The population of New Zealand is 4,334,000, the majority of whom are of European descent. The largest minority are the native Maori. There are also a significant number of non-Maori Polynesians and Asians – especially in urban areas.

The food

The cuisine of New Zealand is most often described as Pacific Rim as it draws its inspiration from Europe, Asia and Polynesia. These influences have resulted in a wide range of mouth-watering dishes that have a distinctly New Zealand style. This includes lamb, port and cervena (venison), salmon, crayfish (lobster), Bluff oysters, mussels, scallops, abalone, kumara (sweet potato), kiwifruit, tamarillo and pavlova, which is the national desert.

In the summer, barbecues are a big part of the New Zealand culture. There is also an abundance of fresh produce and world-class wines from the country’s 376 wineries.

One essential part of New Zealand’s culinary culture is a traditional Maori dish called hangi. It is cooked underground in a deep hole that is lined with red-hot stones and covered with vegetation. Chicken, pork, lamb, potatoes, sweet potato and other vegetables are placed in the hole, sprinkled with water and sealed with more vegetation. The hole is filled with earth and the contents left to steam for several hours. Hangi is said to have a great, smoky flavor and is definitely a New Zealand favorite.

The cost of living

While the cost of living in New Zealand is certainly not as attractive as that of Mexico or Uruguay, it is still on the reasonable side.

For example, the cost of a week’ worth of food – if you are living modestly – will be about $191.  Clothing will set you back about $31 a week, electricity/heating $28, phone service $8.35, and home maintenance $14 – all in U.S. dollars.

All told, you can live a modest lifestyle in New Zealand for about  $700 U.S a month and will need a total income of only about $43,000 a year U.S.

Taxes

While New Zealand has no capital gains tax, there are certain gains that are deemed to be income and taxed accordingly.

The lowest income rate in New Zealand is 15% on incomes of $0 to $14,000. People with incomes of  $14,001 to $48,000 are taxed at the rate of 21%, and those with incomes of  $48,001 to $70,000 have a tax rate of 33%. The highest tax rate is 45% for those with incomes in excess of $70,000.

Real estate in New Zealand

Once you become a permanent resident of New Zealand, you can purchase property. It is fairly easy to get a mortgage. Real estate agents work on behalf of the seller (just like in the U.S.) so you may want to hire a solicitor and an inspection agent before you buy a home.  Also, before you buy, you need to ask for a Land Information Memorandum that will have information from the local council about a property’s zoning, boundaries, building consents, etc.

The average house price for a home in Queenstown in 2009 was $510,000 ($355,470 U.S). In Auckland Central City the average price was $325,000 ($226,525 U.S.) and in Christchurch Southwest $265,000 ($184,705 U.S In other words, the cost of homes in New Zealand is fairly comparable to what you would pay in the U.S.

The climate

New Zealand’s climate is mostly temperate. The far north has subtropical weather during summer and the inland alpine areas of the South Island can be as cold as -10^o C. (14^o F.). However, most of the country lies close to the coast and has mild temperatures, moderate rainfall and lots of sunshine.

For example, Auckland’s summer temperatures range from a low of 54 ^o F. to a high of 75^o F. Wellington’s summer temperatures are from 55^o F. to 68^o F. and Christchurch’s temperatures range from a low of 54^o F. to a high of 72^o F.

Emigrating to New Zealand

One of the more difficult things about relocating to New Zealand is the process you will have to go through to become a permanent resident.

The first step is to apply in the category called Skilled Migrant, as this is the main path to residence in New Zealand. It is designed to make certain that people migrating to the country have the skills that New Zealand wants. The category works on a points system with points earned on the basis of your work experience, qualifications and the job or job offer.

You will first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). This will be screened and entered into a pool then selected and allocated to a branch office. It will check your EOI and if it is accepted, you will be invited to submit an application.

To apply in the Skilled Migrant Category costs about $279 U.S. as of this writing (July, 2010) if you currently live in the U.S. If you do not live in the U.S., this fee will vary depending on your country of citizenship and where you currently live.

Your application will be processed at the Immigration New Zealand office where you lodged it. The short of it is that you will have to provide a lot of documents and photographs and you and your family members may even be interviewed.

How long this process will take depends on a number of factors such as the completeness of your application, how easily the information you provided can be checked, and how well and quickly you respond to any concerns they have about you. In short, there is no way to know for certain how long this process will take.

The language

As noted above, most people in New Zealand speak English. In fact, until 1987 English was the country’s only official language. English is spoken by about 98% of the population and Maori by 4.1%. The most widely spoken non-official language is Samoan (2.3%).

The economy

Beginning in the year 1984, New Zealand governments have done major macroeconomic restructuring and have transformed the country form a highly protectionist and regulated economy to a liberalized, free trade economy. Its economy has recovered from an economic crisis that caused unemployment to reach 10% in the early 1990s and, as of 2007, showed an unemployment rate of just 3.4%. In 2010, the New Zealand economy ranked fourth in the world according to the Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom.

As one result of the country’s new free trade policy the New Zealand fashion industry has grown significantly with clothing exports of $315 million in 2007. Manufacturing as a whole is the country’s largest industry, followed by health care, construction, education and agriculture, forestry and fishing.

Health care

New Zealand basically provides free or subsidized health care for its citizens, permanent residents and certain visitors. The way the system currently works is that the free services are prescriptions and treatments at public hospitals, x-rays and laboratory tests. Service charges for pregnant women, dental care for children of school age and breast cancer screenings for women age 50 and above are also free. There are also subsidized referral visits from general practioners , subsidized prescriptions for children six years old and under and free treatments for patients suffering from chronic conditions.

On the other hand, you will pay for visits to your general practioner, for prescriptions and dental care.

Finally, there are also 21 private hospitals called Crown Health Enterprises that compete with one another to provide the best health care at the lowest cost.

Cultural activities

Many of New Zealand’s cultural activities have to do with the country’s Maori heritage. There are numerous authentic Maori cultural activities available throughout the country ranging from walking tours of the world’s largest kauri forest to traditional hapa haka performances.

You can go to Te Puia for a personal encounter with the country’s land and people – stepping into an ancient valley where you will find the world-famous Pohutu geyser that still erupts, even after 40,000 years.

Christchurch is the home of the Christchurch Art Gallery, the largest art gallery on the South Island and where you will find the  country’s most important public art collections. Christhurch also has New Zealand’s national observatory, a state-of-the-art digital planetarium and multi-media exhibits telling story of New Zealand’s Southern Skies.

Another cultural attraction in Christchurch is Ko Tene, the Maori Experience.

Auckland Museum is known for its collection of Maori and Polynesian artifacts while Te Papa in Wellington offers a very modern and interactive learning experience. Canterbury Museum has a strong focus on Antarctica and Ogago Museum (in Dunedin) has a strong emphasis on the natural and social history of the South Island.

Where To Retire In New Zealand? Three top cities to retire to

Three of the top cities for retiring to New Zealand are Auckland, Queensland and Christchurch.

Auckland. Auckland is the home of about 1.4 million New Zealanders or about 31% of the country’s total population.  Auckland is increasingly cosmopolitan but also has the nation’s largest Polynesian population.  The Mercer Quality of Living Survey in 2009 rated Auckland as number four in the world on its list.

The city lies across the Auckland Volcanic Field, which has about 50 volcanoes. The remains of these volcanoes can be seen in the form of cones, lakes, lagoons, islands and depressions – though most of the cones have been partly or completely quarried away. The volcanoes are considered extinct but the volcanic field is classified as dormant.

Auckland has plentiful employment, a mild climate and great educational opportunities as well as numerous leisure facilities. It is known as the “City of Sails,” as its harbor is often filled with hundreds of yachts. In fact, it has more yachts per capita than any other city in the world.

Queensland. This New Zealand city is the country’s undisputed party town. It is also a tourist’s favorite what with its great views, insane sports and incredible nightlife.

Queenstown has local companies that will take you bungee jumping, jet boating, sledging, skiing, hand gliding, caving, rafting and skydiving. It also boasts a wine trail where you can visit a number of the country’s top wineries – swirling and sipping. Last but not least, if you’re a fan of the Lord of the Rings, you can join a tour of spots that will have you gasping in recognition.

Christhurch. This New Zealand city still shows remnants of its colonial heritage as imported from the “mother country.” There is an Anglican Church, punts (an English version of Venice canal boats), and exceedingly English looking buildings.

Visitors to Christchurch can spend time in the vast open area of Cathedral Square, exploring the beauty of Hagley Park, discovering the city’s Botanical Gardens or taking in the indigenous kiwi culture at Nga Hau E Wha Marae, which is the largest urban Marae in New Zealand.

New Zealand has much to offer with its harbors, volcanoes, fascinating Maori culture, temperate climate, English language, a bustling free-market economy and subsidized health care. As you can now see, it’s no wonder that New Zealand is on just about everybody’s list of the 10 best places to retire.