Think size of UK or Japan with 4 million rather than 100 million people, and 3 hours flight to the nearest country - Australia.
So very scenic, but also in some ways quite developed. Most people live in the north island, and people from overseas get a shock how expensive the houses are - the average house price in Auckland is NZ$1.1 million! (about US$900 000)
This is Wellington harbour
And climate most like South Australia/Tasmania or southern South America
Is the south Island less populated because it's more mountainous ? Any gold in them mountains?
It's bigger and colder, but the deep south is actually quite wealthy because the farming is lucrative and the houses are a quarter of the price.
If I was telling someone how to get ahead in NZ I'd say move to Invercargill (but it's flat and boring) or Dunedin (very cool - like a smaller Wellington).
But nearly half the NZ pop live in Auckland - I hate the place, NZ's version of LA, and everyone has a million $ mortgage
It looks OK in a photo - but the reality is motorways and suburbs - it goes for ever
Gold was a thing in the 1800's but the gold mining industry is small potatoes now - even big mines like this one in the Coromandel I took a photo of in 2010 are not significant to the NZ economy - that's Australia's thing
On the map Invercargill looks like it's at the ends of the earth. NZ definitely has natural beauty.NZ is like America was before it was overrun by the European hoard.
.Invercargill
See what you mean by being flat.
Almost 8 million people living just on long island NY. Where I live. Island is only about 110 miles long and 20 miles wide. But still a lot of rural areas on the eastern end.
Cool pic - I've never seen Invercargill from the air.
It seems much bigger when you are in it
You must look at our low population in amazement - but we always compare ourselves to Australia, the sixth largest country by land area but with only 24 million people and think that we are like Japan compared to them
Wellington is hilly and compact with a lot of computer geeks!
This is the view out our window that I'm looking at now (Well not quite because this was taken at sunrise and it's 3pm now) We can't see the south island from our window because there are a couple of hills in the way, but if we walk down to the beach, there it is.
I grew up and worked in NYC but prefer the country side. Moved to the suburbs years ago and commuted 1 1/2 to 2 yours to the filthy city.
You have a great view up high. Looks like you are on a mountain side.
If you swung to the right you must get a fantastic view of the ocean. Cheers ...NYC depends where..
Yuk!
This is the view from our front door - I just walk up the hill behind for more view
Great view. Just a suggestion but posting a few nature pictures once in awhile could be up-lifting to the rest of us.