Top Ten Things about New Zealand

Lake Wanaka

New Zealand, resides at the bottom of the world and across the Tasman Sea from Australia: most people know very little about this gem of a country. Here's my top ten list of great things about NZ, in no particular order:

• The place is safe. You've got to like a country in which the top national news story is, "Bird Strike Halts flight at Auckland airport" and politicians argue about fish quotas.

• Stable economy. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) recently increased the Official Cash Rate (OCR) by 25 basis points to 3.25 percent. They report: 

"New Zealand’s economic expansion has considerable momentum, with GDP estimated to have grown by around 4 percent in the year to June. Global financial conditions remain very accommodative and are reflected in low long-term interest rates and narrow risk spreads. Economic growth among New Zealand’s trading partners is gradually improving and global inflation remains low."

• The people.  NZ was recently ranked fifth in the world for its positive contribution to humanity: the only non-European country to make the top 10 of the Good Country Index, which measures 125 countries on how much they give to the "greater good" of the world.

• Adventure sports. New Zealand is the adventure sports capital of the world: see for yourself.

Queenstown

• Coffee. New Zealanders do not drink "drip" coffee. Coffee houses are plentiful and all menu options (e.g., long black or flat white) are made with espresso. More...

• Beaches. New Zealand has 14,000 kilometers (8,700 miles) of coastline bordering the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean: 10th in the world. The Dunedin alone is home to more than fifteen beaches, identified below, with numerous opportunities to surf, swim, beachcomb, walk dogs or view wildlife.

• Entrepreneurial Culture. Ninety-seven percent of enterprises in New Zealand are small businesses. NZ is ranked third in the world for "ease of doing business" in the 2014 World Bank Doing Business Report. Only Singapore and Hong Kong are ranked higher than New Zealand, but NZ ranks first in the world for starting a business and investor protection.

• Climate. We enjoy a temperate climate with Dunedin described as having microclimates associated with topology; and modified by its proximity to the ocean. This leads to mild summers and cool winters with high temperatures ranging from about 20 degrees Celsius (70 Fahrenheit) in summer and 10 Celsius (50 Fahrenheit) in winter. Dunedin receives little snow fall.

• Geography. The geographic diversity of New Zealand is difficult to imaging, with fiordland, Southern Alps, wine country, lake district, the Catlins (temperate rainforest & petrified forest), and Stewart Island. 

• Sports: Rugby and the All Blacks, Cricket and Football (soccer) You've got to love country in which every rugby team has a "top fifteen hooker." It's a position and the hooker leans on a prop.