To the end of the earth (by Joe)

We've liked New Zealand very much, but time and again we've driven miles to find supposedly 'major' provincial centres and been spooked by how incredibly deserted everything is.

Even New Zealand's three biggest cities are tiny by contrast to cities in the UK and Europe:

Auckland - 1.2 million (less than one-tenth the size of London)
Christchurch - 331,500 (smaller than Stoke-on-Trent)
Wellington - 205,500 (smaller than St Helens)

South Island in particular is incredibly sparsely populated. It is roughly the size of England but with a total population of under 1 million (one-third of which lives in Christchurch).

The other 'major' population centres in South Island are Dunedin (111,000 - slightly larger than Basildon) and Invercargill (49,300 - smaller than Clacton-on-Sea). There is nowhere else of any significant size in the whole of South Island.

Australia is the least densely populated country in the world because of its enormous and barely inhabitable 'red centre', but at least it has truly significant cities. Travelling around the south and west of South Island New Zealand, driving through tiny communities amidst big country and along coastlines of enormous oceans, you really can't help but get a strong 'we are at the end of the earth' feeling.

You can see - absolutely - why Kiwis so often travel and seek experience of life in the UK and Europe.

Joe

Note: UK stats from 2001 census/ NZ stats from Lonely Planet