New Zealand: Land Of The Long White Cloud

New Zealand is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main landmasses that of the North Island, or Te Ika-a-Māui, and the South Island, or Te Waipounamu – and numerous smaller islands. New Zealand is situated some 1,500 kilometers (900 mi) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilometers (600 mi) south of the Pacific island areas 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. The country's varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks, such as the Southern Alps, owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions. New Zealand's capital city is Wellington, while its most populous city is Auckland.


Polynesians settled New Zealand in 1250–1300 CE and developed a distinctive Māori culture. Abel Tasman, a Dutch explorer, was the first European to sight New Zealand in 1642. In 1840, representatives of the British Crown and Māori Chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, making New Zealand a British colony. Today, the majority of New Zealand's population of 4.5 million is of European descent; the indigenous Māori are the largest minority, followed by Asians and Pacific Islanders.

Reflecting this, New Zealand's culture is mainly derived from Māori and early British settlers, with recent broadening arising from increased immigration. The official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language, with English predominant. The country's economy was historically dominated by the export of wool, but exports of dairy products, meat, and wine, along with tourism, are more significant today. The capital and largest city is Wellington. The currency is New Zealand dollar ($) (NZD).

Some interesting facts are:
1. The kea, a bird native to NZ, is known for pulling windscreen wipers off cars and eating the strips of rubber from windows.


2. The longest place name in the world is Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu, a hill in Hawkes Bay.


3. Blue Lake, in Nelson Lakes National Park, has the clearest water in the world.


4. New Zealand is home to the world’s smallest dolphin species.


5. New Zealand is home to the giant weta, the heaviest insect in the world. It is heavier than a sparrow and looks like a giant cockroach.


6. Baldwin Street, in Dunedin, is the world’s steepest street. The road has a gradient of 1 in 2.86 at its steepest section, a 38 per cent grade.


7. New Zealand is one of the only countries to have two national anthems- God Save The Queen and God Defend New Zealand.

8. Ninety Mile Beach is actually only 90 kilometers long.


9. Tourists flock underground to visit the unforgettable Waitomo Caves in New Zealand’s Waikato region to see the glowworms (fireflies). The Waitomo River runs underground through the caves, which natural light cannot reach. Tourists take boat trips along the river, where there are so many of these tiny insects high above that it creates a night-sky effect, with groups of glowworms looking like stars.


10. 3 dogs in New Zealand were taught to drive a modified car around a race track in an effort to show the intelligence of shelter dogs.


11. There is a giant albino snail in New Zealand that is carnivorous.


12. There is a clock in New Zealand that has been running since 1864 despite never having been manually wound.


For more facts visit:
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/new-zealand
http://www.buzzfeed.com/jemimaskelley/things-you-did-not-know-about-new-zealand#.vixeA750a

Some beautiful places are:







For tourism details visit: +PureNewZealand +New Zealand 100% Pure 
https://www.govt.nz/
http://www.newzealand.com/in/

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