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Info on New Zealand

NEW ZEALAND'S LOCATION

New Zealand is the small country you can barely see, to the South East of Australia. New Zealand is the first country in the world to greet the new day, owing to the fact that it's situated next to the international date line. New Zealand therefore, is ahead of every other country in time!

NEW ZEALAND MAP

New Zealand is made up of 3 main islands:

North Island
South Island
Stewart Island

NEW ZEALAND FLAG

The New Zealand flag contains the Union Jack design (British influence) and 4 stars, representing the Southern Cross. The background is blue, to represent the Pacific Ocean.

RUGBY

Rugby is New Zealand's national sport. The New Zealand rugby team is called 'The All Blacks', and they are famous for performing a Maori dance called the 'haka' before every game.

THE KIWI

The Kiwi is New Zealand's national bird. It is a nocturnal and flightless species of bird that is on the endangered species list. New Zealand is working hard to ensure it's survival.

THE SILVER FERN

The 'silver fern' is New Zealand's national symbol. The design is used by most New Zealand sports teams, on their uniforms, and by many New Zealanders in general, to show their 'kiwi-ness'.

MOUNT COOK

Mount Cook is New Zealand's highest mountain, at 3,754meters tall. Many professional climbers attempt to summit it every year

MAJOR CITIES - AUCKLAND

Auckland is New Zealand's largest city, with a population of around 1,500,000 people. Around one third of New Zealand's entire population! It's famous for marine sports and the Southern hemisphere's tallest building - the Sky Tower.

MAJOR CITIES - CHRISTCHURCH

Christchurch is New Zealand's second largest city. It has some of the most historical buildings in New Zealand, including this stone cathedral. It's famous for botanical gardens, and for having a wizard.

MAJOR CITIES - WELLINGTON

Wellington area has the third largest population in New Zealand. It is also New Zealand's capitol city. It's famous for being home to the parliamentary house known as the 'Bee Hive', and for strong winds that blow umbrellas inside out.

SEASONS - SPRING

The New Zealand spring is from September to November. It is a very beautiful season, with the blooming of many flowers and the arrival of many baby animals. The weather can be unpredictable at this time though.

SEASONS - SUMMER

The New Zealand summer is from December to February. It is usually very warm but not too hot, sitting around 20 to 30 degrees depending on where you are in the country. Because the summer is at this time of year, we often celebrate Christmas at the beach and have outdoor parties and BBQs.

SEASONS - AUTUMN

The New Zealand autumn is from March to May. It is a very nice time of year to play outdoor sports, as the weather tends to be slightly warm, and generally predictable. Popular sports at this time include outdoor rugby and soccer, as well as leisure activities like hiking and fishing.

SEASONS - WINTER

The New Zealand winter is from June to August. It is usually not too cold, but the South Island does get some snow in high places. New Zealand has a lot of mountains and these always get a good coating of snow over winter. Skiing and snowboarding are very popular winter sports in New Zealand!

POPULATION

Human Population: 4,000,000

Sheep Population: 40,000,000

HISTORY

Polynesian Settlers arrived in New Zealand around the 10th century.
Abel Tasman (Dutch) 'discovered' New Zealand in 1642.
James Cook (British) arrived in 1769 and explored the coastline extensively.
European Settlers arrived enmasse in the 1840s.
New Zealand was the first country in the world to give women the vote (1893).
New Zealand became independent from Britain in 1907

NEW ZEALAND'S NATIVE PEOPLE

New Zealand's native people are called Maori. According to Maori legend, Maori paople come from a place called Hawaiki. A famous legendary person called Maui hauled New Zealand from the ocean like a fish. A famous Maori explorer called Kupe discovered New Zealand, and named the place 'Aotearoa' (land of the long white cloud).

THE PRIMEMINISTER

New Zealand's PrimeMinister is a woman called Helen Clark. She is New Zealand's second female PrimeMinister (the first was a woman called Jenny Shipley).

EDUCATION

New Zealand's education system includes 13 years from start to finish. This is one year longer than the Japanese education system, but because New Zealanders start school at 5 years old we still finish at the same time. School is compulsory until the 3rd year of Senior High School (about 16 years old).

Elementary School: 6 years
Junior High School: 2 years
Senior High School: 5 years

MONEY

New Zealand's money is made of plastic and is very difficult to forge. It depicts the faces of famous New Zealanders on the front, while on the back are pictures of famous New Zealand birds.

Sir Edmund Hillary is shown on the $5 note. He is famous for being the first person to climb Mount Everest.
Kate Shephard is shown on the $10 note. She is famous for campaigning for womens' rights during the late 1800s, ultimately achieving the right for women to vote.
The Queen of England is shown on the $20 note. New Zealand's ties with Britain are evidently still very strong.
Sir Apirana Ngata is shown on the $50 note. He is famous for campaigning for Maori peoples' rights
Lord Rutherford of Nelson is shown on the $100 note. He is a famous scientist, most well-known for splitting the atom.

FOOD - BBQ

BBQ! New Zealanders love BBQs. These often form part of the staple diet during summer. New Zealanders like to eat alot of meat, and BBQs are perfect for this. They usually contain various types of steaks, chops, sausages, and kebabs. Seafood is also included.

FOOD - FISH & CHIPS

New Zealand's most famous takeaway food is 'Fish & Chips'. It is also one of the most popular fast foods in New Zealand. It is very oily and salty, but exceptionally delicious!

FOOD - PAVALOVA

The Pavalova, is New Zealand's national dessert. It is made from beaten egg whites and sugar, and is baked in the oven, much like a merangue pie. It is most often served with whipped cream and fresh fruit.. Yummy!

FOOD - VEGEMITE

Vegemite is a yeast spread that alot of New Zealanders like to eat with toast or sandwiches. It is actually made in Australia, but has become so ingrained in New Zealand culture, that many New Zealanders assume it is a New Zealand product. It has a very strong salty taste, but is full of vitamens and iron.

FOOD - KIWIFRUIT

The kiwifruit is a common sight in New Zealand. It is one of New Zealand's main fruit exports, and is a vitamin-packed, healthy snack. Many New Zealanders can get bags of these for free from their next door neighbours, or of the side off the road.