New Zealand 4e

New Zealand is located in the Pacific Ocean, near the Tasman Sea. It includes two islands: the North Island and the South Island. The capital city is Wellington and the largest city is Auckland. Wellington and Auckland are located in the North Island. New Zealand is very diverse. There are active volcanoes, big caves, glacier lakes, valleys, long beaches, and the spectacular mountains called Kā Tiritiri o te Moana (in English: Southern Alps) in the South Island. Australia, its nearest neighbor, is 1,600 kilometers away. The South Island is home to the highest mountain peak in New Zealand, Mount Cook, which rises to 12,316 feet (3,754 meters) and is called "Cloud Piercer" by the Maori people.

The first people who arrived in New Zealand were the Maori People, they came from other Polynesian Islands. Then, in 1769, the British sailor James Cook visited New Zealand and became friends with the Maori People. After James Cook, Europeans started to go fishing near New Zealand. In 1840 the Māori and the British signed the Treaty of Waitangi: Māori accepted British rule in exchange for protection. But, the relationship between the Maori and the British was bad, because the British started to govern in New Zealand and wanted everything. During WWI and WW2, New Zealand started to become independent. In 1947, New Zealand became an independant country, where the British and the Maori coexist.

The majority of New Zealand's population is British but Maori people are very present in New Zealand and are important to New Zealand. English and Māori are official languages. The majority of New Zealanders are Christians. Anglicans form the largest group, followed by Presbyterians and Roman Catholics. Some Māori religions have elements of Christianity. The culture of New Zealand is mainly European, but Māori artistic and cultural traditions have been revived. Many people now practice traditional Māori activities, for example: wood carving and weaving. Māori songs and dances have become increasingly popular, especially among the young.

European settlers destroyed a lot of the islands’ original forests. In the 1900s New Zealanders began planting new forests of pine trees. New Zealand’s native animals include reptiles, frogs, and bats. The tuatara (a reptile), exists only on the North Island and on smaller islands surrounding it. The early Māori settlers brought dogs and rats. European settlers brought red deer, opossums, and rabbits. New Zealand has a lot of types of flightless birds, including takahes, penguins, and kiwis. The kiwi bird is New Zealand’s national symbol.

Fun facts !

30% of NZ is composed of forests!

Dairy farmers produce 100 kg of butter and 65kg of cheese each year for each person living in New Zealand.

The most popular films in the country include ‘Once were Warriors’, ‘The Whale Rider’, ‘The Piano’ and the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy.

There are no snakes in the country!

The Maori name of New Zealand is Aotearoa which means 'The land of the long white cloud.'