Ok, this could be a little tedious, but I wanted to share this with you because I was surprised as the results.

I got Keith an Atlas for Christmas (boring, I know :? ) but it's got a lot of facts in it regarding general living for all countries, which I thought I would share with you all. It is a new 2004 edition so is as up to date as it can be.

Population
15 people/square km in NZ
243 people/square km in UK

Crime - Murders
4 per 100,000 population in NZ
3 per 100,000 population in UK

Crime - Rapes
20 per 100,000 population in NZ
16 per 100,000 population in UK

Crime - Thefts
6978 per 100,000 population in NZ
5533 per 100,000 population in UK


NZ spends more on Education and Health compared to the UK
NZ Inflation is said to be at 2.6% compared to 1.8% in the UK
Unemployment is 5% for both NZ & UK.

I think I will leave it there, but I don't know if you are as surprised as me at the Crime figures, which it says are rising.

It does go on to say that "The quality of life in NZ is among the best in the world, in terms of access to basic necessities, and a pure, health, urban and rural environment".

That's not going to put us off at all. I am guessing these figures would come from the city areas and we plan on living rural.

Does anyone have any comments on whether this an accurate reflection of NZ life?


Keith & Debby