Interesting facts about New Zealand

 

New Zealand is a beautiful island nation in the southwestern Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses—the North Island and the South Island separated by the waters of the Cook Strait. South Island is the larger of the two islands. There are also about 600 smaller islands. The largest of these islands is Rakiura island, also referred to as Stewart Island. 

Wellington is the capital of New Zealand, and Auckland is the most populous city. Both are located on the North Island. 

 

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, which declared British sovereignty over the islands. In 1841, New Zealand became a colony within the British Empire and in 1907 it became a dominion; it gained full statutory independence in 1947. However, the British monarch remained the head of state. 

New Zealand is known for its stunning natural beauty, incredible Maori culture, magnificent  hiking trails, and world-class skiing and surfing. Here are some of the interesting facts about New Zealand.

 

 

• Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world. Also, Wellington is often referred as the "the coolest little capital in the world. 

 

• Auckland also has the largest number of boats per capita than any other city in the world. Auckland is known as the city of Sails.

 

• The official languages are English, Māori, and New Zealand Sign Language, with English being very dominant. The Maori name for New Zealand is ‘Aotearoa’  which means “the land of the long white cloud”.

 

• New Zealand’s highest mountain is Mount Cook/ Aoraki  which is in South Island. This mountain helped Sir Edmund Hillary, a New Zealander  to develop his climbing skills in preparation for the conquest of Everest.

 

• The traditional Maori war dance called Haka is performed at the start of every important event. 

 

• May be due to the remoteness of the country, New Zealand is one of the world’s least populated countries.

 

• New Zealand has more sheep than humans. There are 9 sheep per person in New Zealand, making it the highest ratio in the world.

 

• In 1893, New Zealand became the first country to give women the right to vote.

 

• Baron Ernest Rutherford, a New Zealander is the first person in the world to split the atom in 1919.

 

• New Zealand is the very first country to see the sunrise. Due to the curvature of the Earth, the North Island city of Gisborne on the East Coast is the first to see the actual sunrise.

 

• All Blacks is  the country's national Rugby team. Their emblem is the silver fern, the national plant of New Zealand.

 

• While the national sport of New Zealand is Rugby, golf is the most popular sport, with more golf courses in New Zealand per capita of population, than any other country in the world.

 

• The Hector’s Dolphin, the world’s smallest marine dolphin, which grows to a maximum length of 1.5 metres, is found in New Zealand waters.

 

• New Zealand is also home to the world’s only flightless parrot, the Kakapo.

 

• There are no snakes in New Zealand. 

 

• There are also no nuclear power stations in New Zealand.

 

• TAUMATAWHAKATANGI – HANGAKOAUAUOTAMATEA – POKAIWHENUAKITANATAHU a 300 metre high hill in the Hawke’s Bay in New Zealand is the longest place name in the world. There are 40 syllables in the place name. ‘Taumata’ is the shortened name of the place.

 

• Mount Hikurangi, the tallest non-volcanic mountain on the North Island, is considered as the first place of land on the planet to be touched by the morning sun’s rays. 

 

• New Zealand is the 3rd closest country to Antarctica, only after Chile and Argentina.

 

• No matter where you are in New Zealand, you’ll never be more than 128 km from the seaside.

 

• The kiwi, a flightless bird, is one of New Zealand's national symbols.

 

• The Royal New Zealand Air Force logo has the national animal, the kiwi – a flightless bird.

 

• Though Doubtful Sound is the largest fjord in New Zealand, Milford Sound is the most famous fjord. Rudyard Kipling, the author of “The Jungle Book” and great traveller, regarded Milford Sound as the 8th wonder of the world. 

 

• World’s steepest street, the Baldwin Street, where the annual Jaffa race is held is in Dunedin, New Zealand.