Australia and New Zealand

The neighboring countries of Australia and New Zealand in the South Pacific region share many similarities although in physical terms the two countries are significantly different. Australia is vast, 7 million square kilometers in area, much of [Page 162]it sparsely populated semidesert. The population of 25 million mostly live in coastal cities, with each of the capitals of the six states containing at least half of their respective state’s population. New Zealand, by contrast, is relatively small: 250,000 square kilometers covering two islands of almost equal area, well-watered, fertile, and mountainous. New Zealand’s population of 5 million is more spread out, with the largest city, Auckland, holding less than a third of the national population.

However, as a result of history, economics, and personal connections, the ...