New Zealand is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The
country geographically comprises two main landmasses – that of the North Island,
or Te Ika-a-Māui, and the South Island, or Te Waipounamu – and numerous smaller
islands. New Zealand is situated some 1,500 kilometres (900 mi) east of Australia
across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilometres (600 mi) 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 isolation,
New Zealand developed a distinctive biodiversity of animal, fungal and plant life; most notable
are the large number of unique bird species. The country's varied topography
and its sharp mountain peaks owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic
eruptions.
New Zealanders enjoyed one of the highest standards of living in the
world in the 1950s, but the 1970s saw a deep recession, worsened by oil shocks
and the United Kingdom's entry into the European Economic Community. The
country underwent major economic changes during the 1980s, which transformed it
from a protectionist to a liberalised free trade economy; once-dominant exports
of wool have been overtaken by dairy products, meat, and wine.
The majority of New Zealand's population is
of European descent; the indigenous Māori are the largest minority, followed by
Asians and Pacific Islanders. English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language are
the official languages, with English predominant. Much of New Zealand's culture
is derived from Māori and early British settlers.
Capital
:
|
Wellington
|
Area:
|
square
km
|
National
Bird:
|
Kiwi
|
National
Animal:
|
Kiwi
|
National
Flower:
|
Silver
Fern
|
National
Language:
|
English
|
National
Sport:
|
Rugby
|
National
Dance:
|
Haka
Dance
|
Prime
Minister:
|
John
Key
|
Major
Occupation:
|
Service
|
Time
Zone:
|
(UTC+12:00)
|
