From rolling greens to barren volcanic deserts, from sun-kissed beaches with turquoise blue water to majestic snow-covered mountains, New Zealand spans every possible landscape within a relatively small country.

New Zealand is sparsely populated. Most of the people live in urban areas, very sparsely populated. While the scenery sets the country apart from the rest of the world, the people have a tradition of friendliness, strength, creativity and independence.

The North Island and the South Island are the two major islands, while Stewart Island is the small one at the bottom of the map. The varied terrain and long thin shape of the country (from 34 to 48 degrees latitude South) create a variety of climatic conditions, from sub-tropical to almost continental. This is a blessing for the agriculture and horticulture industries, which are vital parts of the economy.

Our closest neighbour is Australia, three hours away by flight. The physical isolation means that many species of plants and birds are found exclusively in New Zealand, including, of course, the famous kiwi.

National Holiday Dates

Education institutions are closed on weekends. Staff is not contactable on these days or during holidays. Tertiary institution libraries are open over the weekend and in the evenings.

The normal timings for office workers are Monday to Friday, from about 8.30 to 5pm. Salaried workers get 15 days' holiday, plus public holidays.

The main school and family holiday period is from mid-December to late January. There are two-week school holidays in April, July and September.

The Ministry of Education website shows details of school holidays in 2004 and 2005.

Public holidays for 2005*