Regional Information - Foreign Ownership > New Zealand, Oceania

Feature Island

Regional Information

New Zealand is a country comprised of two large islands and many smaller islands located in the Pacific Ocean. This island kingdom’s long isolation from the rest of the world has created extraordinary flora and fauna. Eighty percent of New Zealand’s flora occurs only in New Zealand – its numerous sheep should be considered spoiled! With regard to humans, this is a modern developed economy with a high standard of living. Private islands for sale are very rare and limited in this region – many are owned by the crown and used for farming.

New Zealand, Oceania

Foreign Ownership of Islands in New Zealand, Oceania

Historically, islands in New Zealand have been difficult to purchase. It was not until 1994 that the island market opened up to the international community. Despite this change in legislation, it can still be difficult to purchase islands in New Zealand. The law states that any island property for sale must first be offered to local residents. After a stipulated period of time, the property can enter the international market. In order to purchase the property as an international citizen, one must demonstrate financial commitment.

Regional Statistics for New Zealand, Oceania

Location:: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
Population:: 4,076,140
Languages:: English (official), Maori (official)
Capital:: Wellington
Currency:: New Zealand dollar
Climate:: temperate with sharp regional contrasts
Temperature Range:: -5 to +32
Terrain:: predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
Natural Hazards:: earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity