New Zealand, in Maori means the land of the long white cloud. The island nation is known for its breathtaking views of scenery, lush natural beauty and pristine wilderness. The indigenous people, the Maori, have a rich culture, high sheep to human ratio and a great national rugby team.

Thanks to these traits, it has become a popular international travel destination that offer visitors an array of pleasures. The mountains along the South Alps are capped with snow down to the golden beaches of the Bay of Islands, this wide diversity of visual and natural experiences give locals and travellers alike a range of activities to explore.

Be it the reputation of a good quality of life and dense cultural diversity, or the tax friendly system paired with great investment opportunities, there are many great reasons that make New Zealand a great choice for international investment.

New Zealand is located right over the Tasman Sea, facing Australia and is comprised of two main islands. The North and South islands also have a number of smaller islands around it’s perimeter. The capital city, Wellington is beautifully crafted and located along the southwest edge of the North Island.

The main geographic feature of the South Island are the majestic mountains, namely the South Alps which feature Mount Cook as the one having the highest peak. This highest peak is what divides the island in half. Some of the smaller islands; Chatham Islands, Great Barrier Island, Waiheke Island, and Stewart Island/Rakiura also feature and wide array of marine based resources.

Over the last two decades, the interest in New Zealand has grown thanks in part to two popular television programs. Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys added widespread appeal to the already lush and wonders’ filled area. This isn’t the only time the islands have been featured on screen, the Lord of the Rings films and King Kong, directed by Peter Jackson, also shared the beauty of New Zealand with the rest of the world. Film fans and start searchers flock from every country to visit many of the same places these films were shot, just to capture a bit of the beauty first hand.

Transparency international has ranked the country as being the least corrupt according to its Corruption Perceptions Index, making it not only a great place to live, but also a safe place to raise a family or invest. New Zealand was once a British colony, but became an independent Commonwealth in 1947, though the current head of state remains the Queen. The separation was peaceful and mutual, allowing the country to maintain strong ties with Britain.

Thanks in part to the many advantages New Zealand has to offer, it is placed among the list of most desirable places to live in the world. With increased immigration and foreign investment, as of September 2013, the populations have reached the mark of almost 4.5 million residents.