Living in New Zealand guide for expats

All the information you need to relocate and live in New Zealand.

Our selection of articles for expatriation in New Zealand

Internships in New Zealand

Internships are a popular work experience tool worldwide, but these roles are still relatively new in New Zealand. In general ...

Getting around New Zealand

There's no point going all the way to New Zealand and not exploring it as much as possible once you're there. Whether you're ...

Travelling to New Zealand

Whether you are coming to New Zealand for a few weeks or hoping to stay a little longer, there are many options available for ...

Opening a bank account in New Zealand

Banking in New Zealand is almost always electronic, so it is important to have a bank account locally. This is how you will ...

Getting married in New Zealand

There's no denying New Zealand is a fantastic place to get married. Whether you want a dream destination wedding on one of ...

Driving in New Zealand

Driving in New Zealand may sound easy, but once you factor in different road rules and the varying terrains and driving ...

Things to do in New Zealand

More and more tourists and expats are heading to New Zealand every year, thanks to its natural beauty and opportunities for ...

Sports in New Zealand

Sport is an important part of the culture and national identity of New Zealand. Many New Zealanders participate in sports and ...

Raising children in New Zealand

New Zealand's relaxed culture, strong healthcare system, and focus on outdoor activities make it an excellent place to raise a ...

Relocating to New Zealand

Different people relocate in different ways. Some sell up everything at home and move with only a suitcase or two in tow, some ...

Customs regulations in New Zealand

Thanks to New Zealand being a remote island nation, it has a unique ecosystem that can be quickly thrown out of balance by the ...

Relocating to New Zealand with your pet

If you are moving to New Zealand long-term, you are probably not willing to leave any member of your close family behind. For ...

Connecting to the internet in New Zealand

Internet speeds and connectivity vary all across New Zealand, thanks to its mountainous and remote regions. However, as ...

Using phones in New Zealand

Being able to connect with your family worldwide is important, especially when you have moved overseas - and you really can't ...

Eating out in Auckland

Auckland has a strong food and drinks culture with influences from the West, Asia, the Pacific Islands and indigenous Māori ...

About New Zealand

Aptly known as Aotearoa (land of the long white cloud) to the Maori, New Zealand stretches over 268,021km² with over 15,000km of coastline, the 9th longest coastline in the world.

Even though Auckland is the most populated city, New Zealand’s capital is Wellington, located at the bottom of the South Island. This is also where the government is based. Auckland is the largest city with 1.6million people (almost a third of the population!).

The demography of New Zealand

Over 4.9million people call New Zealand home, with roughly a quarter of Kiwis born overseas, according to the most recent census. There is a range of ethnicities that call New Zealand home, including Maori, Pacific Islanders, Europeans and Asians. There are three official languages in the country - English, Maori and New Zealand Sign Language. English is the most widely spoken, with Maori, Samoan and Hindi being spoken by some communities.

New Zealand economy  

New Zealand ranks among the easiest countries in the world to start a business in. It has also been rated the third freest economy in the world, and also came out of the 2008 economic crisis faster than most countries - due to which it is also considered to be one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.

New Zealand is known for its agricultural industries, but tourism and construction have quickly become two main industries. As of 2019, New Zealand’s GDP is US$205billion - or 0.33% of the worlds’ economy.

Politics in New Zealand

New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy. This means it has a democratically elected House of Representatives who advise the head of the State (Prime minister). The Queen represents New Zealand. However, the Queen’s head of state duties are carried out by a representative within New Zealand, called the Governor-General. The Governor-General is appointed by the Prime Minister and is currently Rt Hon Dame Patsy Reddy.

The House of Representatives (Government) is typically made up of 12 Members of Parliament, or MPs. They are elected every three years by a mixed-member proportional representation voting system. Everyone gets two votes - one for their local MP, the other for their preferred political party. The party wins by getting the highest number of seats in the House of Representatives - the winning local MP’s receive those seats followed by other party members. In 2017, New Zealand gained a coalition government (two parties joining together for a majority), with the Prime Minister being Jacinda Ardern, only the second woman leader to have a child while in office.

New Zealand's climate 

New Zealand is located in the Southern Hemisphere, which means summer is in December through February. Auckland and the upper North Island is closer to the equator, indicating a warmer climate, whereas the Deep South of the South Island is closer to Antarctica and much colder. Temperatures range from 20-30º Celsius, while in winter - from June to September - has temperatures ranging from 0-15º Celsius.

Due to the geography of the country, the climate is strongly affected by the sea and mountains. The north is almost sub-tropical. Wellington has a more maritime climate, and the South Island has large temperature ranges and snowfall throughout winter. New Zealand gets more sunshine per year than Europe, but with the ozone hole above the North Island, you will need suncream on all day.

Quick Information

Capital : Wellington
Official Languages : English , Maori
Currency : Dollar
Area : 268680 Km2
Population : 4252277
Calling Code : +64

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