About New Zealand

New Zealand is roughly the size of the State of Colorado. Its population is about 4.5 million people of which 1.4 million live around the Auckland Region of the North Island. The entire South Island has a population of about 1.3 million people.As a result, there is somewhat of a differing of views between Aucklanders and the rest of the country, especially South Island mainlanders. According to OECD Data, New Zealand is not expected to expand above 6 million in population over the next 20 years based on current demographic trends. In all, the country should remain somewhat consistent in nature for the foreseeable future.

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The New Zealand economy is primarily commodity based which, unlike Australia, which is rich in minerals, centers around agriculture. That agriculture is primarily lamb, beef and dairy. With close to 40 million sheep and 1.2 million head of cattle, it's no surprise that New Zealand produces roughly 20 times more than it consumes in food.

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The regions of the country are quite diverse as the land mass straddles several latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere. Wellington is roughly at 42 degrees in the Southern Hemisphere, just as New York is 42 degrees in the Northern. One way to orient yourself on the climates in this country is by overlaying Wellington over New York, then turning the southern most tip of New Zealand to face due north, and you have a general perspective of the  warmer and cooler regions. This is by no means accurate but does give a general perspective.

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The country's culture is egalitarian in nature, so being modest, understated, and reserved in nature is commonplace here. This perhaps, could be attributed to the country's socialistic past and its newness with capitalism. As a result, your interaction with the economy here, may at first, be perceived as a bit aggressive and fast. Over time you should pick up on the subtleties of negotiation and find that a more toned down version of yourself is all that is required.

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New Zealand has close ties with Australia, and while Kiwis and Ozzies are quite different in their overall dispositions, Much as one would describe a Southerner with a Mid-Westerner for lack of a better example, Both countries share a passion for Rugby and Cricket. The old joke from former PM Helen Clark used to be that when Kiwis leave New Zealand for Australia, the average  IQ of both countries rises. In all fairness, Australia is a wonderful place to visit and quite easy to travel to from both the North and South Island.

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If one were to pick a new country to move to, New Zealand is a very good choice. Everyone is English speaking, the laws are based on British Common Law and very close to what one sees in the US, and through the globalization of todays businesses, most modern ameneties exist here.

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New migrants to the country may find their first year very exciting. The novelty of a new place, friendly people, and a sense of adventure all contribute to the excitement. After the first year, and when routines develop and you become settled, it's important to remain focused on the reasons for your move. If those reasons were not well thought out, some doubt may creep in, second guessing occurs, and the possibility of a change in attitude may emerge.Of most importance, is to remain positive and open minded.

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After a few years in country, you may start to notice a sense of humor that boarders on sardonic and clever. You may also notice that Rugby, when viewed live, is every bit as exciting as the NFL. The coffee is much stronger than anything you'll get at Denny's or Starbucks for that matter, and that alot of time isn't spent in political debate, but more centered around lifestyle and family.

Most of all, you will start to notice that you do not have to shed your Americanisms, they are who you are, and Kiwis enjoy "Yanks" and have a fairly level opinion of us and our country.

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