The total population of the country is 3.8 million, and is predicted to reach 4.6 million within the next 44 years. Most Maori live in the North Island areas of Northland, Auckland, Bay of Plenty and Waikato. New Zealand is similar in size to Japan or Great Britain. New Zealand is a very mountainous country, under a quarter of the land is less than 200 meters above sea level. One was the huge 1887 eruption of Tarawera and the other when Mount Ruapehu erupted in 1995 and again in 1996.
Small earthquakes are relatively common.
A Richter magnitude shock of 6 or over occurs around once per year, and a shock of around 7 or over occurs approximately once in 10 years. Lake Taupo however, situated in the volcanic plateau area of the North Island, fills a crater which had been formed by the world's largest known eruption. This happened in two sections, approximately 1.800 and 26.000 years ago. The volcanic dust which arose from the eruption, bringing with it changes in the skies, were noticed as far away as Rome and China. The climate is generally dry and hot in summer, with cool to cold winters going further south.