About Auckland New Zealand is a country of rare seismic beauty: glacial mountains, fast-flowing rivers, deep, clear lakes, hissing geysers and boiling mud. There are also abundant native forests, long, deserted beaches and a variety of fauna, such as the kiwi, endemic to its shores.

Any number of vigorous outdoor activities - tramping (hiking), skiing, rafting and, of course, that perennial favourite, bungy jumping - await the adventurous. You can swim with dolphins, gambol with newborn lambs, whale-watch or fish for fattened trout in pristine streams and rivers

Places to See
New Zealand isn't all caves, glaciers and geysers, though its natural marvels are epic in scope and you'd be mad not to sample at least some of them. On your way between albatross colonies and fjords check out the pleasures of its cities, which combine big-town cool with small-town charm

Events Overview
Some of the noteworthy cultural events include: Summer City Programme (January to February; Wellington), which is a series of festivals around the city; Wine Marlborough Festival (2nd weekend in February; Blenheim); New Zealand Festival (February, even-numbered years only; Wellington), an entire month of national and international culture; Golden Shears Sheep-Shearing Contest (March; Masterton), a must for lovers of sheep and sweat; and Canterbury Show Week (November; Christchurch), which has agricultural exhibits, rides and local entertainment

Weather Overview
New Zealand sits squarely in the 'roaring forties' latitude, which means a prevailing and continual wind blows over the country from west to east; this can range from a gentle breeze in summer to a buffeting, roof-stripping gale in winter. The North Island and South Island, because of their different geological features, have two distinct patterns of rainfall: in the South Island, the Southern Alps act as a barrier for the moisture-laden winds from the Tasman Sea, creating a wet climate to the west of the mountains and a dry climate to the east; while the North Island's rainfall is more evenly distributed without a comparable geological feature such as the Alps. Temperatures are a few degrees cooler in the South Island, and both islands receive snow in winter. Winter falls in the months of June through August and summer from December through February. It is important to remember that New Zealand's climate is maritime, rather than continental, which means the weather can change with amazing rapidity and consequence. The busy tourist season falls in the warmer months between November and April, though ski resorts, such as Queenstown, are full during winter.

Overview
It's not just about rugby...New Zealand art is multifarious, valuing innovation, integrity and craftsmanship that reflects Pakeha, Maori and Pacific Islands heritage. The music scene is vigorous and has spawned an abundance of talent, from old-timers Split Enz and Crowded House to Bic Runga, Shihad and Scribe.

Pre 20th Century History
The Polynesian navigator Kupe has been credited with the discovery of New Zealand around AD 800. Legend has it his wife, Hine-te-aparangi, named it Aotearoa, Land of the Long White Cloud. Continuous settlement of New Zealand dates from about 1200, following which a fairly steady migration of people came from Kupe's homeland of Hawaiki (Ra'iatea in modern-day French Polynesia) who, according to tradition, followed Kupe's own navigational instructions. Their culture, essentially Polynesian but developed over centuries of only limited contact with 'the home lands', was hierarchical and often sanguinary.

In 1642, the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman briefly sailed along the west coast of New Zealand; any thoughts of a longer stay were thwarted when his attempt to land resulted in several of his crew being killed and eaten. In 1769, Captain James Cook circumnavigated the two main islands aboard the Endeavour. Initial contact with the Maoris also proved violent but Cook, impressed with the Maoris' bravery and spirit and recognising the potential of this newfound land, grabbed it for the British crown before setting sail for Australia.

When the British began their antipodean colonising, New Zealand was originally seen as an offshoot of Australian enterprise in whaling and sealing: in fact, from 1839 to 1841 the country was under the jurisdiction of New South Wales. However, increased European settlement soon proved problematic: a policy was urgently required regarding land deals between the settlers (Pakeha) and the Maori. In 1840, the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, with the Maori ceding governorship of their country to Britain in exchange for protection and guaranteed possession of their lands. But relations between the Maori and Pakeha, although harmonious in some regions, soured in others. Causes were varied and complex, but the most common feature was disagreements about land. The Northland War of 1844-46 was followed by more fighting in other Maori strongholds of Taranaki (1860-61 and 1865-69), Waikato (1863-64) and the East Coast (1868-72). The fighting eventually died down, and though there was no formal resolution to any of the five wars, the Pakehas certainly claimed victory.

Modern History
By the late 19th century, things had temporarily calmed down. The discovery of gold had engendered much prosperity, and wide-scale sheep farming meant New Zealand became an efficient and mostly self-reliant country. Sweeping social changes - women's suffrage, social security, the encouragement of trade unions and the introduction of child care services - cemented New Zealand's reputation as a country committed to egalitarian reform.

New Zealand was given dominion status in the British Empire in 1907 and granted autonomy by Britain in 1931; independence, however, was not formally proclaimed until 1947. The economy continued to prosper until the worldwide recession in the 1980s, when unemployment rose dramatically. Today the economy has stabilised, thanks largely to an export-driven recovery. Internationally, New Zealand was hailed during the mid-1980s for its anti-nuclear stance - even though it meant a falling-out with the USA - and its opposition to French nuclear testing in the Pacific (which France countered, to much opprobrium but little penalty, by blowing up the Greenpeace vessel Rainbow Warrior as it sat in Auckland Harbour).

Recent History
The Maori population is now increasing faster than the Pakeha and a resurgence in Maoritanga (Maori culture) has had a major and lasting impact on New Zealand society. One of the most heartening aspects of this has been the concerted efforts towards cultural integration between the Maori and Pakeha. However, a clumsy take-it-or-leave-it attempt by the New Zealand government to offer financial reparations has resulted in an upsurge of militant Maori protests over land rights. The issue of reconciliation remains at the top of the political agenda.