The diverse culture of New Zealand carries much tradition and history built on the customs of the indigenous people known as the Maori. Legend holds that the Maori traveled by canoe from their mythical ancestral island of Hawaiki over 1,000 years ago. These Polynesian settlers traveled in open boats (or in canoes) that are not too different from the traditional crafts found in Polynesia today.
New Zealand is a country comprised of two large islands and many smaller islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean and is noted for its geographic isolation. The Tasman Sea separates Australia to the northwest; to north are Fiji and Tonga. The total area of New Zealand is 268670 sq. km, which is slightly less than Japan but a little more than the United Kingdom. The country has extensive marine resources and the fifth largest Exclusive Economic Zone in the world. Meaning New Zealand can claim over four million km2 or more than 15 times its land area for exploration and use of marine resources.
The climate is mild, mostly cool temperate to warm temperate, with temperatures rarely falling below 0°C (32°F) or rising above 30°C (86°F). The South Island is the largest mass, mountainous, wet and cold. It is divided length-wise by the Southern Alps. The North Island, dry and continental, is marked by volcanism. The tallest mountain on the North Island Mount Ruapehu (9,176-ft) is an active cone volcano. Although the island landscapes are impressive, they became a lot more popular when the production the Lord of the Rings trilogy called them home.
New Zealand has a population of about 4.1 million people mostly of European descent with Maori being the largest minority. Non-Maori Polynesian and Asian peoples are also significant minorities, especially in the nation’s cities. Officially, Elizabeth II is the Queen of New Zealand and is represented in the country by a non-political governor-general; however, the Queen has no real political influence. Political power is held by the Prime Minister (currently Helen Clark) who is leader of the Government in the democratically elected Parliament of New Zealand.
Since 1984 the government has be restructuring the economy to lean more towards an industrialized free market and less of an agrarian economy that was dependant on the British market. Leading agricultural exports include meat, dairy products, forest products, fruit and vegetables, fish, and wool.
The culture, contemporary and diverse, has influences from British, Irish, and Maori cultures. New Zealand is one of the most recently settled major landmasses. Polynesian settlers arrived in their waka some time between 800 and 600 years ago to establish the indigenous Maori culture. Among the British settlers, many people were from Scotland giving New Zealand more bagpipe bands than in Scotland!
What exactly is a Kiwi?
A Kiwi to a New Zealander is not the green fuzzy fruit most Americans relate to. It is in truth a flightless nocturnal native bird with a long beak with nostrils on the end. Most important however, it is the national bird of New Zealand. Over the years, Kiwi has been applied to and adopted by New Zealanders as a nickname for themselves and as an adjective for their culture.
Part 3 of 3. Scottish Bard Reveals Literary Leanings on Video Podcast! From Glasgow, Scotland, the very thoughtful singer/songwriter Alexi Murdoch crafts his tales of wonderment. Check out his interview with Dusty and two new stunning compositions performed live at Blue Ribbon Sound. (Powered by Shure).
Part 2 of 2. Scottish Bard Reveals Literary Leanings on Video Podcast! From Glasgow, Scotland, the very thoughtful singer/songwriter Alexi Murdoch crafts his tales of wonderment. Check out his interview with Dusty and two new stunning compositions performed live at Blue Ribbon Sound. (Powered by Shure).
Part 1 of 2. Scottish Bard Reveals Literary Leanings on Video Podcast! From Glasgow, Scotland, the very thoughtful singer/songwriter Alexi Murdoch crafts his tales of wonderment. Check out his interview with Dusty and two new stunning compositions performed live at Blue Ribbon Sound. (Powered by Shure).
Land of the Loch Ness monster, kilts and more recently the deep fried Mars bar, Scotland is synonymous with stunning landscapes and whiskey drinking. Burley men in clan plaid playing the bagpipes is a romanticised ideal of the natives in the highlands. One thing that hasn’t altered north of Hadrian’s wall is the fierce independence, defended mightily many times by sword, and now defended mightily by finance.
It may come as a surprise to some that Scotland is one of the world’s most influential exporting countries in Europe, estimated at being worth about seventeen million pounds per year. Not bad for an economy that trades mostly in whiskey, finance and electronics. The Scottish industry used to be a lot different, based mostly on heavy industry.
If you were looking for work in Scotland at the turn of the century, it would have been through doing the rounds at ship building yards, as Glasgow was a major player in the shipbuilding industry. Other jobs available were in the coal mining industry and the steel industry. Around the 1970s, the major employment sector was related to the petroleum industry and the extraction of North Sea Oil. It is still a major employer today, but as the economic balances shift around the world to less industrial ways of generating income, this also is in decline.
Looking for Scottish jobs at present won’t involve hawking ones talents in a dock or down a pit. Instead the recruitment sector is looking for people to work in the service sector and finance. Edinburgh is actually one of Europe’s biggest financial centres, supporting major banks and offering financial services to companies all over Europe. The need for people to work in the service industry reflects the decline from the county’s manufacturing past and the increase in tourism. The tourist industry is a major part of the economy, with some major tourist attractions and a landscape that attracts people from around the world.
One of the most famous attractions is the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This event attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, supporting hotels, bars and businesses throughout the festival. The comedy and arts on offer cater for all ages and tastes and therefore attracts a varied demographic whose spending all adds to the strength of the Scottish economy. Indirect economics boosts come tourists sight seeing whilst visiting. Places such as the Scottish Parliament buildings and Edinburgh Castle. In fact, the tourist industry accounts for around seven per cent of employment in the country.
It cannot be denied however that some areas are associated with unemployment and degradation. Some of this can be attributed to the aforementioned decline of the manufacturing industry. Much the same decline has been seen in other parts of the United Kingdom where small communities thrived on the work surrounding coal mining and the like. Although some towns like this have been able to generate an income by opening up old mines to the public, offering guided tours and running a visitor centre, many communities have not had the opportunity to do so.
Turning to Scottish borders to relocate will bring personal benefits as well as employment benefits. Being an independent country, it has its own sports events and leagues, National Health Service and a highly regarded education system. The varied cultural background in the arts and music means that there are plenty of social events for the diary. And who can neglect the opportunity for mountainous adventures snowy peaks and rocky crags, or even a spot of monster watching on the shores of Loch Ness.
Scotland is like no other country in Europe, it has special qualities that attract millions of people to the country year on year. There isn’t one thing that separates Scotland from other countries but once you have visited you will understand why so many people visit it each year.
The best way to ensure you get the most out of your holiday to find hotels in the vicinity of the popular sights. The combination of arts and culture of the country means that festivals such as the Edinburgh International Festival, which is one of the world’s largest and famous festivals and on a smaller scale many other towns and cities have regular festivals and gala days that are an experience. There are plenty of musical, arts and sporting events so there is always something for everyone.
When booking hotels in Scotland , remember that location is important because you don’t want to spend more time travelling than sightseeing. There are many hotels spread around the major cities and plenty are centrally located in cities such as Edinburgh and Glasgow so finding the ideal hotel for you will be fairly simple but try and book in advance to find the best priced deals.
There is so much to do in Scotland it is impossible to everything in one visit but the main places of interest are; Loch Lomond which is located an hour north of Glasgow and is within the National Park that encompasses the neighbouring town of Trossachs and is ideal for all nature lovers. As well as the various Lochs, there are also some great locations for outdoor enthusiasts such as Aviemore and Cairngorms.
As well as hotels there is alternative accommodation, holiday cottages are often the preferred choice of visitors because you can immerse yourself better in the Scottish culture. Whether you want luxury, affordable, modern or classic style you will find what you are looking for by shopping online.
