Rotorua (New Zealand)

Sister City Agreement / signed on 10 July 1987 in Beppu City
■　Population /  68,000 approximately
■　Area/  2,617㎢
http://www.rotoruanz.com

Geography

Located in the central North Island of NZ, 234km south of Auckland,　457km away from Wellington and 297m above sea level, it is well connected to the rest of New Zealand through a network of air and road links.
The city is a three hour drive or a 45min flight from Auckland, and only a 1 hour flight from Christchurch International Airport. It is also convenient to go by bus which rolls into the city almost everyday.

Climate

Rotorua enjoys a temperate climate all through the year. It has a relatively high altitude resulting in daily maximum temperatures of 20-27℃ in the summer months and around 10-12℃ during winter, which is quite the reverse to Japan. However it also has four seasons. Rotorua averages 2,105 hours of sunshine and just 1,443mm of rain each year. The warmest month is January, with August being the lowest temperature month. It seems to have four seasons in a day with a wide range of temperatures. Because rainfall is spread fairly evenly throughout the year, it is enjoyable all year round and does not experience a ‘wet season’ like other countries.

History

Historically New Zealand is a young country. The first inhabitants, the Maori, arrived around the 10th century from islands somewhere to the north. The Maori, when they first discovered this land, called it “Aotearoa”　(land of the long white cloud/ land of the lingering day). Later the Dutch navigator Abel Tasman arrived in 1642. In 1769 Captain James Cook of the British Royal Navy claimed it for the United Kingdom. But in 1840 the British Government made an agreement with Maori and extended sovereignty to New Zealand. In 1907 NZ had become a self-governing Dominion and is currently negotiating the return of lands and assets to Maori tribes.

Industry

Like Beppu, Rotorua is a Hot Spring Tourist City. It hosts approximately 3.0 million visitors each year. The average length of stay for an overnight visitor is 2.1 nights. One third of all visitors are of international origin.
Both the farming and forestry industries are thriving; it has been radically altered by pastoral development. Manufacturing is a growing industry with many companies providing contracts within New Zealand and for export. The Rotorua manufacturing sector employs more than 3,000 people, focusing mainly on the food, timber products and engineering sectors.

Process of making agreement

The New Zealand Ambassador to Japan proposed to make a sister city agreement with Beppu City. In Feb. 1985 Mayor & Mayoress Keeney of Rotorua and Deputy Mayor & Mayoress Childs visited Beppu, and in the same month the Mayor of Beppu went over to confirm each intention. On 10 July 1987 the delegation of 32 people led by Mayor of Rotorua visited us again for a signing ceremony.