New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the southwestern 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 east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1, 000 kilometres 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.
The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A. D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both world wars. New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances lapsed by the 1980 s. In recent years, the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances.
In that same year, the British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both world wars. New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances lapsed by the 1980 s. In recent years, the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances.
Geography Location Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia Area total: 267, 710 sq km country comparison to the world: 76 land: 267, 710 sq km note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
Coastline 15, 134 km Land use arable land: 5. 54% permanent crops: 6. 92% other: 87. 54 % Climate temperate with sharp regional contrasts
Capital name geographic coordinates time difference daylight saving time note • Wellington • 41 18 S, 174 47 E • UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) • +1 hr, begins last Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April • New Zealand is divided into two time zones - New Zealand standard time (12 hours in advance of UTC), and Chatham Islands time (45 minutes in advance of New Zealand standard time)
Administrative divisions 16 regions and 1 territory Depend areas Auckland Cook Islands Northland Niue, Tokelau Bay of Plenty Otago Canterbury Southland Chatham Islands Taranaki Gisborne Tasman Hawke's Bay Waikato Manawatu. Wanganui Wellington Marlborough West Coast Nelson
People and society Ethnic groups • European 56. 8% • Asian 8% • Maori 7. 4% • Pacific islander 4. 6% • mixed 9. 7% • other 13. 5% Languages • English 91. 2% • Maori 3. 9% • Samoan 2. 1% • French 1. 3% • Hindi 1. 1% • Yue 1. 1% • Northern Chinese 1% • other 12. 9% Religions • Protestant 38. 6% • Maori Christian 1. 6% • Hindu 1. 6% • Buddhist 1. 3% • other religions 2. 2% • none 32. 2% • unidentified 9. 9%
