Kiwi Fact File
Read the
Kiwi Fact File below to check your answers to the quiz and discover
more facts about New Zealand.
New
Zealand hides away in the Pacific Ocean just two hours (1,200 miles) south
of Australia and two and a half hours from the tropical paradise of Fiji.
New Zealand
comprises two large islands and the smaller Stewart Island. It is 1,600
km long, and at its widest part it is 450 km wide. It is roughly the
size of Japan, the British Isles or California.
The entire country
can be driven in 26 hours with an island hop in the middle but with
so much to see and do, a recommended stay would be a minimum of three
weeks. If you drive in New Zealand, don’t forget to drive on the
left.
Summer is usually
mild and dry. Winter is cooler. The temperature range in the north is
10–26º C, but in the south temperatures can reach -0º
C at times. If you come from the Northern Hemisphere the seasons in
New Zealand are “upside down”. July is the middle of winter
and February is the middle of summer.
The population
of New Zealand is just over 4 million. People from New Zealand, who
are also known as Kiwis, are often described as easy-going and very
hospitable. The kiwi is New Zealand’s national symbol. It’s
an unusual bird that cannot fly. You can see them in the wild on Stewart
Island.
New Zealand
is also famous for its sheep. Captain Cook first brought sheep to New
Zealand in 1773. There are currently about 50 million sheep, which means
the ratio of sheep to New Zealanders is almost 15 to 1.
The two official
languages of New Zealand are English and Maori. Maori are the indigenous
people of New Zealand. Maori people have preserved many of their traditions
and customs, as well as their language, and are renowned for their arts
and crafts, sports and recreation, song, and dance.
New Zealand’s
name in the Maori language is Aotearoa. This is usually translated as
“the land of the long white cloud”.
Wellington is
the capital of New Zealand, but there are other famous cities, including
Auckland on the North Island. Auckland is built around a harbour and
has become known as the City of Sails. It is also built on a large volcanic
field with 48 volcanoes. The last eruption was about 600 years ago.
New Zealand
is the perfect place for people who like adventure. There are mountains,
glaciers, fjords and valleys. You can go swimming with dolphins, sailing,
fishing, hiking, skiing, jet-boating, paragliding, skydiving, caving,
rafting and kayaking. And New Zealand is the birthplace of bungee jumping.
Famous New Zealanders
include Edmund Hillary, who, together with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, was
the first to reach the top of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in
the world. In the world of international sport, New Zealand is perhaps
most famous for its rugby team, the All Blacks.
In 1893 New
Zealand became the first country in the world where women could vote.
Elizabeth McCombs was the first woman to enter parliament in 1933. In
1999 Helen Clark was the first woman to be elected as Prime Minister.
New Zealand
became more famous as the location for many successful films, including
The Lord of the Rings, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and the
2005 remake of King Kong.
OTHER FACTS AND FIGURES
- The currency is the New Zealand dollar: NZ$1 is approximately €0.60, £0.40, or US$0.70.
- Around 50 per cent of homes in New Zealand have Internet access.
- In New Zealand you cant buy alcohol until you’re 18.
- New Zealanders do not expect tips in restaurants.
- On the South Island, there are about 360 glaciers. The Tasman Glacier is 28 km long by 3 km wide.
- In an emergency in New Zealand you dial 111.