New Zealand
KIA ORA
Introduction
New Zealand is an island country in the South Pacific
Ocean, in the most southwestern part of Polynesia.
New Zealand is a remote land - one of the last territories
suitable for habitation to be populated - and lies around
1,600 km southeast of Australia, its nearest neighbour.
The country consists of two main islands -the North and
the South Island - and a number of small islands, some
of them hundreds of miles from mainland. The capital
city is Wellington and the largest urban area Auckland.
Both are located on the North Island. New Zealand
administers the South Pacific island group
of Tokelau and claims a section of
the Antarctic continent. Niue and the Cook Islands are
self-governing states in free association with New
Zealand.
Territory
New Zealand is a land of great contrasts and diversity. Active volcanoes,
breathtaking caves, deep glacier lakes, verdant valleys, dazzling fjords,
long sandy beaches, and the spectacular snowcapped peaks of
the Southern Alps on the South Island—all contribute to New Zealand’s
scenic beauty. New Zealand is about 1,600 km long (north-south) and
about 450 km across at its widest point. About two-thirds of the land is
economically useful, the remainder very rocky.
History
New Zealand was the largest country in Polynesia when it was taken
over by Great Britain in 1840. Afterwards it was successively a crown
colony, a self-governing colony (1856), and a dominion (1907). By the
1920s it controlled almost all of its internal and external policies,
although it did not become fully independent until 1947, when it
adopted the Statute of Westminster. It is a member of
the Commonwealth. Despite New Zealand’s isolation, the country has
been fully engaged in international affairs since the early 20th century,
being an active member of a number of intergovernmental institutions,
including the United Nations. It has also participated in several wars,
including World War I and II.
Population
Currently the majority of New
Zealand’s population is of European
origin, significant portion of Māori, and
a smaller number of people from the
Pacific islands and Asia. In the early
21st century, Asians were the fastest-
growing demographic group.
European orgins Māori Pacific islanders Asians
Religion
New Zealand is mostly Christian, with
Anglican, Roman Catholic, and
Presbyterian denominations being the
largest. Other present belief systems
include protestant sects and Māori
adaptations of Christianity (the Rātana
and Ringatū churches). About 2 million
people do not claim any religious
affiliation. Hinduism, Buddhism, and
Sikhism have small but growing numbers
of adherents. There is no established
(official) religion, but Anglican cathedrals No religion Christianity Other
are generally used for state occasions.
Language
New Zealand is mostly an English-speaking country, though
English, Māori, and New Zealand Sign Language are its official
languages. Virtually all Māori speak English, and about one-
fourth of them also speak Māori. The Māori language is taught at
a number of schools. Other non-English languages spoken by
significant numbers of people are Samoan, Hindi, and Mandarin
Chinese.
Maori
The Māori were the first people to live on the islands,
arriving about 1,200 years ago. Their name means
“ordinary people.” The earliest Māori are sometimes
called the Moa Hunters. Their main source of food was
the moa, a huge flightless bird that is now extinct. After
the moas were gone, the Māori ate smaller birds,
caught fish and grew crops for food. The Māori were
skilled artists. They carved wooden war canoes big
enough to hold 100 people and excelled in weaving.
According to Māori history, the Māori sailed to New
Zealand from a tropical island called Hawaiki. Their
history says that a “great fleet” of canoes arrived in
New Zealand in the 1300s. But experts believe the
Māori reached the islands much earlier, by 800s. Today
the Māori make up about 16% of New Zealand’s
population. Most live in cities among European New
Zealanders. Many Māori have kept alive their language
and traditional culture and have worked to regain
control of their traditional land.
National cuisine
The cuisine of New Zealand is
largely driven by local ingredients
and seasonal variations as an island
nation with a primarily agricultural
economy. The cuisine of New
Zealand is a diverse British-based
cuisine, with Māori, Mediterranean
and Pacific Rim influences as the
country has become more diverse.
Economy
Economically the country was dependent on the export of agricultural
products, especially to Great Britain. The UK’s entry into the European
Community in the early 1970s forced New Zealand to expand its trade
relations with other countries. It also began to develop a much larger
and diverse industrial sector. Tourism has played an increasingly
important role in the economy, though this sector has
been vulnerable to global financial instability. New Zealand’s economy
is developed, but it is comparatively small in the global marketplace.
National bird
The Kiwi is a flightless nocturnal bird with
strong legs and loose hair-like
feathers. The local inhabitants of New
Zealand are also notoriously known as
Kiwis, even more prominently than the
old term ‘New Zealanders’. As a national
symbol, it embodies the unique qualities
of New Zealand’s wildlife and rich cultural
heritage. The most common Kiwi is the
North Island Brown Kiwi typically found in
the northern two-thirds of New
Zealand. Kiwi birds have a lifespan
between 25-50 years. Once the eggs
hatch the chicks take 3-5 years to become
a full grown adult.
national flower
New Zealand does not have an official national flower, but
the silver fern (Cyathea dealbata), which appears on army
insignia and sporting team uniforms, is an unofficial national
emblem. Other unofficial symbols are the
red pōhutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa) and
yellow kōwhai (Sophora spp.). The silver fern first took on
national symbol status with the 1888-1889 New Zealand Natives
Rugby Tour led, coached and captained by Joe Warbrick of Ngāti
Rangitihi who in choosing the silver fern as a symbol offered it
with a whakatauaki, a Māori proverbial saying:
‘Mate atu he toa, ara mai he toa’ When one warrior dies,
another arises.
‘Mate atu he tetakura, ara mai he tetakura’ When one fern dies,
another emerges.
Flag
The New Zealand flag has the Union flag
of the United Kingdom in one corner and
– representing the Southern Cross, a
constellation visible in the New Zealand
night sky – four five-pointed red stars with
white borders, all on a blue background.
Based on an 1869 version of the British
blue ensign, it was adopted as the
country’s official flag in 1902.
Coat of arms and National Anthem
The New Zealand coat of arms was adopted in 1911 and
standardised in 1956. Elements of the design reflect the
importance of overseas trade, farming and mining.
New Zealand has two national anthems. ‘God save the
Queen/King’ first came into use in 1840. ‘God defend
New Zealand’ (written in 1876) was adopted as a national
hymn in 1940 and in 1977 given equal status with ‘God
save the Queen’. A Māori translation of the first verse is
often sung before this is repeated in English.
