New Zealand

New Zealand is in the South Pacific

• New Zealand consists of two main islands - the North Island and the South Island.

• There are many smaller islands surrounding the two larger ones.

• The capitol is Wellington at the southern tip of the north island.

• About 4.4 million people live in New Zealand.• The North Island of New Zealand has a 'spine' of mountain

ranges running through the middle, with gentle rolling farmland on both sides.

• The Southern Alps form the backbone of the South Island. To the east of the Southern Alps is farmland and plains.

Geography

Geography• New Zealand sits on two tectonic plates, the

Australian and the Pacific, which causes geologic activity such as earthquakes and volcanos.

• The geologic activity makes plenty of mud pools, geysers, and hot springs. In some areas, they are able to use this energy to provide electricity and heat for people.

• People also enjoy sitting and taking warm baths in some of the hot springs and mud pools.

• New Zealand has lots of beautiful beaches, mountains, farmland, glaciers, fiords, as well as some volcanos.

Historical People and Culture• The Māori were the first people to arrive in New Zealand by

canoe from Hawaiki (Polynesia) about 1,000 years ago.• According to Maori tradition, the first explorer to reach New

Zealand was Kupe. Using the stars and ocean currents to navigate, he traveled across the Pacific on his waka hourua (voyaging canoe) from his ancestral Polynesian homeland of Hawaiki.

• It is believed that the Maori came from an island or group of islands in Polynesia in the South Pacific Ocean. There are similarities between the Maori language and culture, and others of Polynesia including the Cook Islands, Hawaii, and Tahiti.

• The Maori were expert hunters and fishermen. They wove fishing nets from flax, and carved fishhooks from bone and stone. They hunted native birds, and farmed the land. They introduced vegetables from Polynesia, including the kumara (sweet potato). They also ate native vegetables, roots and berries. Woven flax baskets were used to carry food, which was often stored in storehouses raised on stilts.

Historical People and Culture• Before the Europeans arrived in New Zealand, Maori tribal

warfare was common. Maori warriors were strong and fearless, able to skillfully yield a variety of traditional weapons, including spears and clubs.

• To protect themselves from being attacked by other iwi (people), Maori would construct fortified villages. They built them strategic locations, with walls and trenches protecting the people from intruders. Today, many historic villages can be found throughout New Zealand.

• The haka is a type of ancient Māori war dance traditionally used when they were going to battle, as well as when groups came together in peace. The haka was used to scare other tribes before a battle, as well as to tell stories about their ancestors, and events in the tribe’s history. The haka includes foot-stamping, sticking out the tongue, body slapping and loud chanting.

New Zealand• In 1642, the first European to see New Zealand was a

Dutchman, Abel Tasman. He was on an expedition to discover a great Southern continent ‘Great South Land’ that was believed to be rich in minerals. Abel Tasman claimed the country for Holland under the name of ‘Staten Landt’, which was later changed to ‘New Zealand’ by Dutch mapmakers. Abel never set foot on New Zealand, and after sailing up the West Coast, went on to some other Pacific Islands, and then back to the East Indies (now Indonesia).

• In 1769 (only 245 years ago), Captain James Cook of England was sent to Tahiti in search of the great southern continent thought to exist in the southern seas. One of Captain Cook’s crew, Young Nick, sighted land (now called Young Nick’s Head) near Gisborne, New Zealand. Cook successfully sailed around New Zealand and mapped it for England.

• In 1840, the Treaty of Waitangi was an agreement signed between the British and Maori, establishing British law in New Zealand. This agreement is considered New Zealand’s founding document.

The Flag of New Zealand

The flag of New Zealand consists of a dark blue base with a British Union Jack in the upper left quarter. On the right side of the flag are four, five-point red stars outlined in white. The stars are positioned to represent a southern cross. The Union Jack represents New Zealand's British heritage. The Blue background symbolizes the sea and sky. The four stars symbolize the constellation 'the Southern Cross', which is a constellation in the southern hemisphere, and represents New Zealand's geographical position to the rest of the world. New Zealand gained independence from Britain on September 26, 1907.

• New Zealand has a temperate climate with moderately high rainfall and many hours of sunshine. • The far north has subtropical weather during summer, and inland mountain areas of the South Island can be as cold as 14°F in winter. Most of the country lies close to the coast, which means mild temperatures.• The average New Zealand temperature gets colder as you travel south. January and February are the warmest months, and July is the coldest month of the year. In summer, the average maximum temperature ranges between 70-90°F and in winter between 50-60°F.

Climate & Weather

Wildlife• Before the arrival of humans, about 900 years ago, New

Zealand had no mammals, except those that could swim or fly there—seals, sea lions, whales, dolphins and bats. So, because there were no predators there was an unusually large number of flightless birds, including the Kiwi, Weka, Moa and Kakapo. Because of the lack of predators even the bats spent most of their time on the ground.

• There are also geckos and skink lizards, and four species of frogs--all rare and endangered.

• People first arrived from other Pacific islands some time around 1300 AD, bringing animals from other places with them. Then Europeans brought pigs, ferrets, mice, rats, dogs, cats, sheep, cattle, and many other mammals. The rats, ferrets, cats and dogs have all seriously affected New Zealand’s wildlife, causing many species to go extinct.

• Because of this, today New Zealand is a world leader in research and techniques for bringing endangered species back from the brink of extinction.

WildlifeNew Zealand today is home to many different animals-- whales, dolphins, fish, fur seals, sea lions, lizzards, frogs, butterflies, many kinds of birds and mammals.

Birds include three different species of penguins--the korora (blue penguin) is the world’s smallest penguin, the hoiho (yellow penguin) has a yellow band around it’s eyes, and the Fiordland Crested Penguin (Tawaki) one of the world’s rarest penguins lives in the rainforest areas in the south.

People & Culture• The population of New Zealand today is made up of people

from the Māori, European, Pacific Island and Asian cultures. • There are about 4.4 million New Zealanders, nicknamed

Kiwis (because of the bird native to New Zealand).• Most New Zealanders speak only English, some speak Maori

as well.• Many things that were invented in New Zealand are now

used throughout the world. Frozen meat, the Hamilton Jet boat, and bungy jumping are the most famous Kiwi inventions, but there are many others.

• The people of New Zealand love the outdoors, beaches, and water.

• Kiwis are very competitive in the sports of yachting, kayaking, windsurfing and rowing. They also love hiking, camping, fishing, and beach walks.

• A famous New Zealander, Sir Edmund Hillary, climbed Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain, in 1953.

Living in New Zealand• Families live in houses just like we do in the U.S.• Kids in New Zealand go to school just like you• They play rugby, football (soccer), cricket, and

netball• They like to play at the beach, go camping,

hiking, to the zoo or aquarium.• They can visit museums, do arts and crafts, or go

to movies• They like to eat hamburgers, pizza and fish and

chips like you.

The National Sport

• Rugby football is the most popular spectator sport in New Zealand. The national team, called the All Blacks recently won the Rugby World Cup.

• Rugby was introduced to New Zealand in 1870 by Charles Monro, who went to school in England and then returned to New Zealand. He introduced the game to his friends which lead to the first rugby game being played in New Zealand.

• Today, rugby is part of Kiwi culture, with four major events during the annual sporting calendar.

• The Haka is danced in all the stadiums as the All Blacks get ready to play their rivals.

Industry & Tourism• Tourism is the main industry in New Zealand with over two million visitors a

year.• Farming is a major export earner—the main exports are wool, lamb, butter,

kiwifruit, and wine.• New products including Cervena (New Zealand venison), flowers, fruit,

biotechnology and wine are now also contributing greatly to New Zealand’s exports.

• New Zealand is also a popular place for filming movies—The Chronicles of Narnia, The Last Samurai, The Lord of the Rings, and The Hobbit.

Currency

The money of New Zealand is called the New Zealand dolloar (NZ$). $1 in NZ$ is about 82¢. Coins come in 5¢, 10¢, 20¢, 50¢, $1 and $2.

New Zealand Food• Traditional Maori foods include foods also found in Hawaii like Kumara (sweet potato), taro

and ti plants. Like other Polynesian people they traditionally cook their food in earth ovens called hangi. Stones are heated by fire and food packed in leaves are placed on top of the stones.

• Maori eat a mixture of their traditional food and foods that were introduced by the European settlers.

• Because New Zealand was a originally a British colony, much of their food was influenced by traditional British food—meat, potatoes, vegetables and baked goods.

• They have a lot of farmland, so New Zealanders eat a lot of lamb and beef.• Since they are surrounded by the ocean, they also eat a lot of seafood.• Because travel has become less expensive, and visitors bring their traditional foods, New

Zealand now has many different types of food like we have in the United States.• In New Zealand, dinner also know as “tea”, is the main meal of the day. Families gather

together to eat and talk about the day.