Area
270,534 sq. km. (104,454 sq. miles)
Location
South Pacific
Population
4 million (as per estimates of 2004) and Population Density of 14.8 per sq. km
Capital City
Wellington with a total population of 423,765 (as per estimates of 2003). Auckland is the largest urban area in New Zealand with a population of 1.3 million (as per estimates of 2005).
Language
English is the official and most popular language of New Zealand. Maori is the second official language of the country with over 15% of the Maori population speaking their indigenous language.
Electricity
AC 230 volts, 50Hz. Most hotels have outlets for 110 volts (rated at 20 watts) for electric razors only.
Currency
New Zealand Dollar (NZD; Symbol NZ$). 1NZ$ = 100 Cents.
Notes prevalent = NZ$ 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100
Coins prevalent = NZ$ 1 and 2; Cents 10, 20, and 50
Currency Exchange
Currency Exchange facility is easily available throughout the country
Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs
Credit/Debit/ATM Cards of all major companies like Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club, American Express, etc. are widely accepted. ATMs are also conveniently situated in most towns and cities.
Traveller's Cheques
Travellers Cheques are widely accepted and can be changed at official rates at trading banks, some shops, and large hotels. In order to avoid exchange rate charges, the travellers would do well to carry traveller’s cheques in major international currencies, like US Dollars, Pounds Sterling, or Australian Dollars.
Banking Hours
Banks in New Zealand normally function from Monday to Friday from 0900-1630