New Zealand is a country consisting mainly by big islands! It is in the southwestern Pacific Ocean!
So let’s find out some facts and trivia about it!
- New Zealand is a sovereign island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean
- The country geographically comprises two main landmasses
- Τhe North Island
- Αnd the South Island
- Αnd around 600 smaller islands
- New Zealand is situated some 2,000 kilometres east of Australia
- Αcross the Tasman Sea
- Αnd roughly 1,000 kilometres south of the Pacific island areas of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga
- Because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans
- During its long period of isolation, New Zealand developed a distinct biodiversity of animal, fungal, and plant life
- The country’s varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions
- New Zealand’s capital city is Wellington
- While its most populous city is Auckland
- Sometime between 1250 and 1300, Polynesians settled in the islands that later were named New Zealand
- They developed a distinctive Māori culture
- In 1642, Dutch explorer Abel Tasman became the first European to sight New Zealand
- In 1840, representatives of the United Kingdom and Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi
- They declared British sovereignty over the islands
- In 1841, New Zealand became a colony within the British Empire
- In 1907 it became a dominion
- It gained full statutory independence in 1947
- The British monarch remained the head of state
- Today, the majority of New Zealand’s population of 4.9 million is of European descent
- The indigenous Māori are the largest minority
- Followed by Asians
- And Pacific Islanders
- New Zealand’s culture is mainly derived from Māori and early British settlers
- With recent broadening arising from increased immigration
- The official languages are English, Māori, and NZ Sign Language
- With English being very dominant
- A developed country, New Zealand ranks highly in international comparisons of national performance
- Such as quality of life, health, education, protection of civil liberties, and economic freedom
- New Zealand underwent major economic changes during the 1980s
- They transformed it from a protectionist to a liberalised free-trade economy
- The service sector dominates the national economy
- Followed by the industrial sector
- And agriculture
- International tourism is a significant source of revenue
- Nationally, legislative authority is vested in an elected, unicameral Parliament
- While executive political power is exercised by the Cabinet
- Led by the Prime Minister
- Currently the Prime Minister is Jacinda Ardern
- Queen Elizabeth II is the country’s head of state
- She is represented by a governor- general
- Currently this is Dame Patsy Reddy
- In addition, New Zealand is organised into 11 regional councils
- And 67 territorial authorities for local government purposes
- The Realm of New Zealand also includes Tokelau
- Which is a dependent territory
- The Cook Islands and Niue
- They are self- governing states in free association with New Zealand
- The Ross Dependency
- Which is New Zealand’s territorial claim in Antarctica
- New Zealand is a member of the United Nations
- Also of Commonwealth of Nations, ANZUS, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, ASEAN Plus Six, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and the Pacific Islands Forum
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