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Project Overview |
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North Island, New Zealand - Phase 1 |
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New Zealand is a land of imposing mountain ranges, tranquil lakes, sun drenched coastlines and majestic glacier carved fjiords. Its two main islands cover 270,534 sq km, about the size of Japan or slightly larger than Great Britain. With a population of only 4 million people, New Zealand is a perfect haven for those seeking tranquillity, rejuvenation and relaxation. However New Zealand is also a playground for thrill seekers, extreme sportsmen and adventurers. |
| POPULATION |
As of October 2008, New Zealand's population stood at 4,280,093, with roughly 75% of this population residing in the North Island. A large majority of New Zealanders are originally of British descent, making English and Maori the official spoken languages. |
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| HISTORY |
The Maori have inhabited the islands from around 800AD. In 1769 Captain James Cook arrived in New Zealand and settlers from England started arriving from the 1830's. In 1947 New Zealand declared independence, however it still remains part of the British Commonwealth. |
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| GOVERNMENT |
The Parliament has only one chamber called the House of Representatives where there are 120 Members of Parliament, 65 being electorate and 55 from party lists. Elections are held every three years and the Labour-led Government, through coalitions with the Progressive Party, held power until November 2008. The Labour party was defeated by the National Party in the general elections held on 8 November 2008. |
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| LAW AND JUSTICE |
The justice system in New Zealand is based on the British model, with the highest court in New Zealand being the Supreme Court of New Zealand. |
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| ECONOMY |
New Zealand's economy operates on a free market principle. Agricultural, forestry, fishing, mining and horticultural industries play a major role especially in the export sector. The service sector contributes over two thirds of the GDP and employs around 65% of the workforce. Tourism is one of the largest growth areas in New Zealand and the largest single source of foreign exchange revenue. The dramatic and varied landscape has made it a popular location for films, including the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the The Last Samurai. Auckland has become the Economic hub for New Zealand. |
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| TAXATION |
From 1985 there has been the establishment of the Goods and Service Tax (GST). This currently stands at 12.5%.
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| HOUSING |
Wood is still the main material used in the construction and houses tend to be detached with three to four bedrooms. Property prices have risen substantially in recent years. The average size of a new house is just under 170 square metres. |
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| STABILITY |
During early 2000 New Zealand largely escaped the affects of the recession. Since then, New Zealanders life satisfaction level that has been measured by international surveys; 15th in The Economist's 2005 worldwide quality-of-life index and the 2007 Mercer Quality of Living Survey ranked Auckland 5th place in the world on its list. The current government's economic objectives are focused on two key objectives: free-trade agreements and building a "knowledge economy". In April 2008 New Zealand and China signed the New Zealand China Free Trade Agreement. This was the first such agreement China signed with any developed nation. The second key objective is to attract educated professionals as permanent settlers. |
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