New Zealand Facts and
Information
This New Zealand facts and information section answers frequently asked questions about New Zealand. It is also a great section if you are interested in reading more about New Zealand in general
Interesting facts about New Zealand
New Zealand Facts - Geography
- The capital of New Zealand Wellington, is the southern capital in the world.
- New Zealand is split up into 28 regions.
- Where is now New Zealand’s largest lake, Lake Taupo, was once a giant volcano which had the most violent eruption in the world in the last 5,000 years! The ash even turned the sky red over China and Rome!
- New Zealand’s Southern Alps are bigger than the Austrian, Swiss and French Alps all put together.
- New Zealand has over 15,000 km of coastline. Almost the same as the United States of America.
- New Zealand has 3 official languages English, Maori and New Zealand Sign Language.
New Zealand Facts - Key dates
- New Zealand was first discovered by the Polynesians in the 13th century. These Polynesians became the Maori we have today. Oral Maori history suggests that the Maori came from Hawaiki although no one knows where it is.
- New Zealand was discovered by Europeans in 1642 by Abel Tasman.
- New Zealand was one of the first countries in the world to
give women the right to vote in 1983.
New Zealand Facts - Animals
- New Zealand was once home to one of the world’s largest birds, the Moa. The Moa were flightless birds with long necks, the larger ones growing up to 3.7meters high and weighing up to 230kg! When the Maori arrived in New Zealand they hunted them and are now extinct.
- The Kiwi is the national mascot. It is a flightless bird and is the only bird that has its nostrils at the end of its beak. The Kiwi lays the largest egg in comparison to the size of its body.
- New Zealand has over 55 million sheep. That is 13 sheep to every person! At its peak in the 1980s it used to be at 22 sheep for every person!
New Zealand Facts - Population
- Over 25 percent of the population live in New Zealand’s largest city Auckland.
- New Zealand has a population of just over 4.3 million people making it one of the least crowed countries in the world.
New Zealand Facts - Famous New Zealanders
- New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary was the first person to climb Mount Everest.
- New Zealander Ernest Rutherford was the first person to split the atom. Einstein once referred to Rutherford as "a second Newton".
Related articles:
History of New Zealand - A Short Story of New Zealand
Read about the must know facts about the history of New Zealand, from the Polynesian settlement until today.
The New Zealand Capital - Wellington vs Auckland
The topic of the New Zealand capital always raises one question: which city is the capital of New Zealand? Is it Wellington or Auckland? Find out here!
The New Zealand Climate - What Is The Best Season To Travel In New Zealand?
This section is about the climate in New Zealand throughout the year. It will hopefully give you enough insight to decide for yourself when you want to travel to New Zealand.
The population of New Zealand - What makes New Zealand's population
Between 30, June 2009 and 30, June 2010 the population increased by 51,900 people which represents an annual growth of 1.2%. Find out about the total population of New Zealand from the 2010 census here.
The New Zealand Discoverer - Who was the first person to discover New Zealand?
Find out about the people who discovered New Zealand. The stories of the Polynesians, Abel Tasman and Captain James Cook.
The New Zealand Flag
The history behind the New Zealand flag and the meaning behind the design. Find out about the Maori flag, how it was adopted as the national Maori flag and what it means.
The New Zealand Newspapers
You will find here a list, a description as well as direct links towards the major New Zealand newspapers.
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