It is similar in size to the United Kingdom. New Zealand is more than 1,600 kilometres long and 450 kilometres wide at its widest part. Curiously, native fauna is limited, with the only indigenous mammal being the bat. Bird life, however, has thrived. Tongariro National Park in the North Island and Te Waihipouna-mu in the South Island.
Temperatures are a few degrees cooler in the South Island, and both islands receive snow in winter.
Winter falls in the months of June through August and summer from December through to February. It is important to remember that New Zealand's climate is maritime, rather than continental, which means the weather can change with amazing rapidity and consequence. The busy tourist season falls in the warmer months between November and April, though ski resorts, such as Queenstown, are full during winter. It is also home to the country's government and national treasures. In addition, there are museums, a zoo and stunning views of the city from the top of Mt Victoria.