NZ is a dream... from North Island right down to Christchurch... couldn't put it to words how I feel about the place... In retrospect, the wonders of NZ just proves that God is great! Anyway, all I instinctively knew was I wanna live there some day... some say being a tourist and staying there are two different experiences which is why I asked Daphnie about her days there and she said she would return to work there in a heartbeat. I rest my case :)
Although a minority, less than 1% of the total population, the Muslim population in New Zealand is young, energetic and growing. It is estimated that there are approximately 17,000 Muslims in New Zealand representing a wide range of nations including Fiji, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Indonesia and Malaysia.
An estimated 63% of New Zealand’s Muslims live in Auckland, but there are also large communities in Wellington, Hamilton, Christchurch and Dunedin. There are currently 9 mosques and Islamic centres, 5 of which are in Auckland. Auckland’s largest mosque is in the suburb of Ranui. The first Islamic school, Al Madinah, is in the Auckland suburb of Mangere. According to a recent report, Al Madinah, which has 350 students, has the lowest school grades in New Zealand.
