New Zealand is seeing a record influx of new expats this year, nearly four times higher than the country’s 20-year average gain.
Wellington’s The Dominion Post newspaper reports that through October of this year, New Zealand added nearly 48,000 newbies, which is significantly higher than the last big boom in 2003 and about four times more than the 20-year average increase of 11,700 each year.
Interesting that 2003 just happened to be the year of New Zealand film director Peter Jackson’s last installment of the “Lord of the Rings” series, which created lots of interest in the country.
New Zealand is a great place to live If you’re searching for a more balanced lifestyle. This small island nation of 4.5 million people, tucked away southeast of Australia in the far reaches of the southwestern Pacific Ocean, consistently comes out near the top on most surveys comparing the quality of life around the globe. The BBC has called New Zealand a “lifestyle superpower.”
A big part of New Zealand’s charm is its pace of life. Low density population, gorgeous scenery, very friendly people and plenty of things to do add up to very low levels of stress in the land that some say time forgot. From lazing on an uncrowded beach to getting close to nature on a mountain trail, Kiwis – as the people of New Zealand are known – seem to have it all.
And apparently lots of other people from around the world also want to have it all. Economists in New Zealand are predicting that the number of new arrivals could reach 55,000 in 2015.
The flood of new arrivals is hitting the north island’s major city and largest population center, Auckland, the hardest. The city of 1.5 million people added nearly 22,000 people from outside the country this year.
The south island’s region of Canterbury was second with a net gain of close to 6,000 new arrivals. Christchurch is the major city in the Canterbury region.
If New Zealand is your cup of tea, you can find out all about it in our Countries section. No need to hurry, though. Even with record immigration, there’s still plenty of room left.