New Zealand
The Lord of the Rings was filmed here!
- New Zealand is located in the south-western Pacific Ocean and features two main islands, the North Island and the South Island, as well as other smaller ones.
- Other smaller islands include Stewart Island, Waiheke Island, Chatham Island, Great Barrier Island and more, although many are uninhabited.
- The capital city of New Zealand is Wellington while the largest city is Auckland.
Other major cities include Christchurch, Hamilton and Dunedin. - The population of New Zealand was estimated to be around 4.5 million at the start of 2013.
- The official spoken languages of New Zealand are English and te reo Maori, with English being the most widely used.
- Maori are the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand.
- The Maori name for New Zealand is Aotearoa.
- The Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 between the British and Maori, making New Zealand a colony of the British Empire.
- In 1893 New Zealand became the first country in the world to give all women the right to vote.
- Due to its isolation, New Zealand has developed unique animal and plant life.
- The bird species of New Zealand are particularly diverse, including alpine parrots and ground dwelling Kiwis.
- The term ‘Kiwi’ is also used as a nickname for a New Zealander.
- In New Zealand they drive on the left-hand side of the road.
- Located in the South Island, the highest mountain in New Zealand is Aoraki Mount Cook which reaches 3,754 metres (12,316 ft) in height.
- Dairy products are New Zealand’s highest earning exports.
- Rugby is the most popular spectator sport in New Zealand but a variety of sports such as football (soccer), cricket, netball, golf and others are popular among participants.
See how beautiful New Zealand is in this video:
Click here to listen to a Kiwi accent.