Interesting facts about new zealand for kids. Interesting facts about New Zealand

Nestled between Australia and Antarctica, New Zealand is often forgotten in the rest of the world. In fact, it is one of the last significant land masses to have been inhabited by humans. Even the indigenous Maori people settled on the islands only around 1250 AD. Today we will tell you interesting facts about New Zealand that will make you want to be a native of this country!

25. First, as you may have noticed, in New Zealand, kiwi is not considered a fruit. This is either a flightless bird endemic to this country, or the nickname of the citizens of this country themselves. Unlike residents of many other countries, New Zealanders do not take offense when they are called "kiwi"!

24. If you are wondering what the kiwi fruit is called in New Zealand, then know that it is called "kiwifruit"

23. New Zealand became the last of the large land masses, which was inhabited by people.

22. Despite the fact that New Zealand boasts an extraordinary topography, no part of it is more than 130 kilometers from the ocean!

21. Wellington is the southernmost capital city on earth.

20. According to international surveys, Milford Sound is the best tourist destination in the world.

19. According to the Corruptions Perception Index, New Zealand, along with Denmark, is the least corrupt in the world.

18. Baldwin Street in Dunedin is the steepest street in the world, with an angle of 38 degrees.

17. Despite the fact that kiwi is flightless bird, it is on the New Zealand Air Force logo.

16. The New Zealand government has actually created a Minister for Lord of the Rings films to make sure the country gets as much profit from these films as possible.

15. The length of the "145-kilometer beach" is actually about 90 kilometers.

14. There are more vending machines in Japan than there are people in New Zealand (approximately 4.5 million)

13. Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to summit Everest, was a New Zealander.

12. In fact, Lake Taupo is a crater left after the most powerful volcanic eruption in the last 70,000 years.

11. For every inhabitant of New Zealand, there are 9 sheep.

10. It is believed that in the Blue Lake (Blue Lake) - the water in the world.

9. There are no snakes in New Zealand.

8. New Zealand has more penguin species than anywhere else in the world.

7. Auckland consistently makes lists of the best cities to live in the world.

6. Approximately one third of the country's territory consists of protected national parks.

5. Bats are the only land mammals endemic to New Zealand.

4. Since the 1980s, New Zealand has opposed the use of nuclear energy and even today there is not a single nuclear power plant in the country.

3. New Zealand stretches from the subtropics in the north all the way to much colder regions in the south. As a result, it boasts the world's most diverse geography and climate.

2. The northern island has volcanoes, deserts and tropical beaches, while the southern island is covered with plains, glaciers and mountain peaks.

1. "Powelliphanta" is a giant snail found exclusively in New Zealand and is carnivorous.

Today we will share with you curious and interesting facts about New Zealand. In the Maori language, the national Aboriginal language of New Zealand, this country is called "Aotearoa", which means "Land of the Long White Cloud". New Zealand is famous for its diverse landscapes, unique culture and of course hobbits. :)However, there is much more to it that might grab your attention, e njoy it!

Insane facts about the landscape	Crazy Landscape Facts
Wherever you are in New Zealand, you are never more than 128 km from the seaside.	Wherever you are in New Zealand, you are never more than 128 km from the coast.
The length of New Zealand's coastline is 15,134 km, which makes it the 9 th longest in the world.	New Zealand has a coastline of 15,134 km, making it the ninth country in the world in terms of coastline.
A third of New Zealand's area is protected by the Department of Conservation.	One third of New Zealand's territory is protected by the Department of Conservation.
The approximate length of the legendary Franz Josef Glacier is 11 km.	The approximate length of the legendary Franz Josef Glacier is 11 km.
Wellington city is the most southerly capital city in the world.	Wellington is the southernmost capital in the world.
The gradient of Baldwin Street in Dunedin is 38 degrees, which makes it the steepest residential street in the world.	Dunedin's Baldwin Street slopes at 38 degrees, making it the steepest residential street in the world.
The visibility in Blue Lake in Nelson Lakes National Park is 80 meters, making it the clearest lake in the world.	Visibility at Blue Lake in Nelson Lakes National Park is 80 meters, making it the most transparent lake in the world.
Lake Taupo was formed by a volcanic eruption around 186 AD. It is said the eruption caused a dust cloud so large it turned the skies of Europe and China red.	Lake Taupo was formed by a volcanic eruption around 186 AD. The eruption is said to have generated such a large cloud of dust that it turned the skies of Europe and China red.
Insane facts about flora and fauna	Crazy facts about flora and fauna
5% of New Zealand's population is human. That's the highest ratio of animals to humans anywhere in the world.	5% of New Zealanders are people. This is the largest ratio of animals to humans in the world.
The Katipo spider is New Zealand's only native venomous animal.	The katipō spider is New Zealand's only native venomous animal.
Bats are New Zealand's only native land mammals.	Bats are the only native land mammals in New Zealand.
The kiwi fruit is actually native to China. It was named so due to its similarity to the kiwi bird.	The kiwi fruit actually comes from China. They were named so because of their resemblance to the kiwi bird.
The ratio of sheep to people is 9:1, which is the highest ratio in the world.	The ratio of sheep to people is 9:1, which is the highest in the world.

New Zealand. Interesting Facts about New Zealand

Insane facts about the landscape Wherever you are in New Zealand, you are never more than 128 km from the seaside. Wherever you are in New Zealand, you are never more than 128 km from the coast. The length of New Zealand's coastline is 15,134 km, which makes it the 9th longest in the world. New Zealand has a coastline of 15,134 km, making it the ninth country in the world in terms of coastline. A third of New Zealand's area is protected by the Department of Conservation. One third of New Zealand's territory is protected by the Department of Conservation. The approximate length of the legendary Franz Josef Glacier is 11 km. The approximate length of the legendary Franz Josef Glacier is 11 km. Wellington city is the most southerly capital city in the world. Wellington is the southernmost capital in the world. The gradient of Baldwin Street in Dunedin is 38 degrees, which makes it the steepest residential street in the world. Dunedin's Baldwin Street slopes at 38 degrees, making it the steepest residential street in the world. The visibility in Blue Lake in Nelson Lakes National Park is 80 meters, making it the clearest lake in the world. Visibility at Blue Lake in Nelson Lakes National Park is 80 meters, making it the most transparent lake in the world. Lake Taupo was formed by a volcanic eruption around 186 AD. It is said the eruption caused a dust cloud so large it turned the skies of Europe and China red. Lake Taupo was formed by a volcanic eruption around 186 AD. The eruption is said to have generated such a large cloud of dust that it turned the skies of Europe and China red. Insane facts about flora and fauna Insane facts about flora and fauna 5% of New Zealand’s population is human. That's the highest ratio of animals to humans anywhere in the world. 5% of New Zealanders are people. This is the largest ratio of animals to humans in the world. The Katipo spider is New Zealand's only native venomous animal. The katipō spider is New Zealand's only native venomous animal. Bats are New Zealand's only native land mammals. Bats are the only native land mammals in New Zealand. The kiwi fruit is actually native to China. It was named so due to its similarity to the kiwi bird. The kiwi fruit actually comes from China. They were named so because of their resemblance to the kiwi bird. The ratio of sheep to people is 9:1, which is the highest ratio in the world. The ratio of sheep to people is 9:1, which is the highest in the world.

1. Capital of New Zealand

Auckland is New Zealand's largest city. It is home to more than 1/4 of the country's population. But oddly enough, it is Wellington that is the official capital. Wellington has been the capital since the 1800s when the Houses of Parliament were moved to a more central location in the center of New Zealand!

2. The coolest street

Baldwin Street is located in the second largest city in New Zealand's South Island, Dunedin. The length of the street is 359 meters. Baldwin Street is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the steepest residential street in the world. In its length, it rises to a height of almost 80 meters. The steepest section is 161.2 meters, and the level of elevation on it is 47.22 meters, which corresponds to a slope of 19 degrees.

3. The first to give women the right to vote

In 1893, New Zealand became the first country to give women the right to vote. Kate Sheppard (pictured on the NZ$10 note) has led her own campaign to give women the right to vote. Since then, New Zealand has become a leader in women's suffrage movements.

4. The Official Wizard of Christchurch

In 1982, the New Zealand government appointed an official "Wizard of Christchurch". His duties include the expulsion of evil spirits and uplifting the mood of the population. This is such a tourist attraction of the city. Previously, the wizard could be found on the main square of Christchurch near the cathedral. If you did not have time to meet the wizard in person, then visit the official website, which outlines his main ideas.

5. Tolkien's Middle Earth

This is the fictional universe of the writer John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, where the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings fully unfold. Over 150 New Zealand natural locations have been filmed by Peter Jackson for the film trilogy, and Hobbiton Village is one of the country's top attractions.

6. Small but mighty

New Zealand and the UK are very similar in terms of land area. However, about 63 million people live in the UK compared to New Zealand's 4.5 million.

7. Amazing Kiwis

Kiwi, that's what the New Zealanders call themselves. During the warm season in New Zealand, many kiwis walk barefoot down the street. You can see barefoot people anywhere from supermarkets to cafes.

8. The cleanest water and UNESCO World Heritage

Blue Lake in Nelson Lakes National Park has received the official seal of the cleanest water in the world. The nature of New Zealand is amazing. Do not forget that the country has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites:

• Tongariro National Park;
• The southwestern coast of the South Island (Te Wāhipounamu), which includes several national parks: Mount Cook, Fiordland, Mount Aspiring, Westland;
• New Zealand subantarctic islands.

9. Longest title

Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimauis the longest Maori name for a hill located in the Hawke's Bay (North Island) region. This name is often shortened by locals to Taumata (Maori Taumata) for ease of communication.

Interesting facts about New Zealand you can collect more than a dozen - this country is so unique and unusual. Located on the edge of the world, it attracts attention and does not disappoint lovers to discover the amazing corners of the planet.

1. The state is located in two time zones and several climatic zones; out of 700 islands, only 60 are inhabited and suitable for human life. The mountains of Zeeland are called the Southern Alps, but they are much higher than the European ones - 19 mountain peaks exceed 3000 meters. Almost all the lakes of the North Island of the country are of volcanic origin, and the reservoirs of the South Island are mostly the result of melting glaciers.
2. There were no mammals on the islands of New Zealand before humans appeared. except for whales, fur seals and bats. Until now, there are no snakes on the islands. But in national parks, reserves and reserves, which occupy 25% of the country's area, rare species of birds, fish, mammals and marsupials live, which are not found anywhere else in the world.
3. The unofficial symbol of New Zealand is the kiwi bird.. Her image is used in the creation of local logos, her name has become the name of the local currency and the nickname of the New Zealanders. In the 50s of the XX century, the fruits of Actinidia sinensis, exported from the country, also began to be called kiwi.
4. Dutch navigator Abel Tasman discovered New Zealand, naming the islands "Staten Landt", but cartographers transformed the name into Nieuw Zeeland, in honor of the island province of the Netherlands - Zeeland. The English version "New Zealand" was used by James Cook and is still in use today.
5. Presumably in the XI-XIII centuries, Zeeland was settled by Polynesian settlers.. They called the islands "Land of the White Long Cloud". The descendants of the Polynesians met with Europeans in the middle of the 17th century, when Dutch ships appeared here. Already in 1769, the islands became part of the British Empire under a treaty between James Cook and the Maori. The country regained independence in 1907, and separated from Australia even earlier - in 1901.
6. Representatives of the ruling dynasty of Great Britain are the monarchs of New Zealand to this day and have the right to approve the decisions of the parliament of the former colony, and the queen's birthday is the national holiday of the country.
7. There are three official languages ​​in the country - English, Maori and New Zealand Sign Language., the two hymns "God Save the Queen" and "God Defend New Zealand" are also used. The Union Jack is placed on the national flag as a tribute to history.
8. New Zealanders participating in Olympic Games, have won the largest percentage of top awards per capita . The most popular sports here are rugby, golf, cricket, football.
9. The population of the country is about 4.5 million people, 2/3 of which are the descendants of Europeans who have come here since the 18th century, the rest of the peoples are Maori and immigrants from Polynesia and Asian countries.
10. New Zealand is considered the most environmentally friendly country - there are no nuclear power plants, geothermal and hydroelectric power plants are used instead. Thanks to ecology, New Zealand agricultural products are recognized as the best in the world.

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11. Many official events in the country begin with the traditional art of Maori dance and singing - kapa haka. Haka gained popularity thanks to the New Zealand national rugby team, which performs a dance at the beginning of matches, but army units, navies, universities and various organizations have their own rituals. There are several types of hack, and not all of them are designed to intimidate the enemy, usually the idea is a story about yourself, about your intentions.

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12. A third of the world's inhabitants would like to visit New Zealand or move here to live.
13. Citizens of the country are allowed to drive from the age of 15, and foreigners only from the age of 21 and it is obligatory in the presence of the rights of the international sample, the passport of the visa. The rights can be used no more than three months from the time of entry into the country.

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14. The most famous New Zealanders are director, screenwriter and producer Peter Jackson, actors Russell Crowe, Anthony Curtis, Lucy Lawless, Nobel laureate in physics Ernest Rutherford, Formula 1 pilot Bruce McLaren, Olympic athletes Hamish Carter, Craig Watson, Bevan Docherty, Mark James Todd and others.
15. New Zealand is on the list of the most peaceful countries, according to the level of anti-corruption attitude on the second after Denmark.

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One of the British colonies, New Zealand is one of the most prosperous countries in the world. Here not only high level life, but also a warm climate, beautiful nature, relief allows you to practice summer and winter sports. Here are some interesting facts about New Zealand.

People

These lands were uninhabited for a long time. Settlers from Polynesia, who became known as Maori, arrived here about 800 years ago.

The Dutch navigator Abel Tasman discovered the islands and named them Staten Landt. These territories were marked on the maps as "New Zealand", in honor of the province of the Netherlands Zeeland. This name was used in his writings by the English navigator James Cook. The country was one colony with Australia, from which it separated in 1901, and became virtually independent from Great Britain in 1907. Having self-government, is a British colony until today, the queen appoints a governor who has no actual power, the real power belongs to the prime minister, who is elected democratically.

About 4.5 million people live in the country, about 70 percent are descendants of Europeans, about 30 percent are local Maori and immigrants from Asia.

Sign language is one of the state languages, it is used by about 24 thousand inhabitants. There are two other official languages ​​- English and Maori.

The car can be driven by children from the age of 15.

Edmund Hillary, the first person to climb Everest, was a New Zealander.

Geography

New Zealand consists of 700 islands, of which only 60 are inhabited.

The mountains are called the Southern Alps, the height of 19 mountains exceeds three kilometers.

Almost all lakes on the North Island are located in the craters of extinct volcanoes. The reservoirs on the South Island were formed as a result of the melting of glaciers.

New Zealand is a kingdom, the head of state is the British Queen, who appoints the Governor General. In fact, the country is headed by the prime minister.

The state consists of several independent territories, which are part of New Zealand on a voluntary basis. The Kingdom includes New Zealand itself, the Tokelau Islands, the Ross Territory, which is located in Antarctica, as well as independent states - the Cook Islands and the island of Niue.

The Ross Territory, which is located in Antarctica, is larger than New Zealand, which retains control over this Antarctic territory, but other states have the right to maintain their research bases in this part of Antarctica. Sovereignty over the Ross Territory is not recognized by any state, since in 1959 an international treaty on Antarctica was signed, according to which no state can put forward its claims to the Antarctic territories (this treaty was also signed by New Zealand itself). The New Zealand scientific base Scott operates in the Ross Territory, there is a post office that issues its own postage stamp.

Wellington is the southernmost capital in the world.

The country experiences about 400 earthquakes a year.

There is an extinct volcano, the eruption of which was the strongest in the last 70 thousand years. Now in the crater of this volcano is Lake Taupo.

The city of Dunedin has Baldwin Street, which is considered the steepest in the world - it descends at an angle of 38 degrees.

A skyscraper called "Sky Tower" (328 meters) in the city of Auckland is the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere.

The same sports that are popular in the UK are popular here - golf, rugby, football, cricket. New Zealand athletes win many awards at the Olympics (one of the largest percentages of Olympic awards in the world, if you compare the number of awards with the population of the country).

A third of the country is occupied by national parks. At the entrance to the reserve, they may be required to treat shoes with a special spray so as not to introduce bacteria that are not typical for the area where the tour is conducted.

Off the coast you can meet the smallest dolphin - Hector's dolphin.

The symbol of the country is the kiwi bird, which has a long beak, small wings, no tail, and the body is covered with feathers that look like wool. This bird is endemic, that is, you will not find it anywhere else on Earth.

There are no snakes, large predators, poisonous insects, mosquitoes on the island.

There are many types of penguins on the islands, even in Antarctica there are not so many species of these birds.

There were no mammals on the island except for two species of bats, whales, dolphins and fur seals. Mammals came to these territories about one thousand years ago together with people.

There are no nuclear power plants in the country, electricity is produced mainly by hydroelectric power plants and thermal power plants.

The kiwi fruit is a Chinese gooseberry. After it began to be grown in New Zealand, it was renamed after the kiwi bird.

New Zealand has very strong solar radiation, so people often wear sunscreen. Horses are covered with special blankets to protect them from the sun's rays.

Any point in the country is no more than 128 kilometers from the sea.

Until the 16th century, the largest bird in the world, the moa, lived on the islands. Its height was 3.6 meters, weight reached 300 kilograms.

There are many sheep in the country, in 2006 the number of these animals was about 40 million, 8 sheep per inhabitant of New Zealand.

The most long river- Waikato, its length is 425 kilometers.

The highest mountain is Cook, its height is 3754 meters.

Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings was filmed in the country. There is a position of a minister who deals with everything related to this film. This minister has a lot of work - tourists from many countries of the world come to see the filming location. There are many tourist places associated with the film, which was based on Tolkien's work:

1. Hobbiton is where the Shire (Middle-earth) was filmed.
2. The Anduin River was filmed on the Waiau River.
3. Itilene was filmed on the Mangavero River. Here Gollum fished.
4. Gates of Mordor ( ski resort Tukino) - here Frodo, Sam and Gollum look at Mordor, after which they begin to look for a workaround.
5. The Timholt Road was filmed at the Putangirua Peaks.
6. Dimrill Valley was filmed near Mount Owen.
7. The elven valleys in Rivendell were filmed near Mount Olympus and near Boulder Lake.
8. Ered Nimrais was filmed on Mount Gunn, next to the Franz Josef Glacier. Here smoke signals burned on the peaks of the White Mountains, sending a signal from Gondor to Rohan.
9. Edoras was filmed on Mount Sunday. The capital of Rohan and the castle of King Theoden were located here.
10. Bruinen Creek was filmed in Skippers Canyon.
11. Isengard was filmed in Dan's pasture. Here Gandalf rode to Isengard through the valley of Nan Curunir.
12. Nen Hitoel was filmed on the territory of North Lake Mavora.

1. The Silverlode and Anduin rivers were filmed at the Suspension Bridge over the Mararoa River on southern Lake Mavora and on the northern lagoons near St. Paul's Valley.
2. Fangorn Forest was filmed in the pasture of God Pine, here Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli meet Gandalf.

These places are visited by tourists. Interestingly, Tolkien was a believing Christian Catholic. There is positive, kindness in his writings. The works have distorted the cinematographs a bit, making the films dark and a bit scary.