New Zealand

New Zealand, christened Aotearoa “the land of the long white cloud” by the early Maori settlers, is one of the most far-flung countries on the planet.

Despite this, or maybe because of it, New Zealand is one of the most popular countries for people emigrating in search of a better way of life. With its temperate climate, spectacular scenery and friendly people, it’s perhaps no surprise that the standard of living in New Zealand is considered to be one of the best in the world.




General society

According to the 2010 United Nations Human Development Index, New Zealand is ranked third out of 169 countries which is up from 20th the previous year. This places them just above the US who are in fourth place.

While it may be remote from the rest of the word, New Zealand is a modern country with a low crime rate, where its population enjoy all the trappings of modern life.

The country has a temperate but changeable climate and wide open spaces, which lends itself well to many forms of outdoor activities. As such, New Zealanders enjoy life in the great outdoors, undertaking pursuits such as sailing, hiking, fishing, mountain biking and barbecues.

There is no class system and everyone is considered to have equal opportunities for succeeding. Naturally there are social differences, but these are based on wealth and occupation rather than their birth or inheritance. While New Zealand has been affected by the economic downturn in recent years, they are competitive with many worldwide nations, particularly in animal research and animal and crop technology.

Population

New Zealand’s population of 4.2 million lives in an area comprising 104,420 square miles which is only marginally larger than the UK and similar in size to Japan. So there is certainly plenty of space to spread out. However, more than 85 percent live in the cities, with one third of the entire population inhabiting Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city.

Healthcare

Everyone in New Zealand has access to Government funded healthcare which includes free emergency and hospital care in public hospitals. A visit to the doctor however, does incur a fee with those on low incomes receiving a discount. There is a shortage of qualified doctors because many choose to work overseas, tempted by the lure of higher wages.

A visit to the dentist is expensive for adults while children up to the age of 18 are able to receive free dental care through a government subsidy scheme. Life expectancy is high with men likely to reach 78.0 and women 82.2 during the period 2005-2007. For the population as a whole, the average life expectancy for 2010 is 80.48, placing New Zealand 22nd out of 224 countries.

Housing

On the whole, New Zealanders are afforded good quality housing. As with all countries, there are areas which are more desirable than others and housing costs are considerably higher in the major cities. Generally, because of the availability of land space, houses are single story and spacious. However, many homes don’t have central heating as standard and therefore become quite cold in the winters.

Employment

As at the end of 2009, New Zealand's unployment rate was 6.1 percent, placing them 11th out of the 30 OECD countries. This was below the US at 9.3 percent and the UK with 7.6 percent. However, taking into account those unemployed for six months or longer, they were ranked fourth lowest.

Education

Children have the option of attending private or state-funded schools, the latter of which are free. However, standards of education in state schools may be lower when compared with the UK for instance, because as with the doctors, many teachers choose to further their careers overseas while earning larger salaries than they could in their home country. Private schools are mainly based around the cities and are expensive, costing up to a quarter of the average annual wage per year.

Transport infrastructure

There are decent road and rail networks linking the major cities with good bus services connecting smaller towns. The majority of New Zealanders get around by car though, so cities such as Auckland and Wellington suffer from the usual rush hour problems that plague all major cities. Larger towns with their own airports are served by frequent internal flights while a ferry service provides an alternative travel choice for those commuting between the North and South Islands.

Low unemployment rates, good standards of education, healthcare and housing mean skilled migrants hoping to start a new life in New Zealand can expect to enjoy a high standard of living. Add to that the bonus of breathtaking scenery, clean air and wide open spaces and it would be hard not to start emulating the New Zealanders relaxed attitude to life.

Sources:
http://www.socialreport.msd.govt.nz/health/life-expectancy.html;
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world/factbook/rankorder/2102rank.html
Eyewitness Travel New Zealand