New Zealand is an island country in
the south-western Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main
landmasses ‒ that of the North and South Islands ‒
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 nations 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 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 nations 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.
Polynesians settled New Zealand in 1250–1300 AD
and developed a distinctive Māori culture. The first non-Māori contact with New Zealand
happened when Dutch explorer Abel Tasman sighted
the island in 1642 AD. The
introduction of potatoes and muskets triggered upheaval among Māori early
during the 19th century, which led to the inter-tribal Musket Wars. In 1840 the British and Māori signed a treaty making New Zealand a colony of the British Empire. Immigrant numbers increased sharply and
conflicts escalated into the New Zealand Wars, which resulted in much Māori land being confiscated in the mid North Island. Economic
depressions were followed by periods of political reform, with women gaining the vote during the 1890s, and a welfare state being
established from the 1930s. After World War II, New Zealand joined Australia
and the United States in the ANZUS security treaty, although the United
States later suspended the treaty. 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 non-Māori
Polynesians. 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. Early European art was dominated by landscapes and to a
lesser extent portraits of Māori. A recent resurgence of Māori culture has seen
their traditional arts of carving,
weaving and tattooing become
more main stream. The country's culture has also been broadened by
globalisation and increased immigration from the
Pacific Islands and Asia. New Zealand's diverse landscape provides many
opportunities for outdoor pursuits and has provided the backdrop for a number
of big budget movies.
New Zealand is organised into 11 regional councils and 67 territorial authorities for local government purposes; these
have less autonomy than the country's long defunct provinces did. Nationally, executive political
power is exercised by the Cabinet, led by thePrime Minister.
Queen Elizabeth II is
the country's head of state and
is represented by a Governor-General.
The Queen's Realm of New Zealand also includes Tokelau (a dependent territory);
the Cook Islands and Niue (self-governing but in free association); and the Ross Dependency, which is New Zealand's territorial claim in Antarctica.
New Zealand is a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation, Commonwealth of Nations, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Pacific Islands Forum,
and the United Nations.
Most of the
major sporting codes played in New Zealand have English origins. Golf, netball,
tennis and cricket are the four top participatory sports, soccer is the most
popular among young people and rugby union attracts the most spectators. Victorious rugby tours to Australia and the United Kingdom in the late 1880s and the early 1900s played an early role in instilling a
national identity, although the sport's influence has since declined. Horseracing was also a popular spectator sport and
became part of the "Rugby, Racing and Beer" culture during the 1960s. Māori participation in European sports
was particularly evident in rugby and the country's team performs a haka (traditional
Māori challenge) before international matches.
New Zealand has competitive international teams in rugby union, netball, cricket, rugby league, and softball and has
traditionally done well in triathlons, rowing, yachting and cycling. The
country has performed well on a medals-to-population ratio at Olympic Games and Commonwealth
Games. New Zealand's
national rugby union team is often regarded as the best in the world, and are
the reigning World Cup holders. New Zealand is also the
reigning rugby league world champions. New
Zealand is known for its sports,
adventure and strong
mountaineering tradition. Other
outdoor pursuits such as cycling, fishing, swimming, running, tramping,
canoeing, hunting, snow sports and surfing are also popular.
For further more information on New Zealand about Geography,
climate, art, culture and economy. Please visit the Wiki page below from which
the above information has been taken as well.
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