The unusual nature of New Zealand (24 photos). vegetation of new zealand
- the country is developed and modern, but for the inhabitants 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. major islands only two - North and South: in terms of area they are approximately the same - the difference is 36 thousand square meters. km. In addition to them, there are many small islands and archipelagos, but not all of them are suitable for life - New Zealand even has Antarctic possessions.
Faraway country New Zealand
Population density in New Zealand is low: its territory exceeds common territory 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.
It attracts tourists from all over the world extreme entertainment- in New Zealand the whole industry of such entertainments. This is skating mountain rivers in speed boats, riding with steep mountains with the help of special shells, all kinds of bungee, rafting underground rivers; heliboarding - snowboarding with the participation of a helicopter; rafting, parachuting; 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 balloons, etc. A very extreme entertainment can be called a descent into the craters extinct volcanoes: geysers with boiling water operate in them, and you can even go down in a thermally insulated capsule into seething magma.
From Russia New Zealand far away - 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 over" new lands, and still New Zealand is a monarchy and a member of the British Commonwealth, although membership is rather formal. Queen Elizabeth II is also the formal head of state: she reigns, and the parliament rules the country, as in Great Britain itself.
Tourists who are going to visit this distant country are interested in learning about its climate and weather conditions. New Zealand's climate can be described as mild: it has winter when we have summer, and the air temperature rarely drops below 10°C; in summer, it rarely rises above 30°C - our annual temperature variation is more noticeable. But a sharp change in the weather is a frequent occurrence here: the 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 advised to come here from November to March - January and February are considered the warmest months.
Wilderness in New Zealand
New Zealand has a lot of amazing places to visit., although it cannot be called a country with a rich cultural and historical past - by the standards of Europeans. a lack of historical monuments more than compensated by the unique and well-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 their main asset. On a relatively large area there are 12 countries national parks, And marine parks including.
Fiordland is considered the largest and most luxurious, occupying an area of about 12.5 thousand square meters. km, and included in the UNESCO list world heritage– 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 man has set foot on the territory of this park” yet: there are many clean and transparent mountain lakes; ancient forests grow - they are dominated by southern trees, but they are adjacent to glaciers, no less ancient - the sight is more than amazing. Animals here are like nowhere else on Earth - New Zealand is known for this, but you can not be afraid of large predators, poisonous snakes and insects.
Auckland is the largest city in the country
Wellington is the capital of the country, but the most major 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 sights, but they are: 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 is no other place with such a variety of animals as in New Zealand, the 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 in a not very large area - only about 20 hectares, but both they and visitors feel very comfortable in the zoo - locals like to come here on weekends with the whole family.
Auckland also has a unique aquarium. Of course, there are dozens of grandiose aquariums in the world now, 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 arranged differently. A glass tunnel runs along its bottom, and people, having got into it, find themselves, as it were, on seabed: Marine life they swim not only nearby, behind the glass, but also directly above their heads, and the sun from there seems to be a distant luminous spot - an unforgettable impression.
Of course, Auckland has a lot of entertainment and cultural institutions, quite a few interesting museums and parks, and from the tops of extinct volcanoes located within the city, opens beautiful view to the Pacific Ocean. The beaches on the coast of New Zealand - well-maintained and "wild" - about 15 thousand km - this is surprising, given that the country's territory is not so large. They go from one to the other, but western beaches differ sharply from the eastern ones: on some sands are golden, and on others - coal-black, volcanic. A great many sports facilities have been built - for lovers active rest it will not be boring, 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 talk briefly 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 a trip with a visit to Australia - the distance to New Zealand is from southern mainland only 2000 km.
New Zealand is a land of forests and grasslands. At the dawn of colonization most of its territory, especially on the North Island, was covered with dense evergreen forests. European settlers gradually changed the appearance of the New Zealand landscape, and arable land took the place of primeval virgin forests. Nowadays, the latter have been preserved only in the most inaccessible mountainous areas countries. These forests are very peculiar. Most of the plant species, approximately 3D, as in Australia, are endemic, that is, they are inherent only in New Zealand, and do not occur naturally in any other parts the globe. One of the most famous and interesting species are kauri pines. These are huge centuries-old trees, reaching a height of 40 or even 60 m, with a trunk diameter of up to 3 m. The wood of these pines is an excellent building material. During the period of colonization of the islands, pine forests were severely exterminated and are now found in the form of small groves only on the Auckland Peninsula. In the south and eastern parts North Island and mainly on the South Island, on the slopes mountain ranges, there are still preserved forests, consisting of local breeds: totara, matai, rimu, kahikatea, etc. Their wood is used for building houses, making furniture, containers for the export of butter, cheese and other purposes. Ferns are widespread and ubiquitous. Tree-like forms, having a height of 8 to 14 m, form a dense undergrowth; lower ones, together with club mosses and mosses, cover the soil, and creeping forms of ferns climb far up the straight and smooth trunks of tall trees. An interesting and peculiar plant of the New Zealand forests is the rata tree epiphyte. It has very small seeds that often take root and germinate on the branches of other trees. There, the rata develop as long as there is a sufficient supply of nutrients, after which they begin to release aerial roots. When the latter reach the soil, they germinate rapidly and soon take on the character of tall and thick tree trunks. With their branches, they tightly wrap around the tree on which they originated, often oppressing it and strangling it. In places, the rata have developed so much that they almost completely suppressed and replaced all other tree species. In addition to ratha, there are many other epiphytes and vines in the forests of New Zealand, which, being thrown from tree to tree, make these forests completely impenetrable. Some of them have flexible, finger-thick, but not knife-resistant shoots, while others, such as the New Zealand blackberry, are covered with long prickly thorns. Among forest species, palm trees are not uncommon. As a rule, they do not have high trunks and almost straight out of the ground they throw out multi-meter feathery leaves, fixed on long chocolate-colored velvety cuttings. They are very decorative and beautiful, but in their appearance they differ sharply from the palms of the northern hemisphere. However, New Zealand forests are rather monotonous. In their more often it is almost always quiet and dead. There are no colorful bright flowers, no animals are visible, and only rare butterflies and European birds enliven their austere and gloomy appearance somewhat. Large untouched woodlands are located on western slopes Southern Alps. In the lower part they consist of the already familiar totaru, kahikatea, rimu, araucaria and have a dense undergrowth mainly of tree ferns. Epiphytes, creepers and mosses are widespread here. Higher up the slopes, these impenetrable thickets are replaced by evergreen beech forests, and upon reaching 1500 m by trees shedding their leaves for the winter. Even higher is a belt of shrubs, then a forest of dwarf trees, and finally peaks free of snow and ice, covered with tall-grass alpine meadows, where colorful flowers peep bright spots among the emerald-green grass. There are especially many multi-colored daisies and snow-white edelweiss. On lonely rocky peaks and cliffs in the highest mountainous zone, plants typical of these places are found. They creep low on the ground and have the form of pillows, the diameter of which reaches 34 m. In New Zealand they are often called vegetable sheep. The eastern slopes of the Southern Alps in terms of their vegetation are quite different from the western ones. There is less moisture more difference temperatures between winter and summer, so the middle parts of the slopes are dominated by shrubs, while the lower ones are occupied by dense thickets of tall and stiff tassack grass. In river valleys or on the fringes of swampy forests, it is very common to find dracaena, a plant endemic to New Zealand. By appearance it looks like a palm tree. On a high trunk, long, hard, shiny leaves fan out in different directions. Dracaena is not only a beautiful ornamental tree that gives the surrounding landscape a palm character. High-quality paper is obtained from its leaves during processing, thread and twine are obtained from fibers, and a delicious drink is obtained from its roots. The native tree species of New Zealand have a number of characteristics. Firstly, they are characterized by extremely slow growth, and secondly, they have a shallow root system that goes into the soil and therefore easily breaks out of the ground during strong winds and storms, and thirdly, very hard and durable, but difficult to process wood. In addition, as already mentioned, most of the forests have been severely deforested, cut down and burned. The renewal of the vegetation cover occurs mainly through the introduction of rocks brought from different parts of the globe. Since the end of the last century, artificial forest plantations began to be created in New Zealand. Australian eucalyptus and acacia trees, sequoias,
Iikau palm trees on the shore of Aa Iva Akaroa (South Island)
View of a typical New Zealand subtropical forest of cypresses and pines from North America, poplar, birch, pine, oak and other species from European countries. In 1951 total area occupied by forests, amounted to 6356 thousand hectares, or 23.9% of the entire territory of the country, of which 183.6 thousand hectares are occupied by artificial forest plantations. Of the local, non-woody plants, New Zealand flax is of industrial importance. In its natural state, it is distributed in the provinces of Westland and Southland on the South Island, and 3 / s of specially cultivated flax is grown on the North Island, in the region of Auckland. New Zealand flax is a perennial herbaceous plant with a thick rhizome, from which numerous long (up to 23 m) xiphoid leaves fan out. In appearance, it is very similar to iris. From the leaves of this plant, you can get a strong and durable fiber, superior in quality to the famous manila hemp. At the beginning of this century, New Zealand flax was still widely cultivated on both islands and was one of the country's exports. At present, due to the competition of manila hemp and other hard-fiber crops that are easier to machine, New Zealand flax crops have declined sharply. This plant is most widely used by the indigenous Maori. Fresh, freshly cut leaves replace paper with them. With a sharp shell, the islanders scratch out letters on the glossy and strong surface of the sheet. Cut into strips, it replaces twine and ropes; mats and baskets are woven from it, fiber is obtained and clothes are made. All cultivated plants fruits, cereals, horticultural, and also special seeded herbs were brought to New Zealand from Europe, mainly from England. Even in the not very distant historical past animal world islands, as well as vegetable, was very peculiar and unusual. However, most of the local animals and birds were exterminated during the period of colonization and are now almost completely replaced by new species brought from Europe. Distinctive feature The fauna of the islands was that it was very poor in mammals. The Polynesians brought black rats and dogs to New Zealand with them, and later several species of bats were introduced. Hares, rabbits, deer, roe deer and others appeared there along with European settlers. As in Australia, the world of birds was richer, among which, which was also a feature of New Zealand, flightless prevailed. Some of them, such as moa, reaching 4 m in height, have long been exterminated. In the dense forests South Island there are also kiwis, small running birds. They have almost no wings at all, but strong and strong legs. The body of these birds is covered with long, hair-like feathers, resembling the coat of mammals. Flightless, but fast-running birds include Maori shepherds, which are still quite widespread on both islands. Parrots are especially numerous in New Zealand. Two species are most interesting: the badly flying owl parrot kakapo and kea. Kakapo is already almost exterminated and is found, except for zoos and nature reserves, only in the most remote valleys of the Southern Alps. It lives either in deep hollows or in rocky caves. During the day, he rarely appears in the forest and only with the onset of night goes in search of food. Since the development of sheep breeding in New Zealand, the kea parrot has become a harmful predator. With his strong and sharp beak, he pecks at the waist of the sheep in order to get to the kidney fat, which is a delicacy for him. This parrot causes great harm to sheep herds, and cattle farmers are constantly fighting with it. Many European birds are well acclimatized in New Zealand: starlings, sparrows, robins, mountain song thrushes, larks and others, which enliven gloomy and quiet forests with their singing and trills. Many winter there migratory birds from the Northern Hemisphere. There are no poisonous snakes, and in general reptiles are represented extremely poorly. Among them, the tuatara lizard, or tutara (Maori name) is especially interesting. This is a representative of prehistoric forms of animals that have long been extinct in all other parts of the globe. In the structure of its body, this lizard has many primitive features characteristic of ancient, lower organized reptiles. On big islands New Zealand tuatara are almost completely exterminated. They began to protect them only about 30 years ago. Over the past five years, Tuatara kept in a terrarium in Wellington have laid eggs twice, from which young animals have hatched. Live tuatara were sent to the California Academy of Sciences, as well as to zoos in Zurich and Washington National Park. Under the influence of man, the primitive animal world of New Zealand, like the flora, has undergone great changes. The settlers brought with them many species of European animals and, first of all, domestic animals: sheep, cattle, goats, horses, pigs, poultry. Some of them, such as rabbits, goats and pigs, have become somewhat feral. Currently, they live in the forests and serve as a subject of hunting. Especially great struggle is waged with rabbits. The latter multiplied very quickly and, eating a lot of grass, devastate and spoil sheep pastures.
New Zealand seems at first glance to be a rather exotic country, this is due to its large distance from our country and a small amount of information about it. But, nevertheless, it causes a lot of interest among tourists not only from Russia, but also from all over the world. New Zealand is a group of islands located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The largest of them are the North and South Islands, separated by the Cook Strait.
A former English colony, today it is an independent state, which is part of the British Commonwealth, headed by the Queen of Great Britain. But, in fact, the country is ruled by the representative of the queen - the governor-general. Official language- English. The climate in the vast territory of the archipelago is subtropical marine. Due to the fact that New Zealand is located in the southern hemisphere, the most cold month July is here, and January is considered the height of summer. Heavy snowfalls in winter are observed mainly in mountainous areas, and heavy rains fall in the rest of the territory.
New Zealand is distinguished by its unique nature preserved almost in its original form. A significant part of the country's territory is occupied by mountains. But, in general, the landscape is quite diverse, there are full-flowing fast rivers, dense forests, many lakes, and many of them volcanic origin, a large number of caves and grottoes, there are even extensive glaciers, geysers and healing mud. Also, tourists to this country are attracted by beaches with clear water And blue lagoons. Several national parks have been created on the territory of the islands, including two marine parks.
Many animal and plant species are found only in New Zealand, although most of the mammals have been introduced here. It is noteworthy that there are no snakes at all, but there are many insects. The capital of the state is the city of Wellington, it is known for its historical and cultural monuments. Here you can not do without a visit to the New Zealand opera house and the Royal New Zealand Ballet. by the most big city country is Auckland. It contains largest port, participants of many round-the-world races, as well as international sailing regattas of this region, come here.
Rotorua is home to the Valley of Geysers with boiling mud lakes and mineral springs, and in cultural center New Zealand native Maori, among other things, you can see the kiwi bird, which is a symbol of the country. In addition, in various parts of New Zealand you can watch whales, see active volcano, visit the zoo with many unique animals, as well as go fishing, diving and even extreme sports. Moreover, you can go fishing and diving all year round. Diving is mainly common in coastal waters north island, and in the area of the South Island you can see the sunken Soviet a cruise ship Mikhail Lermontov.
Extreme entertainments are very popular among tourists, and there are plenty of them on the archipelago. In New Zealand, you can raft down underground rivers in caves, do rafting, yachting, skiing, mountaineering, zorbing (downhill inside an inflatable balloon), bungee jumping (jumping from a bridge into a river with a safety rope), etc. Trekking is especially popular, for which routes have been developed along especially picturesque places countries. There is something for everyone in New Zealand. Those who have visited this country at least once fall in love with it forever.
New Zealand, attractions
Exceptionally unique. It has been preserved in its original form due to long historical isolation and remoteness from other continents. Some species of animals and birds, for example, the symbol of the country, the flightless kiwi bird or the "living dinosaur" tuatara lizard, whose closest relatives died out 65 million years ago, live only here.
Skeletons of a giant were found in local caves. birds of new zealand- moa. It reached 3.5 meters in height and was the only bird in the history of the Earth, completely devoid of wings. These unique creatures were exterminated by the Maori about 400 years ago. 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.
About 1000 years ago, before the appearance of permanent human settlements on the islands, mammals were historically completely absent. The exceptions were two species of bats and marine animals living in coastal waters: dolphins, whales, killer whales, fur seals and lions. There are also no snakes in New Zealand, and of the spiders, only the katipō is poisonous.
All carnivores New Zealand animals: rats, mice, ferrets, ermines, opossums, dogs and cats - were brought to New Zealand by colonizers - Polynesians and Europeans. The appearance of some of them had an extremely negative impact on the flora and fauna of the islands. Only in last years through the efforts of New Zealand's environmental authorities, some offshore islands were spared from predatory animals, which allows us to hope for the preservation of primordial natural conditions there.
Birds are held in high esteem in New Zealand. When you get off the plane at Auckland Airport, you will immediately hear the many-voiced bird singing, and while relaxing on the lake, you risk being surrounded by a herd of geese, ducks and swans. The smartest bird in New Zealand and in the whole world - the kea parrot - a thunderstorm of cars, cameras and backpacks left unattended. From others birds of new zealand it is worth noting takahe (takahe) or wingless sultan (she was considered extinct, but was discovered again in 1948), kakapo (moreporkowl - an owl parrot that disturbs sleep at night with its loud cries) and sweet-voiced tui (tui).
New Zealand waters - native home for the smallest dolphins in the world (1.4 meters) - Hector's dolphins. They can easily be found near the coast of the South Island.
Flora of New Zealand very diverse: it has about 2,000 plant species, 80% of which are endemic, that is, they grow exclusively in this country. Especially a lot in nature of new zealand ferns. One of them - Cyathea silver or silver fern - is a symbol of New Zealand and is depicted on its unofficial flag.
Another green attraction New Zealand - trees kauri (kauri). They reach colossal sizes and live for many hundreds of years. No wonder so many Maori myths and legends are associated with them. The most famous kauri tree is called Tane Mahuta, named after the Maori god of the forests. It reaches a height of 51 meters, its girth is 13 meters, and its age is approaching 2000 years.
beautiful new zealand tree- pohutukawa (pohutukawa). It blooms with fluffy bright red flowers from mid-December to mid-January, and for this it received its second name - the Christmas tree (NewZealand'sChristmastree).
New Zealand's landscapes are delightfully diverse: mountains, valleys, plateaus, rivers and lakes, beaches, glaciers, geysers, volcanoes and fjords - it has it all in a relatively compact area. This is what makes it so exciting. Today you can sunbathe on the beach or admire flora of New Zealand and tomorrow ride on skiing, and for this you do not need to go to distant lands.
20% of the country's territory is occupied National parks and reserves with free access for everyone. All parks have excellent hiking trails equipped with information boards and places. Also in New Zealand there are two territories with the status of "World Heritage Site". These are Tongariro in the central part of the North Island and Te Wahipounamu in the southwest of the South Island. The latter includes the Westland / Tai Poutini, Mount Aspiring, Aoraki / Mount Cook and Fiordland national parks.
In 2005, New Zealand became the first country in the world to introduce a carbon tax. As one of the important promising directions plans to become the first country in the world to have a neutral balance of carbon emissions by 2020, and thereby achieve recognition of the status of the most clean country in the world.
