New Zealand is an independent nation and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Comparable in size (268,680 sq km) to the United Kingdom, the Philippines and Colorado in the United States. New Zealand has a diverse multicultural population of 4 million people, making it one of the world's least crowded countries
A temperate climate with relatively small seasonal variation makes New Zealand an ideal year-round holiday destination. The north is subtropical and the south temperate. The seasons are opposite to those in the Northern Hemisphere. The warmest months are December, January and February, and the coldest are June, July and August. In summer, the average maximum temperature ranges between 20oC and 30oC; in winter, between 10oC and 15oC. Extremes of temperature are unusual.
