The unusual nature of New Zealand (24 photos). Animals and plants of New Zealand - the unique nature of the country
Visitors to New Zealand are amazed by the beauty of its nature and there is a feeling that it was created in order to amaze with its beauties.
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 shores. The largest bays include: Canterbury, Hauraki, Tasman, Hawk, and Plenty.
Three-fourths of the area of the Maori islands is occupied by mountains, hills and highlands. Low land areas are located here along the ocean coast of the South Island and in the river valleys on the North Island. In the central part of which there is a Volcanic Plateau, with actively pronounced seismic activity. Earthquakes here happen about 100-200 times a year. There are also hot mineral springs, geysers, active volcanoes. Tourists love to bring original gifts in the form of pieces of lava from these places.
In the territory north island New Zealand's climate is subtropical - maritime, on the South Island - temperate. The average winter temperature (July) on the North Island is +12°С and +5°С, and on southern summer(January): +19°С and +14°С, respectively. It rains throughout the year, but snow falls only on the hills. The total glaciation 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 beginning in the mountains of the islands. The largest and richest hydropower in this country is the navigable Waikato River, located on the North Island. 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 flora
Diverse soil zones emerald isles. 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 mountainous areas countries.
About 24 percent (6 million hectares) of the total area in New Zealand is occupied by forests. Most of which are local plants: tarairo, rimu, namakhi, kauri, and a smaller part - introduced species: poplars, cypresses, pines. 75% of local vegetation species are unique and endemic. The majority of perennial, evergreen species of plant flora prevail.
^Animals of New Zealand
The fauna of the country is considered the most ancient in the world. She is poor in mammals. There are so few of them here that you can count them all: bats, rats, dogs. Of the reptiles, the hatteria or tuatara is interesting - an animal of the beak-headed order. Deforestation had a detrimental effect on the flora of the country, 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: the owl parrot, the Sultan's chicken, shepherds, kiwi. There are nine national parks on the territory of the country, and some islands around New Zealand have been turned into reserves for animals and birds. The largest national park in the country is Fiordland, located on the South Island.
New Zealand is located in the Southwest Pacific Ocean in the Polynesian Triangle in central area hemispheres of water. The main territory of the country is made up of two islands with corresponding names - the South Island and the North Island. The South and North Islands are separated by the Cook Strait. In addition to the two main islands of New Zealand, there are about 700 islands of a much smaller area, most of which are uninhabited.
The largest of these are Stewart Island, the Antipodes Islands, Auckland Island, the Bounty Islands, the Campbell Islands, the Chatham Archipelago and Kermadec Island. The total area of the country is 268,680 km2. This makes it slightly smaller than Italy or Japan, but somewhat more UK. Length coastline New Zealand is 15,134 kilometers long.
The South Island is New Zealand's largest island, with an area of 151,215 km2. About one-fourth of the country's population lives on the island. A ridge runs along the island from north to south. folded mountains Southern Alps, whose highest peak is Mount Cook, other official name- Aoraki) with a height of 3754 meters. In addition to it, on the South Island there are 18 more peaks with a height of more than 3000 m. The eastern part of the island is more flat and almost completely occupied by agricultural land. The west coast of the island is much less densely populated. Significant massifs of almost untouched nature with virgin flora and fauna. the western part is also famous for its numerous national parks, fjords and glaciers descending from the slopes of the Southern Alps right into the Tasman Sea. Most big lake islands - Te Anau (the second largest lake in New Zealand).
The North Island, with an area of 115,777 km2, is much less mountainous than the South Island and is more convenient for creating settlements and seaports, which is why most of population and the largest cities of the country are located here. most high point The northern island is the active volcano Ruapehu with a height of 2797 meters. The northern island is characterized by high volcanic activity: out of the six volcanic zones of the country, five are located on it. In the heart of the North Island is Lake Taupo, the largest lake in New Zealand. The Waikato River originates from it, the length of which is 425 kilometers, which makes it the most long river in New Zealand.
New Zealand is isolated from other islands and continents by large sea distances. The Tasman Sea washing its western coast separates the country from Australia for 1700 km. Pacific Ocean washes the eastern coast of the country and separates the country from its nearest neighbors - in the north, from New Calendonia, for 1,000 km; in the east, from Chile, at 8700 km; and south of Antarctica for 2500 km.
The length of the coastal strip of New Zealand is 15,134 km Territorial waters - 12 nautical miles. Exclusive economic zone - up to 200 nautical miles. The area of the maritime exclusive economic zone is approximately 4,300,000 km2, which is 15 times the land area of the country. Up to 700 small islands are located in the coastal waters of the country, most of them are located at a distance of up to 50 km from the main islands. From total number only about 60 are habitable or currently occupied.
The relief of New Zealand 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 higher than 3000 m. The coastal zones of the North Island are represented by spacious valleys. Fjords are located on the western coast of the South Island.
Geological structure of New Zealand
The islands that form New Zealand are located in the Cenozoic geocyclinal region between two lithospheric plates - the Pacific and Australian. Over long historical periods, the fault site between the two plates has been subjected to complex geological processes, constantly changing the structure and shape of the earth's crust. That is why, unlike most of the islands of the Pacific Ocean, the islands of New Zealand were formed not only as a result of volcanic activity, but also as a result of discharges and are composed of geological rocks of different composition and different ages.
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 from the beginning of the development of the islands by Europeans. So, for example, as a result of a devastating earthquake in 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 km2 of land rose to the water surface.
The location of New Zealand is historically associated with active volcanic activity on its territory. Researchers suggest that it began in the early Miocene, and the period of formation of modern zones of increased volcanic activity was completed in the late Pliocene. The largest volcanic eruptions, presumably, took place during the late Pliocene - early Pleistocene, when about 5 million cubic kilometers of rock could erupt to the Earth's surface.
On 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 northeast coast of the North Island. The annual number of earthquakes in the country is up to 15,000, most of them are 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 force of about 8.2 points, the most destructive was the 1931 earthquake in the Napier region, which claimed 256 human lives.
Volcanic activity in modern New Zealand is still high and 6 volcanic zones are active in the country, five of which are located on the North Island. In the area of Lake Taupo, presumably in 186 BC, the largest documented volcanic eruption in the history of mankind occurred. The consequences of the eruption are described in the historical chronicles of places as far away as China and Greece. At the site of the eruption is now the largest freshwater lake in the Pacific region, its area comparable to the territory of Singapore.
Minerals of New Zealand
New Zealand is located on the border of the Indo-Australian and Pacific seismic rings. The processes of their interaction, including the rapid rise mountain ranges and active volcanic activity for two million years, determined the geology of the land mass of the islands.
Despite the diversity of natural resources, only deposits of gas, oil, gold, silver, iron sandstone and coal are industrially developed. In addition to the above, there are extensive reserves of limestone and clays (including bentonite clay). Aluminum, titan iron ore, antimony, chromium, copper, zinc, manganese, mercury, tungsten, platinum, heavy spar, and a number of other minerals are often found, but their explored industrial reserves are small.
It should be especially noted that all deposits and all the extraction of jade since 1997 have been given to the management of the Maori, due to the important historical role that jade products (Pounamu Maori) play in the culture of this people. New Zealand's proven gold reserves are 372 tons. In 2002, gold production amounted to a little less than 10 tons. New Zealand's proven silver reserves are 308 tons. In 2002, silver mining amounted to almost 29 tons. The proven reserves of ferruginous sandstone are 874 million tons. Its industrial production began in the 60s of the XX century. In 2002, production amounted to about 2.4 million tons.
New Zealand's proven natural gas reserves are 68 bcm. Commercial gas production started in 1970. In 2005, natural gas production in the country amounted to approximately 50 million m3. Oil reserves are approximately 14 million tons, its industrial production began in 1935. Oil production in the country is declining markedly in last years. In 2005, the country's oil production amounted to just over 7 million barrels. Coal production, which has been steadily increasing for many decades, is stabilized in the first decade of the 21st century thanks to programs aimed at reducing the consumption of solid fuels. About a third of the coal produced is exported. Currently, 60 coal mines continue to operate in the country.
Climate of New Zealand
New Zealand's climate varies from warm subtropical in the north of the North Island to cool temperate in the south of the South Island; in mountainous areas, a harsh alpine climate prevails. The chain of the high Southern Alps divides the country in half and, blocking the path of predominant westerly winds, divides it into two different climatic zones. The west coast of the South Island is the wettest part of the country; East End, located just 100 kilometers from it, is the driest.
Most of New Zealand has rainfall between 600 and 1600 millimeters per year. They are distributed relatively evenly throughout the year, except during drier summers.
The average annual temperature ranges from +10 °C in the south to +16 °C in the north. Most cold month- 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, with increasing altitude, the temperature drops sharply, by about 0.7 ° C every 100 meters. In Auckland, the largest city in the country, mean annual temperature is +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.
Quantity sundial relatively high in the year, especially in areas protected from westerly winds. The national average is at least 2,000 hours. The level of solar radiation is very high in most of the country.
Snowfall is extremely rare in coastal areas north of the country and in the western part of the South Island, however, in the east and south, this island is subject to snowfall during the winter months. As a rule, such snowfalls are insignificant and short-lived. Night frosts in winter time may take place throughout the country.
Rivers and lakes of New Zealand
Due to the special geological and geographical conditions in New Zealand, there are many rivers and lakes. Most of the rivers are short (less than 50 km), originate in the mountains and quickly descend to the plains, where they slow down their flow. Waikato is 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.
In New Zealand, there are 3,280 lakes with a water surface area of more than 0.001 km2, 229 lakes with a water surface of more than 0.5 km2, and 40 lakes with a water surface of more than 10 km2. largest lake countries - Taupo (area 616 km2), the most deep lake- Huacaremoana (depth - 256 meters) Most of the lakes in the North Island are formed as a result of volcanic activity, and most of the lakes in the South Island are formed by glacial activity.
According to the statistics of 1977-2001, the average annual volume of renewable water resources in New Zealand is estimated at 327 km3, which is about 85 m3/year per capita. In 2001, the resources of river runoff and lakes amounted to about 320 km3, the resources of glaciers were about 70 km3, the resources of atmospheric moisture were about 400 km3 and the resources groundwater were estimated at approximately 613 km3.
The protection and management of water resources and the water supply system for the population and economic facilities in New Zealand is the responsibility of local governments. The cost of the main production assets of the water management complex is estimated at more than 1 billion New Zealand dollars. Centralized water supply systems provide drinking water for about 85% of the country's population. About 77% of the consumption in the country fresh water used in irrigation systems.
Soils of New Zealand
In general, the soils of the country are relatively unfertile and not rich in humus. The most common types of soils are: Mountainous soil types - making up about half of the country's territory (of which about 15% are devoid of vegetation). Brown-gray soil types - mainly found in the intermountain plains of the South Island (unproductive for productive agriculture, used mainly as pastures). Yellow-gray soil types - characteristic of steppe regions and mixed forests and used for active farming. Yellow-brown soil types are typical for hilly areas.
Animal world of New Zealand
Long historical isolation and remoteness from other continents has created a unique and in many ways inimitable natural world of the islands of New Zealand, which differs big amount endemic plants and birds. 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 coastal whales, sea lions (Phocarctos hookeri) and fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri).
Simultaneously with the arrival of the first permanent residents, the Polynesians, on the islands, Polynesian rats and dogs appeared. Later, the first European settlers brought pigs, cows, goats, mice and cats. The development of European settlements in the nineteenth century caused the appearance in New Zealand of more and more new species of animals.
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 for the development of hunting), stoats (brought into the country to control the rabbit population), possums (brought into the country to develop the fur industry). Having no natural enemies in the surrounding nature, the populations of these animals reached sizes that posed a threat to agriculture, public health, and brought natural representatives of the flora and fauna of New Zealand to the brink of extinction. Only in recent years, through the efforts of New Zealand's environmental authorities, have some offshore islands and were spared from these animals, which allowed us to hope for the preservation of natural conditions there.
Of the representatives of the fauna of New Zealand, the most famous are the kiwi birds (Apterygiformes), which have become the national symbol of the country. Among the birds, it is also necessary to note kea (Nestor notabilis) (or nestor), kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) (or owl parrot), takahe (Notoronis hochstelteri) (or wingless sultan). Only in New Zealand have the remains of giant flightless moa birds (Dinornis) exterminated about 500 years ago, reaching a height of 3.5 m. wings up to 3 meters and weighing up to 15 kg. Reptiles found in New Zealand include the tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) and the skink (Scincidae).
The European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is the only representative of insectivores brought into the country and adapted to free living conditions in it. There are no snakes in New Zealand and only the katipo (Latrodectus katipo) is poisonous.
29 species of fish live in the fresh waters of the country, 8 of which are on the verge of extinction. IN coastal seas up to 3000 species of fish and other inhabitants of the sea live.
Flora of New Zealand
Subtropical forest of New Zealand Flora of New Zealand has about 2000 species of plants, while endemics make up at least 70% of this number. The country's forests are divided into two main types - mixed subtropical and evergreen. The forests are dominated by polycarps (Podocarpus). The thickets of New Zealand agathis (Agathis australis) and cypress dacrydum (Dacrydium cupressinum) have survived, although they have sharply decreased during the industrial development of forests.
In artificial forests, the total area of which is about 2 million hectares, mainly radiant pine (Pinus radiata), brought to New Zealand in the middle of the 19th century, is grown. The plantation of radiant pine in the Kaingaroa Forest area has created the world's largest artificially grown forest.
New Zealand has the most a large number of liver mosses in comparison with other countries. On the territory of the country there are 606 varieties of them, 50% of them are endemic. Mosses are widely distributed, with 523 varieties currently known in New Zealand.
Among the approximately 70 species of forget-me-nots (Myosotis) known in nature, approximately 30 are endemic to New Zealand. Unlike forget-me-nots in other parts of the world, only two species of these plants in New Zealand are blue - Myosotis antarctica and Myosotis capitata. Of the 187 grass species historically found in New Zealand, 157 are endemic.
In New Zealand there is an unusually large for given climate the number of ferns. The silver cyathea (Cyathea dealbata) (also known locally as the silver fern) is one of the commonly accepted national symbols.
Population of New Zealand
As of February 2010, the population of New Zealand is about 4.353 million people. The bulk of the country's population are New Zealanders of European origin, mostly descendants of immigrants from the UK. According to the 2006 census, the total share of the population of European origin is approximately 67.6% of total population countries. Representatives of the indigenous people, Maori, make up about 14.6% of the population. The next two largest ethnic groups - representatives of Asian and Polynesian peoples - account for 9.2% and 6.5% of the country's population, respectively.
The average age of the inhabitants of the country is about 36 years. In 2006, more than 500 people over the age of 100 lived in the country. In the same year, the proportion of the population under the age of 15 was 21.5%.
Population growth in 2007 was 0.95%. The total birth rate in the same year was 13.61 births per 1,000 population, and the total death rate was 7.54 deaths per 1,000 population.
Most New Zealanders permanently (or for a long time) live outside the country. The largest New Zealand diaspora lives in Australia (in 2000, the number of New Zealanders living in Australia was about 375,000 people) and in the UK (in 2001, about 50,000 people, while about 17% of New Zealanders have either British citizenship or the right to it). receipt). Traditionally, out-of-country New Zealanders maintain close contact with their homeland, and many of them deservedly become among the outstanding representatives of their country.
According to the 2006 census, the majority of the population, about 56%, profess Christianity (in 2001 there were 60% of such people). The most common denominations of Christianity in the country are Anglicanism, Latin Rite Catholicism, Presbyterianism and Methodism. Followers of Sikhism, Hinduism and Islam make up the next largest religious communities in New Zealand. About 35% of the country's population during the census did not associate themselves with religion (in 2001 there were 30% of such people).
The total number of Maori is 565,329. For 15 years (1991-2006), the number of this people in the country increased by almost 30%. About 47% of them are descendants of mixed marriages (mainly with Europeans). 51% of Maori living in New Zealand are men, 49% are women. Of these, 35% are children under 15 years of age. The average age of Maori living in New Zealand is about 23 years old. At the same time, the average age of women is a little over 24 years, and the average age of the male population is a little over 21 years.
About 87% of Maori live in the North Island and about 25% live in the city of Auckland or its suburbs. The largest concentration of representatives of this people is observed on Chatham Island. 23% can communicate fluently in the Maori language. About 25% do not own it at all. About 4% of Maori have a university education (or higher). About 39% of the total Maori population have permanent job in full employment.
English, Maori and New Zealand Sign Language are official languages countries. English is the main language of communication, and 96% of the country's population uses it as such. Most books, newspapers and magazines are published on it, it also dominates the broadcasting of radio and television. Maori is the second language official language. In 2006, the language of the deaf and dumb (New Zealand Sign Language) received the status of the third state language.
New Zealand dialect in English close to Australian, but retained a much greater influence of the English language of the southern regions of England. However, he acquired some of the characteristics of a Scottish and Irish accent. The Maori language had a certain influence on pronunciation, and some words of this language entered the daily communication of the country's multinational community.
In addition, representatives of another 171 language groups live in the country. The most spoken languages after English and Maori are Samoan, French, Hindi and Chinese. Russian language and others Slavic languages unused due to small numbers population for whom these languages are native.
Source - http://ru.wikipedia.org/
Photos of the nature of New Zealand convincingly confirm that its main attractions are not cities and architecture, but huge natural parks, animal and vegetable world. Undoubtedly, the inhabitants of the country are lucky to have absolutely stunning views of nature around their cities. So, on the one hand, here you can enjoy life on the coast and immediately contemplate the snow-white caps of the mountains, which create a beautiful and unique atmosphere for life. Pictured is Queenstown.
Numerous lakes in the National Parks are one of the business cards this country. Often, they are surrounded by mountains, which are reflected in the crystal clear water surface. This is the scenery of Lake Pukaki.
Is here and nature reserves with other landscapes and other nature. Frame from national park Fiordland.
Fast forward to another, no less famous nature reserve Tongariro. Here we are waiting unique landscapes, mountain meadows, unusual lakes and many other amazing views.
Hard-to-reach and therefore very attractive for travelers lake on one of the peaks mountain range in the same reserve.
Another mandatory item in many travel programs is national park Abel Tasman. There are stunning sandy coasts, nestled among low, but very picturesque cliffs.
Another iconic place- the territory of hydrothermal springs and reserves of Wai-O-Tapu, where you can find absolutely fantastic landscapes.
If you ever wanted to visit a real geyser spouting from the ground, then be sure to visit the equipped area next to the Lady Knox geyser.
By the way, the Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed in New Zealand. Traveling around the country, you can visit many places where famous movie scenes were filmed.
Animals of New Zealand
Due to the fact that New Zealand is located far from other continents, a special animal world with rare animals. Unfortunately, some species have died out or been directly exterminated in past centuries due to human activity.
Let's start with the national symbol - the Kiwi bird.
In general, probably only in New Zealand there are so many species of birds that cannot fly. Pictured is a Kakapo parrot.
There are beautiful and unusual for a European inhabitant, black swans.
You can also find a rare species here - the blue vajo duck.
On next photo- an interesting reptile Hatteria. Her ancestors were older than the dinosaurs. This species has successfully survived and developed on the islands of New Zealand for hundreds of millions of years. By the way, the life expectancy of tuatara is surprisingly high. The average individual may well live up to 100 years.
But snakes in this country are completely absent. Moreover, they are prohibited by law. An attempt to import a snake is punishable by a serious fine.
NATURE
Shores. The islands of New Zealand stretch from the northeast. to the southwest at 1700 km. The shores are washed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea, bordered sand dunes or rocky. Most large bays: Hauraki, Plenty, Hawk, Tasman, Canterbury.
Relief. The islands are mountainous, more than 3/4 of the territory is occupied by mountains, hills and hills. Low-lying areas are located along the coast of the ocean (the Southland Lowland on the South Island) and along river valleys. Northern about. less mountainous, in the center is the Volcanic Plateau, where seismic activity is actively expressed. Earthquakes are frequent (100-200 per year), there are active volcanoes, geysers, hot mineral springs, hot jets of steam and gases. On the South Island stretches high mountain range Southern Alps. Average Height there are more than 2000 m, the largest is 3764 m (Kuka). Western slopes The mountains are steep, the eastern ones gently descend to the foothills of the Canterbury Plains (the largest flat area in New Zealand).
Geological structure and minerals. New Zealand belongs to the Cenozoic geosynclinal region. Along the northwestern coast of the South Island. the Khokanoe zone stretches, composed of Paleozoic geosynclinal formations, crumpled into folds and intruded by Permian-Upper Cretaceous granitoids. They unconformably overlie shallow deposits of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. To the southeast, separated by a fault, is the Alpine zone, which also captures the western and central parts of the Northern Island. Here, on the cuts of the Upper Carboniferous, a stratum of siliceous-graywacke rocks of the Permian - Lower Cretaceous, crumpled into folds with the formation of covers, lies. They are overlain by weakly deformed marine Upper Cretaceous and Paleogene-Neogene sediments, as well as Anthropogenic rhyolites and ignimbrites. To the south-east The Northland zone extends from the North Island, within which geosynclinal Cenozoic deposits accumulated. Off the southwestern coast of the North Island. in North Taranaki Bay - offshore oil and gas fields; there are also insignificant reserves of iron, copper and polymetallic ores, gold, hard and brown coal, etc.
Climate subtropical, marine, temperate in the extreme south. The average temperature in July (winter) is 12°C in the north and 5°C in the south; in January (summer) it is 19°C in the north and 14°C in the south. Precipitation occurs in all seasons; in the west in mountainous regions 2000-5000 mm, in the east 400-700 mm per year. Snow happens only in the mountains. The total area of glaciation in the Southern Alps is 1000 km2. Among large glaciers the most famous are the Tasman glacier (length 29 km), Franz Josef, Fox.
Inland waters. The rivers begin in the mountains, are full-flowing, rich in hydropower. The largest river is the Waikato (354 km long) on the North Island, navigable for 100 km. Many lakes of volcanic, tectonic and glacial origin. Lake Taupo (area 612 km2) on the North Island. largest in Oceania.
Soils and vegetation. In subtropical regions, yellow earths are common, on the Canterbury Plains - chernozems, in the basins of the South Island. - chestnut, in mountainous areas - mountain forest and mountain meadow soils. Forests, preserved mainly only in the most remote mountainous areas, occupy 6.0 million hectares (23.3% of the territory); 5.7 million hectares are forests of local (kauri, namakhi, rimu, tarairo, etc.) and 0.6 million hectares of introduced species (pines, cypresses, poplars). More than 75% of local vegetation species are endemic. Perennial evergreen species predominate.
Animal world. The fauna is the most ancient in the world (see the New Zealand subregion), poor in mammals (there are only rats, dogs, bats); Of the reptiles, the tuatara is interesting. As a result of predatory hunting, increased reproduction of rats, cats, dogs and some domestic animals (rabbits, goats and pigs) brought by settlers and running wild here, deforestation destroyed entire populations of animals (and especially birds), and plant communities were destroyed. Most species have become rare (sultan chicken, kiwi, owl parrot, shepherds).
Protected areas. There are 9 national parks (the largest is Fiordland on the South Island), some small islands around New Zealand have been turned into bird sanctuaries.
- 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 of the 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.
Extreme entertainment attracts tourists from all over the world - New Zealand has a whole industry of such entertainment. 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.
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 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 most clean 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 The country has 12 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 pass one into another, but the 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.
