New Zealand

If you're looking for something new, young, and energetic, why not try New Zealand? First, New Zealand can be considered relatively new geologically, based on the fact that the country's oldest-known rock dates back only 540 million years to the mid-Cambrian age. (For reference, North America's Canadian Shield is pre-Cambrian, with rocks dating back about 2.5 billion years.) And the people there are relatively new: the first human settlers, the Polynesian Maori, didn't reach New Zealand until some time between 800 and 1,000 CE. (We all know that the Elves were there long before!) Of course, it's a good thing the Maori didn't arrive sooner: When the Mount Taupo volcano last blew about 1,800 years ago, it killed most of the North Island's vegetation – but on a happier note, the caldera has since filled with water and is known as Lake Taupo, the largest lake in New Zealand. Europeans arrived later, with active colonization having begun in the 1800s. New Zealand is also a young nation, having gained independence from Britain in 1907. And the median age of Kiwis (the people, not the bird) is 33.1 years – no wonder sports are so popular.

Located in the South Pacific, about 1,600 kilometers (994 miles) southeast of Australia, New Zealand consists of two main islands – conveniently named the North Island and the South Island – and numerous smaller ones and dependents (Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau). New Zealand also has a disputed territorial claim in Antarctica. The whole country is only 268,680 square kilometers (103,738 square miles), or about the size of Colorado, and has a population of 3,809,400. Its population density is 14.3 people per square kilometer, compared to Canada's 3.1, the United States's 29.4, and the UK's 244.1 people per square kilometer.

New Zealand has 14 national parks, 20 forest parks, three maritime parks, and two marine parks. It is the home of three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Tongariro National Park on the North Island, Te Waihipouna-mu (an area of four National Parks) on the South Island, and New Zealand's sub-Antarctic Islands. Of course, for a look at the varied landscapes of New Zealand – its lush rainforests, rolling farmland, volcanoes, glaciers, snow-capped mountains, rushing rivers, and coastal vistas to suit all tastes – look no further than The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which was filmed at sites throughout the North and South islands and in studios in the capital, Wellington. It's unfortunate that there's no Oscar for Best Country in a Starring Role – or, at the very least, in a supporting role.

New Zealand's varied, dramatic settings and vast, wide-open spaces mean excellent opportunities for outdoor activities. If you move here, you can try more extreme pursuits like trekking (locally known as tramping), which is extremely popular, rock climbing, mountain biking, mountain climbing, bungee jumping, and more. For reference, remember Eco Challenge New Zealand in 2001? Or you can simply go cycling, swimming, horseback riding, whale watching, or boating. And you can always enjoy outdoor or indoor festivals and Arts events (and restaurants!) in cities like Wellington (166,200), Auckland (374,300), or Christchurch (339,700).

Being an island nation, the maritime climate can change rapidly. And being like Australia, down under, the seasons are the opposite of the Northern Hemisphere. So, although July is the coldest month (with average maximum temperatures between 10 and15C/50 and 59F) and January the warmest (with average maximum temperatures between 20 and 30C/68 and 86F), the weather is generally mild and without extremes – except in extreme places like mountaintops. And both islands do get snow in the winter. So since mountains and snow have been mentioned, be sure to check out the skiing – particularly the ski resorts in the South Island's Southern Alps!

And being in the "roaring forties" latitude (between 34 and 47 south), residents can also count on constant west-east winds, ranging from breezes to gales depending on the season. Of course, the latitude also means New Zealand lies in a range similar to that of the European wine regions, so they produce a wide variety of award-winning wines. But while agriculture and agriculture-related industries still figure strongly in the economy, other major areas are tourism, forestry-related, and manufacturing.

In my opinion, the only thing that could make unspoiled New Zealand more perfect would be if the Elves would just come back ....

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