New Zealand

New Zealand is a country in the south-

western Pacific Ocean comprising two large islands – the North

Island and the South Island – and

numerous smaller islands, most notably

Stewart Island/Rakiura and

the Chatham Islands. In Māori, New

Zealand has come to be known as Aotearoa,

which is usually translated into English

as The Land of the Long White Cloud.

Geographical position of New Zealand

New Zealand is a very interesting country.

It has got a total area of 269,000 square kilometres. It is sit uated to the south-east of Australia in the Pacific Ocean.

It consists of two main islands (North Island and South Island) and some smaller ones.

Some facts :1. TOTAL AREA: 269,000

sq.km2. POPULATION: 4,182,000

people3. PEOPLE: 88%

Europeans, 125 Maori and Polynesian

4. LANGUAGES: English and Maori

5. RELIGION: Predominantly Christian (81%)

6. HEAD OF STATE: Queen Elizabeth II represented by Governor-General

7. FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Constitutional monarchy

8. LONGEST RIVER: Waikato (425 km)

9. LARGEST LAKE: Taupo (606 km)10.HIGHEST POINT: Mount Cook

(3,754 m)11.NATIONAL DAY: Waitangi Day ,

6 February ( since 1840)12.MAJOR INDUSTRIES: wood and

paper products, wool, textile, iron, steel

13.CURRENCY: NZ dollar14.NATIONAL SYMBOLS: Kiwi15.NATIONAL ANTHEM: “God

Defend New Zealand”

Demography 

Total population is about 3.7 million. Over 70% of the population are in the North Island. The largest centre is Auckland (over 1 million), and the capital Wellington.

The official languages are English and Maori. English is more widely spoken, though the Maori language, for so long on the decline, is now making a comeback due to the revival of Maoritanga. A mellifluous, poetic language, the Maori language is surprisingly easy to pronounce if spoken phonetically and each word split into separate syllables. Pacific Island and Asian languages may be heard in cities.

Education  Primary and secondary schooling is

compulsory for children aged 6 to 16, with the majority attending from the age of 5.There are 13 school years and attending state (public) schools is free to New Zealand citizens and permanent residents from a person's 5th birthday to the end of the calendar year following their 19th birthday.  New Zealand has an adult literacy rate of 99 percent, and over half of the population aged 15 to 29 hold a tertiary qualification.[ There are five types of government-owned tertiary institutions: universities, colleges of education, polytechnics, specialist colleges, and wānanga, in addition to private training establishments. In the adult population 14.2 percent have a bachelor's degree or higher, 30.4 percent have some form of secondary qualification as their highest qualification and 22.4 percent have no formal qualification.The OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment ranks New Zealand's education system as the 7th best in the world, with students performing exceptionally well in reading, mathematics and science.

CultureThe dominant cultural groups are the Pakeha and the Maori. Other smaller groups include Yugoslavian Dalmatians, Polynesians, Indians and Chinese. A common thread that binds the entire population is its love of sport - especially the national game of rugby union - and outdoor pursuits such as sailing, swimming, cycling, hiking and camping. The secular aside, Christianity is the most common religion, with Anglicanism, Presbyterianism and Catholicism the largest denominations. An interesting religious variation is the synthesis of the Maori Ratana and Ringatu faiths with Christianity.

Politics ConstitutionNew Zealand shares with Britain and Israel the distinction of being one of the three developed countries that does not have a codified Constitution on the U.S. model. When the country was annexed by Britain in 1840, the British parliament enacted that all applicable law of England as at 1840 became the law of New Zealand. In 1856, the New Zealand parliament was given the power to enact its own law and nothing changed when full independence was achieved (26-9-1907) except that the British parliament lost its overriding authority. We have, thus, never had the problem that Australia and Canada have had of "repatriating" a constitution that was really an Act of the British parliament.

North Island The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand. The island is 113,729 sq. km in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island. It has a population of 3,148,400. Several important cities are in the North Island: Auckland, and Wellington, the capital. Approximately 76% of New Zealand's population lives in the North Island.

South IslandIt has a population of 991,100. Along its west coast runs the mountain chain of the Southern Alps with Mount Cook being the highest point, 3,754 m.

The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand. The South Island has an area of 151,215 sq. km, making it the world's 12th-largest island.

Wellington is the capital of New Zealand, the country's second largest urban area and the most populous national capital in Oceania. The population is about 449,000 people. Wellington is New Zealand's political centre, housing Parliament and the head offices of all government ministries and departments, plus the bulk of the foreign diplomatic missions based in New Zealand

Wellington

The City of Nelson is the administrative centre of the Nelson region. The population is about 60,500 people. Nelson received its

name in honour of the Admiral Nelson. Nelson is a centre for arts and crafts, and

each year hosts popular events such as the Nelson Arts Festival.

Nelson

THE END