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| New Zealand is
a beautiful and very diverse country. It is CLEAN,
GREEN and FRIENDLY. |
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| Highest
Point |
Mount Cook - 3754
m (12,316 ft) above sea level. |
| Lowest
Point |
Sea level along the
coast. |
| Population |
3,587,275
0-14 years: 23% (male 424,584; female 403,792)
15-64 years: 65% (male 1,174,945; female 1,167,913)
65 years and over: 12% (male 179,853; female
236,188) |
| Sex
ratio |
15-64 years : 1.01
male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female |
| Population
Density |
13 persons/sq km;
(34 persons/sq mi) |
| Urban/Rural
Breakdown |
84%Urban; 16%Rural |
| Largest
Cities: |
Auckland - 910,200
Wellington - 326,900
Christchurch - 312,600 |
| Ethnic
groups |
European 88%,
Maori 8.9%,
Pacific Islander 2.9% |
| Religions |
Anglican 24%
Presbyterian 18%
Roman Catholic 15% |
| Languages |
English (official),
Maori |
| Banks |
8:30am
to 4:30pm - can vary slightly |
| Business
Hours |
Monday to Friday 9:00am
to 5:00pm.
(Late night for shopping is either Thursday
or Friday. Most shops open Saturday morning,
with some shops and markets remaining open
all weekend, in certain resorts and city centres.) |
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| Brief fact file: |
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WHERE
IS NZ? |
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In
the South Pacific |
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Situated
about half way between the Equator and the South
Pole |
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About
2,000 km east of Australia |
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Auckland,
New Zealand’s main gateway airport, is 3 hours
flight from Sydney, 9 hours from Singapore and 12
direct from Japan. |
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HOW
BIG IS NZ? |
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A
bit bigger than the U.K, a little smaller than Japan |
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268,000
Kilometers |
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Made
up of two islands (North and South Island) and hundreds
of smaller islands. |
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Around
1,600km long. No place in NZ is more than 170km
from the sea. |
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GEOLOGICAL
HISTORY? |
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A
young country geologically. |
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New
Zealand broke from the Gondwana super continent
around 80 million years ago |
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On
the boundry of the Indo-Australian and Pacific Plates. |
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WHEN
WAS NZ DISCOVERED? |
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One
of the pasts of the world to be discovered and settled. |
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Legend
has it that the Polynesian navigator Kupe, discovered
the land about 1,000years ago and named it Aotearoa
– Land of the Long White Cloud |
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Dutch
Explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to visit
in 1642. Dutch matchmakers named the country Nieuw
Zeeland after the Dutch province of Zeeland. |
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Captain
James Cook mapped the coast in 1769 and claimed
the country for England. |
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WHAT
IS THE LAND LIKE? |
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Very
diverse landscape. |
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15,000kms
of coastline. |
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The
North Island has a mildly activie volcanic interior
which formed Lake Taupo (606sq km) 1,800 years ago,
rolling hill country, temperature forest and coastal
mangroves in the north. |
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The
South Island – the Southern Alps rise to around
2,800m above the sea level and are the size of the
Austrian, French and Swiss Alps combined. Other
key geographical features include glaciers and glacial
formed fiords, lakes and rivers in the south and
the grasslands and the river plains in the east. |
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Around
30% of New Zealand is protected and designated as
the National Parks and conservation reserves. National
Parks are kept as far as possible to their natural
state. |
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Gifted
to the nation by the chief Te Heuheu Tukino IV,
Tongariro National Park (1887) was the second National
Park designated in the world, after the Yellowstone
in the U.S. |
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Tongariro
National park and the three national parks in the
South West New Zealand are recognized as the World
Heritage areas. |
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WHAT
ANIMALS LIVE THERE? |
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Unique
plants and animals developed in isolation. |
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No
snakes, dangerous animals or deadly spiders. |
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Tuatara,
a lizard like creature that is the closest living
relative of the dinosaurs. |
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Kea,
the world’s only alpine parrot. |
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Kiwi,
New Zealand’s national symbol |
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The
rare Giant Weta, at up to 71 grams is the world’s
heaviest insect. |
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Many
introduced species have modified the land |
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There
are around 20 sheep for every person |
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WHO
LIVES THERE? |
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3.8
million people. |
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New
Zealand is one of the world’s least crowded
countries. Population density is only 14 people,
per sq.km. |
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The
English Language is spoken. Maori is also an official
language. |
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A
multi-cultural country. The population is 78% European,
13% Maori, 5% Pacific Islander, 1% Chinese and 1%
Indian. |
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Around
75% of people live in the North Island and 25% in
the South Island. |
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Around
26% of people live in Auckland City. Auckland is
the largest Polynesian city in the world. |
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Most
people live in the cities, however 6% of the population
live and work on farms. |
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WHAT
IS THE MAORI CULTURE LIKE? |
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The
Maori are a Polynesian people. |
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Most
Maori have strong ties to their Iwi (tribe) and
Hapu (sub-tribe) through tribal genealogy (Whakapapa).
Most Maori live in bigger cities but retain an affinity
with the areas their Iwi come from. |
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The
Marae (meeting place) is the focus of Maori cultural
life. |
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Mana
(a person’s earned prestige) is an important
concept. |
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Wood
carving, greenstone ornaments, reed panel weaving
and tattooing (Moko) are among art forms. |
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Maori
culture is in resurgence. Many young people are
learning the Maori language. |
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The
New Zealand Government is negotiating with Iwi on
the return of land and control of other resources
under the Treaty of Waitangi. |
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WHAT
IS THE WEATHER LIKE? |
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A
temperate climate. Not humid. Mean temperature is
approx. 15 C. |
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Southern
Hemisphere climatic season – December to February
is summer. |
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Summer
– warmest areas are northern and eastern North
Island; coolest areas are southern South Island.
Summer temperatures average 19-23C. |
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Winter
– warmest areas are northern North island
; coolest areas are inland Canterbury and Central
Otago. Winter temperatures average 10-14C. |
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HOW
IS THE COUNTRY GOVERNED? |
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Democratic
Government is elected every three years under the
Mixed Member proportional (MMP) system. |
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Wellington
is the capital city. |
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120
Members of Parliament – 67 represent regional
electorates and 53 represent political parties. |
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A
Labour led Government with Helen Clark, as Prime
Minister currently governs in coalition with the
alliance and the Greens Party. |
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Helen
Clark is New Zealand’s first elected woman
Prime Minister. |
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Flag |
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The New Zealand
flag was introduced in 1869 and officially adopted
in 1902. The British blue ensign reflects the country's
colonial heritage, while the emblem of the constellation
of the Southern Cross reflects its geographic location. |
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WHAT
IS THE ECONOMY LIKE? |
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A
small economy based on international trade. |
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Tourism,
agriculture and horticulture, forestry, fisheries
and light manufacturing are the main export earners. |
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Annual
GDP is about US $50 billion. GDP per person is around
US$13,500 |
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Most
exports go to Australia, Japan, US, UK, South Korea,
Germany and China. |
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WHAT
DO KIWIS DO FOR FUN? |
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Gardening,
fishing, walking are among the most popular recreational
past times. |
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Rugby
and netball are the most popular team sports. |
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One
in five Aucklanders own a boat. |
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New
Zealanders are into a wide range of adventure sports.
Mountain biking is becoming increasingly popular.
WHAT’S NEW? |
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Director
Peter Jackson filmed Hollywood’s most expensive
production ever – the “Lord of the Rings”
trilogy. |
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New
Zealand enjoys a growing reputation for producing
quality wines and is winning global recognition
for Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Reisling and Pinot
Noir varieties. |
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A
vibrant fashion industry, partly based on New Zealand’s
fine wools, is developing. |
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FAVOURITE OR UNIQUE FOODS YOU CAN TRY IN NZ INCLUDE: |
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Marmite
(a yeast extract toast spread) |
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Baked
Kumara (a sweet potato) |
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Kiwifruit |
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New
apple varieties like Pacific Rose |
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New
Zealand Lamb |
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Bluff
oysters or West Coast whitebait patties (seasonal
treats from the sea) |
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Lemon
and Paeroa (a soft drink) |
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ANZAC
and Afghan Biscuits |
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Hokey
Pokey Ice cream (vanilla flavour with golden syrup
toffee). |
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Jaffas
(orange coated chocolate balls popular at the movies). |
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Pavlova
(a meringue, our national dessert). |
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