayed prominently.
Drugs. Hard drugs are practically absent. Weed is often smoked, especially on the North Island. Consumption and, of course, trade are strictly prohibited.
Cigarettes. Travel to New Zealand is contraindicated for heavy smokers. Starting with a New Zealand airline plane where smoking is strictly prohibited. Smoking is also prohibited in all public places, on all types of transport, in hotels and even in some restaurants. It seems that the entire population is free of this bad habit. Smoking is allowed only in pubs and some restaurants. Cigarettes are sold everywhere. A pack costs about $7.
Criminal situation. Crime is low, even thefts are very rare. If this does happen and something is stolen from you, then ask for a detailed report from the police, otherwise you will only receive a piece of paper with the word theft “receipt of loss,” and this is not enough for your insurance company to pay for the loss.
Sport. New Zealanders are quite a sporty people, and the country's temperate climate is conducive to a variety of outdoor activities. The main winter sports are rugby, football, hockey, and skiing. Main summer sports: swimming, rowing, surfing, cricket, softball, tennis, l 
Athletics Golf and horse riding are practiced all year round in New Zealand. Mass sports include race walking and running, and, of course, the aforementioned golf. New Zealanders traditionally win many international competitions in athletics, boxing, skiing, and sailing. Fishing is no less popular than motor boating. Fishing with worms is prohibited. It is very easy to catch trout or salmon, but you need to inquire about permission. Speedboating is a favorite pastime for New Zealanders. In New Zealand they prefer boats with a flat bottom and a turbine instead of a propeller, the so-called jet boat. There are very few sailboats on the open sea. They all seem to be concentrated in the bays in the Auckland area. Cricket and rugby compete for the right to be considered the national sport. Don't be surprised if a cricket match is shown on TV for 5 days. Cricket is loved and understood only by the British and their partners from the Commonwealth countries. Bungee jumping is extremely popular, as New Zealand is the birthplace of this sport. Bungee is practiced everywhere, including jumping from a height of 300 meters from a helicopter.
Attitude towards tourists. Quite different in the South and North Islands. In New Zealand they say: the further south you go, the nicer and simpler the people are. In truth, all New Zealanders are peaceful, welcoming and friendly. They treat tourists very kindly. But even here you cannot avoid surprises: all passers-by, even in cities, greet strangers, this is customary. If you open a card, they immediately offer you their services. A local resident will try to give the most detailed answer to any question, and sometimes simply lead him to the place of interest to the tourist.
Kiwiana and New Zealand traditions
But 
New Zealand is a young country, rich in diverse cultural traditions of people from many parts of the planet. Nevertheless, all New Zealanders, regardless of race and religion, historical roots and education, readily call themselves “Kiwis”, and the collection of many specific national and cultural details has long been known as Kiwiana. The main element of Kiwiana, in our opinion, is the lifestyle of New Zealanders, which shapes the openness and friendliness of the country's residents. But we will try to bring you the material elements of kiwiana below. Of course, the list can be expanded, but we will focus only on its main elements.
Kiwi
To begin with, let us explain that the kiwi is a small bird that cannot fly, living only in New Zealand and being the national symbol of the country. The popularity of this symbol was so high that, long ago, “kiwi” became a friendly nickname for New Zealanders. Behind the concept of kiwi in the attitude of New Zealanders there is always: kiwi sociability, kiwi friendliness, kiwi “do it yourself” and many other details of “kiwiana”, which create the feeling “We are Kiwis!”
The kiwi fruit (kiwifruit as opposed to kiwi bird) can be considered the national fruit of New Zealand. However, not everyone knows that its homeland is China, and in New Zealand the kiwi fruit appeared in the last century under the name “Chinese gooseberry”. 
The beginning of its industrial exports to the United States occurred at a time when the mention of everything Chinese could not possibly be popular in the market. It was in this regard that a new name was found associated with New Zealand. Despite the fact that kiwi fruit is now grown in many countries, its export from New Zealand remains significant and its reputation for quality is consistently high. Today, New Zealand kiwi fruit can be bought in almost any country in the world under the trade name "Zespri".
Buzzy Bees
"Buzzy Bee" is a bright red and yellow toy that makes a characteristic noise when it moves. It is impossible to say how many Kiwi children grew up with it, but even today it is one of the favorite and popular toys and will forever remain an integral part of Kiwiana.
Pavlova cake
Despite the fact that the battles over the authorship of the Pavlova cake recipe between Kiwis and Ozzies (New Zealanders and Australians) do not subside, the Kiwis’ love for this cake remains unchanged and its lightness is present on any festive table. The cake got its name in honor of the famous Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who gave a tour in New Zealand in 1926. This is how the Russian name familiar to us entered Kiwiana.
Ask a Kiwi what sport they like and you can be sure of the answer. Rugby, of course! From five-year-old boys to sedate fathers of the family, everyone plays and loves this tough sport. 
Every Kiwi in every corner of the country gathers in front of the TV during the broadcast of a big match. The victory of the New Zealand national team All Blacks (by the way, rightfully considered one of the best teams in the world for decades) turns into a triumph of the country's national pride.
When talking about sports, we cannot fail to talk about its role in the Kiwi community. The country loves sports, the country loves a healthy lifestyle! It is difficult to find a family in which at least one person does not play sports! And it’s not for nothing that, per unit of population, New Zealand has more Olympic medals than any other country.
Paua shell has long been used by Maori for carving. Bright and colorful jewelry made from it is still used today by jewelers, engravers and simply lovers of crafts. In any New Zealand gift shop there will always be a product made from it.
Edmonds Cookbook
Every Kiwi Family Owns an Edmonds Cookbook - A Statement That Needs No Proof! First published in 1907, this cookbook has become the most published book in New Zealand with a total circulation of approximately 3.5 million!
No 8 Wire.
When talking about the wonders of kiwi skill and dexterity, they often use the spelling “all they need is a piece of Number 8 wire.” No. 8 wire is the standard gauge wire most popular for fencing around New Zealand's many farmsteads. And precisely because of its popularity and wide availability, farmers, forced to be jacks of all trades, used it in all imaginable and inconceivable designs and technological solutions. 
To this day, the urge to DIY remains in the blood of the vast majority of Kiwis.
L&P - national drink
L&P is and will long remain the national drink of the Kiwi. The drink's recipe was invented in 1904 in the town of Paeroa and was a characteristic mixture of lemon and local mineral waters. Despite its almost century-old history, the drink remains consistently popular among Kiwis and is even exported abroad.
Nature of New Zealand
New Zealand(English) New Zealand , Maori Aotearoa listen)) is a state in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, in Polynesia, located on two large islands (North Island and South Island) and a large number (approximately 700) adjacent smaller islands. The capital of the country is a city Wellington. New Zealand's population is approximately 4,443,900 (2012).
The discoverers of New Zealand should rightfully be considered immigrants from Eastern Polynesia, who began the development of these islands presumably in the 11th-14th centuries. Several waves of migrations and consistent development in new territories created two, albeit largely similar, but independently developing cultures and two peoples who received self-names Maori And Moriori . The Moriori lived compactly on the islands of the Chatham Archipelago, and the Maori inhabited the North and South Islands. It was with the Maori that the first Europeans who came to these lands met.
Maori war boats. According to legend, these were the boats that the first settlers from Polynesia used. 19th century drawing
The first European navigator to visit the coast of this country in 1642, a Dutchman Abel Tasman, called her " Staten Landt" It was this name that was transformed by Dutch cartographers into Latin Nova Zeelandia in honor of one of the provinces of the Netherlands - Zealand(Dutch Zeeland.) and in the Dutch name Nieuw Zeeland. Later the British navigator James Cook used the English version of this name, New Zealand , in their records, and it was this that became the official name of the country. One of the main features of New Zealand is its geographical isolation. The country's closest neighbors are - to the west, Australia, separated by the Tasman Sea (the shortest distance is about 1,700 km); to the north are the island territories of New Caledonia (about 1400 km), Tonga (about 1800 km) and Fiji (about 1900 km).
New Zealand, view from space
In addition to the two main islands, New Zealand owns about 700 islands of much smaller area, most of which are uninhabited. The largest of them are Stewart Island, the Antipodes Islands, Auckland Island, the Bounty Islands, Campbell Islands, the Chatham Archipelago and the Kermadec Islands. The total area of the country is 268,680 sq. km. This makes it slightly smaller in size than Italy or Japan, but slightly larger than the UK. New Zealand's coastline is 15,134 kilometers long. The South Island is New Zealand's largest island and the 12th largest island on the planet, covering an area of 150,437 sq km.
Bird's eye view of Stewart Island
New Zealand's terrain is mainly hills and mountains. More than 75% of the country's territory lies at an altitude of more than 200 m above sea level. Most of the mountains of the North Island do not exceed 1800 m in height. 19 peaks of the South Island are above 3000 m. The coastal zones of the North Island are represented by spacious valleys. There are fjords on the west coast of the South Island.
Fiordland National Park is New Zealand's largest national park.
Fiordland is over 12,500 sq km in the mountainous southwestern part of the South Island
New Zealand's climate varies from warm subtropical in the north of the North Island, to cool temperate in the south and central regions of the South Island; in mountainous areas a harsh alpine climate prevails. The chain of high Southern Alps bisects the country and, blocking the path of the prevailing westerly winds, divides it into two different climatic zones. The west coast of the South Island is the wettest part of the country; the eastern part, located only 100 kilometers from it, is the driest.
Mount Cook (Aoraki Maori) is a mountain in the New Zealand Southern Alps,
the highest (3754 m) point in New Zealand,
located in the western part of the South Island near the coast
The East Australian Current, passing through the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, makes the climate of the islands and east coast of Australia warmer and wetter, tropical instead of subtropical; promotes the spread of tropical marine fauna into subtropical areas along the southeast coast of Australia and New Zealand.
scenic river Waihu, hidden in the lush subtropical vegetation of New Zealand
In most of New Zealand, rainfall levels range from 600 to 1600 millimeters per year. They are distributed relatively evenly throughout the year, with the exception of the drier summer period.
Waterfall Bridal Vale(“The Wedding Veil”). With the trajectory of the falling water, it surprisingly resembles a light bridal veil. A staircase with three hundred steps leads to the foot of the waterfall. One of the most picturesque and majestic waterfalls in New Zealand, falling through a large amphitheater of rocks from a height of 55 meters
The average annual temperature ranges from +10 °C in the south to +16 °C in the north. The coldest month is July, and the warmest months are January and February. In the north of New Zealand the differences between winter and summer temperatures are not very significant, but in the south and in the foothills the difference reaches 14 °C. In the mountainous regions of the country, as the altitude increases, the temperature drops sharply, by about 0.7 °C every 100 meters.
July in New Zealand
Auckland, the country's largest city, has an average annual temperature of +15.1°C, with the highest recorded temperature being +30.5°C and the lowest being -2.5°C. In the capital of the country, Wellington, the average annual temperature is +12.8 °C, the maximum recorded temperature is +31.1 °C, the minimum is -1.9 °C. The lowest temperature in all of Oceania was observed in New Zealand, since it is located farthest from the equator among the countries of Oceania (up to 47 parallels of south latitude) in the city of Ranfurly on July 18, 1903 and amounted to -25.6 degrees.
Wellington is the capital of New Zealand
The absolute maximum temperature in New Zealand was recorded in the city Rangiora, equal to +42.4 degrees, in the northeast of the South Island, between the 43rd and 44th parallels, closer to 43. The absolute minimum and maximum temperatures in the country were observed in the South Island, where the climate is more continental than on the North Island. The temperature difference on the island is 68 degrees, and the average annual surface temperature of the South Island is +8.4 degrees.
On the streets of Rangiora
The number of hours of sunshine per year is relatively high, especially in areas protected from westerly winds. The national average is at least 2000 hours. Solar radiation levels are very high in most of the country.
Snowfall is extremely rare in the coastal areas of the north of the country and in the western part of the South Island. In other regions, light and short snowfalls are possible during the winter months. Night frosts in winter can occur throughout the country.
Snowfall on the streets of Wellington, August 2011
Active tectonic activity in the earth's crust of this region continues at the present geological stage of the formation of our planet. And its results are noticeable even in a historically short period of time since the beginning of the development of the islands by Europeans. For example, as a result of the devastating earthquake of 1855, the coastline near Wellington rose by more than one and a half meters, and in 1931, also as a result of a strong earthquake near the city of Napier, about 9 sq. km of land rose to the water surface.
An earthquake of magnitude 6.3. The epicenter was registered in the area of the country's second largest city - Christchurch, on the South Island.
At the present stage, the zone of increased tectonic activity and the associated high number of earthquakes is the western coast of the South Island and the northeastern coast of the North Island. The annual number of earthquakes in the country is up to 15,000, most of them small and only about 250 annually can be classified as noticeable or strong. In modern history, the most powerful earthquake was recorded in 1855 near Wellington, with a magnitude of about 8.2; the most destructive earthquake was the 1931 earthquake in the area Napier, which claimed 256 human lives.
The Hawke's Bay earthquake, also known as the Napier earthquake, occurred in the North Island of New Zealand on February 3, 1931
Volcanic activity in modern New Zealand is also high, and 6 volcanic zones are active in the country, five of which are located on the North Island. Near the lake Taupo presumably in 186 BC. e. The largest documented volcanic eruption in human history occurred. The consequences of the eruption are described in historical chronicles from places as far away as China and Greece. At the site of the eruption there is now the largest freshwater lake in the Pacific region, Lake Taupo, with an area comparable to the territory of Singapore.
Lake Taupo is 44 kilometers long and has an area of 33 square kilometers. It is the largest natural freshwater reservoir in the entire South Pacific Ocean
Due to the special geological and geographical conditions, New Zealand has many rivers and lakes. Most rivers are short (less than 50 km), originate in the mountains and quickly descend to the plains, where they slow down their flow. Waikato- the largest river in the country with a length of 425 km. The country also has 33 rivers with a length of more than 100 km and 6 rivers with a length of 51 to 95 km. The total length of rivers and other inland waterways in the country is 425,000 km.
Mouth of the Waikato River
In New Zealand, there are 3280 lakes with a water surface area of more than 0.01 sq. km, 229 lakes with a water surface area of more than 0.5 sq. km and 40 with a water surface area of more than 10 sq. km. The largest lake in the country is Taupo(area 623 sq. km), the deepest lake is Hauroko(depth - 462 meters). Most lakes in the North Island are formed by volcanic activity, while most lakes in the South Island are formed by glacial activity.
Lake Hauroko
New Zealand is one of the few countries in the southern hemisphere that has on its territory glaciers (Tasmanian, Fox, Franz Josef and etc.). The Tasmanian glacier forms a narrow ice tongue 27 km long, up to 3 km wide in places; its total area is 52 sq. km. It reaches a thickness of 610 m in some parts and is New Zealand's largest glacier.
The Tasmanian Glacier reaches a thickness of 610 meters in some parts and is New Zealand's largest glacier
New Zealand is isolated from other islands and continents by long sea distances. The Tasman Sea, which washes its western coast, separates the country from Australia by 1,700 km. The Pacific Ocean washes the eastern coast of the country and separates the country from its closest neighbors - in the north, from New Caledonia, by 1000 km; in the east, from Chile, 8700 km; and 2500 km south of Antarctica. Long-term historical isolation and distance from other continents has created a unique and in many ways inimitable natural world of the New Zealand islands, characterized by a large number of endemic plants and birds.
Kea parrot - endemic to New Zealand
About 1000 years ago, before permanent human settlements appeared on the islands, mammals were historically completely absent. The exceptions were two species of bats and coastal whales, sea lions (Phocarctos hookeri) and fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri).
Fur seal. Milford Sound Fjord. New Zealand
Simultaneously with the arrival of the first permanent inhabitants, the Polynesians, to these lands, small rats (Rattus exulans) and dogs appeared on the islands. Later, the first European settlers brought pigs, cows, goats, mice and cats. The development of European settlements in the 19th century caused the appearance of more and more new species of animals in New Zealand.
The appearance of some of them had an extremely negative impact on the flora and fauna of the islands. Such animals include rats, cats, ferrets, rabbits (brought into the country to develop hunting), and stoats (brought into the country to control the rabbit population). They brought it and possums for the development of the fur industry. When the animals had to be released into the wild, they began to climb onto poles with wires and chew them. As a result, the city was left without electricity, and the animals died. We had to cover all the posts with tin so that possums couldn’t climb up. Humans also thoughtlessly introduced black swans, woodpeckers, canaries, larks, geese (both wild and domestic) and many other bird species. But as if this were not enough, man brought deer, pigs and other large mammals to New Zealand, which he released into the wild, believing that the forests would look more beautiful this way. Having no natural enemies in the surrounding nature, the populations of these animals reached such sizes that the natural representatives of the flora and fauna of New Zealand were under serious threat. Only in recent years, through the efforts of New Zealand's environmental departments, have some coastal islands been rid of these animals, which has made it possible to hope for the preservation of natural conditions there.
Opossum
Of the fauna of New Zealand, the most famous are kiwi birds(Apterygiformes), which have become the national symbol of the country. Among the birds, it is also necessary to note the kea (Nestor notabilis) (or nestor), kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) (or owl parrot), takahe (Notoronis hochstelteri) (or wingless plume).
The kiwi bird is the national symbol of New Zealand.
Only in New Zealand are the remains of giant flightless animals exterminated about 500 years ago preserved. moa birds(Dinornis), reaching a height of 3.5 m. A little later, presumably only about 200 years ago, the largest known species of eagles, the Haast eagle, which had a wingspan of up to 3 meters and weighed up to 15 kg, was exterminated.
This is what the giant flightless moa birds looked like
New Zealand's flora includes about 2,000 plant species. The country's forests are divided into two main types - mixed subtropical and evergreen. The forests are dominated by podocarpus. Thickets have been preserved, although they have sharply decreased during the industrial development of forests. agathis new zealand(Agathis australis) and Dacridium cypress(Dacrydium cupressinum).
Dacridium cypress
In artificial forests, which cover a total area of about 2 million hectares, crops are mainly grown. Radiata pine(Pinus radiata), introduced to New Zealand in the mid-19th century. Plantings of radiata pine in the Kaingaroa Forest area have created the world's largest artificially grown forest. New Zealand has the largest number of liver mosses of any country. There are 606 species in the country, 50% of which are endemic.
Radiata pine
The country's legislation defines about 60 types of natural areas that are subject to protection and conservation, among which the largest and most significant forms are national parks (including marine parks), natural, scientific, ecological and tourist reserves and reserves. The country has created 14 national parks, 4 marine parks, 21 marine and coastal reserves and more than 3,000 reserves. The total area of national parks, reserves and natural areas under protection is about 6.5 million hectares or about 25% of the total territory of the country. New Zealand's largest national park and one of the most beautiful in the world is Fiordland National Park(eng. Fiordland National Park).
Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park
The country has several zoos and botanical gardens, the largest of which was opened in 1922 and contains more than 170 species of animals on its territory. Auckland Zoo. In addition, large zoos are open in the cities of Wellington and Auckland, and the only zoo with free-living animals operates in Christchurch. A unique park was created near the city of Whangarei, specializing in the conservation of animals of the big cat subfamily.
Lemurs at Auckland Zoo
Currently, tourism generates at least 10% of the country's GNP. There are almost 18,000 businesses in the tourism sector and they create about 10% of the country's jobs. In 2006, the country was visited by a record number of tourists in its entire history - 2,422,000 people. At the same time, on average, each tourist stayed in the country for 20 days, and they spent a total of more than $6.5 billion in New Zealand. The majority of tourists are Australian residents. The number of tourists from China has increased significantly in recent years, and in 2006 they constituted the second largest group of international tourists visiting the country. Next come tourists from the USA, Germany, South Korea, and Japan.
Wai-O-Tapu- This is a volcanic zone, which is called a “thermal miracle”. Everything there is seething and shimmering with incredible colors. On the territory of the reserve there are walking routes covering geysers, the water temperature of which reaches 260°C
Fiordland National Park is the largest in the Kingdom. The park contains national lakes with a rich history, fjords and gorges, and the mountains in its territory reach heights of more than 2700 meters
Find out more about New Zealand:
Visitors to New Zealand are amazed by the beauty of its nature and get the feeling that it was created in order to surprise with its beauty.
Everything here is unusual and very interesting. The shores of the islands are washed by the waters of the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean, bordered by picturesque cliffs and sandy beaches. The largest bays include: Canterbury, Hauraki, Tasman, Hawke, and Plenty.
Three-quarters of the area of the Maori islands is occupied by mountains, hills and hills. Low-lying land areas are located here along the ocean coast of the South Island and in river valleys on the North Island. In the central part of which there is a Volcanic Plateau, with intense seismic activity. Earthquakes happen here about 100-200 times a year. There are also hot mineral springs, geysers, and active volcanoes throughout the country. Tourists love to bring original gifts in the form of pieces of lava from these places.
On the territory of the North Island of New Zealand, the climate is subtropical - maritime, on the South Island - temperate. The average temperature in winter (July) on the North Island is +12°C and +5°C, and on the South Island in summer (January): +19°C and +14°C, respectively. It rains throughout the year, but snow falls only at higher elevations. The total glaciated area of the Southern Alps is 1000 square kilometers, and the largest glaciers include the Franz Josef, Tasman and Fox glaciers.
^Inland waters
The rivers of the Kiwi Islands are truly beautiful. They take their full-flowing origin in the mountains of the islands. The navigable Waikato River, located on the North Island, is considered the largest and richest hydroelectric power in this country. Its length is 354 kilometers. New Zealand is also famous for its lakes of glacial, tectonic and volcanic origin.
And Lake Taupo, located on the North Island, due to its area (612 sq. km) is considered the largest in all of Oceania.
^Soil and plant flora
The soil zones of the emerald islands are diverse. Here you can find yellow soils in subtropical regions, black soils on the Canterbury Plains, chestnut soils on the South Island, as well as mountain meadow and mountain forest soils in the mountainous regions of the country.
About 24 percent (6 million hectares) of the total area in New Zealand is occupied by forests. Of which the majority are local plants: tarairo, rimu, namahi, kauri, and a smaller part are introduced species: poplars, cypresses, pine trees. 75% of the local vegetation species here are unique and endemic. The majority of perennial, evergreen species of plant flora predominate.
^Fauna of New Zealand
The country's fauna is considered the most ancient in the world. It is poor in mammals. There are so few of them here that you can count them all: bats, rats, dogs. Of the reptiles, an interesting one is the hatteria or tuatara, an animal of the beak-headed order. Deforestation had a detrimental effect on the country's flora, during which plant communities were destroyed and entire populations of birds and animals were destroyed. As a result, many have become rare and are subject to state protection: owl parrot, Sultan's chicken, shepherdesses, kiwi. There are nine national parks in the country, and some islands around New Zealand have been turned into animal and bird sanctuaries. Fiordland, located on the South Island, is considered the country's largest national park.
