New Zealand owes its name to the Dutch sailors who 23 years after their arrival to the islands which constitute the present-day state named them “Nieuw Zeeland”. Despite the fact that the country lies on two islands (separated by the Cook Strait), the climate on both of them is very similar. Almost 90% of New Zealand’s territory is covered by green forests which are characteristic for the subtropical zone. Due to the separation of the islands from the mainland there are also endemic species of trees.