10 Facts about New Zealand
(trafalgar.com, n.d.)
Fact 1-Population
The population of New Zealand in early 2020 was estimated at 5.084 million people (Data Commons, 2020) of which 80% is European, 15% Māori and 7% Asian (Wikipedia Contributors, 2019).
Fact 2-Flag
The flag of New Zealand contains the famous Union Jack in the righthand corner to symbolize the countries heritage and its allegiance to England, along with four stars forming the constellation known as the Southern Cross, a symbol of the Moari tribes.. A flag was originally created in 1834 by the Maori tribe leaders but when they relinquished their sovereignty to England in 1902, their flag was changed for the one we have today.. After World War 2, New Zealand like Canada, became a independent country once again (Smith, 2017) .
Fact 3-Location
New Zealand is closes to Australia, only separated by the Cook Strait. The distance between them is about 1,000 miles. New Zealand is comprised of two main islands, called the North and South Islands (National Geographic, 2014) .
(geology.com, n.d.)
Fact 4- Physical Features
New Zealand is a land of diverse features. The island contains fiords, glaciers, plains, mountains, forest, coastlines, plateaus and beaches. Tourists flock to its renowned lakes and crystal clear oceans. Movies, such as the Lord of the Rings and Wolverine were even filmed there (New Zealand Physical Map, n.d.).
(“Physical Map of New Zealand,” n.d.)
Fact 5-Climate
The climate of New Zealand is just as diverse as its features. It varies greatly from warm subtropical to cool to very cold. Most areas of New Zealand receives 600 to 1600 mm of rainfall throughout the year, with a few exceptions. The average temperature of the North is around 10 to 16 degrees Celsius while the Whangarei region has an average of over 20 degrees (NIWA, 2007) (Danielle, 2021).
Fact 6-Major Cities
The largest city in New Zealand is Auckland, with a population of 1.5 million people. It has a large selection of parks, beaches and getaways. The second largest city is Christchurch, with only a fraction of the population of Auckland. With 383,000 residents, it is a nice little city with beautiful artwork, views and beaches. Finally, the third largest city is Wellington . It's also the capital of New Zealand with its coasts and mountains. It has been nicknamed the world's "coolest little capital" with only 215,000 people (Laura S., 2016).
Fact 7-Points of Interest
One of the most spectacular sites in all of New Zealand is Milford Sound. With fjords, islands, rain forests, lakes and mountain peaks, this site is a World Heritage Site. This site is great for hikers and nature lovers.
Another renowned site in New Zealand is the Coromandel Peninsula. With mountains adorned with fires and a beautiful beach and clear, blue ocean. It draws nature lovers and kayakers from around the world (Karen Hastings, 2019).
(shirophoto, 2013)
Fact 8-Currencies
The currency of New Zealand is the New Zealand dollar. The bills denominations come in $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100, while the coins come in 10c, 20 c, 50c, $1 and $2. 1 NZD is worth $0.56 USD (Smith, 2019).
(Adobe Stock, 2019)
Fact 9-Wildlife
Some of the iconic, native animals of New Zealand are the tuatara, the mao, the kōkako and its snails and lizards, but its must famous animals is the kiwi. Not only is it the national bird of the country but even the people of the country are named after them (Forest and Bird, n.d.).
(CNN, 2017)
Fact 10-That's Wild!
New Zealand has the world's largest place name. Near Porangahau, you can find a 1,000-foot hill nicknamed Taumata Hill. Its real name: Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukup. Named after the Maori warrior Tamatea, it literally means in Maori, “the summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the slider, climber of mountains, the land-swallower who traveled about, played his nose flute to his loved one.” (Nowak, 2018)