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| CIA Background Information |
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 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances.
| U.S. State Department Description |
Country Description:
New Zealand is a highly developed, stable parliamentary democracy, which recognizes the British monarch as sovereign. It has a modern economy, and tourist facilities are widely available. The New Zealand Tourist Board, which has a wide range of information of interest to travelers, can be contacted via the internet at http://www.newzealand.com/USA/
. Read the Department of State Background Note on New Zealand for additional information.
ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: U.S. citizens eligible for a visa waiver do not need a visa for tourist stays of three months or less. For more ... Read this Article
People
Nationality: Noun--New Zealander(s). Adjective--New Zealand.
Population: 4,280,000.
Annual growth rate (since September 2007): 0.9%.
Ethnic groups: European 67.6%; Maori 14.6%; Asian 9.2%; other Polynesian Pacific Peoples 6.9%; Middle Eastern, Latin American, and African 0.9%; other 10.7%. (Note: People can choose to identify with more than one ethnic group.)
Religions: Christian 50%, no religion 32.3%, not stated 7.3%, Hindu 1.6%, Buddhist 1.3%, Islam/ ... Read this Article
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Location: New Zealand is Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia See Map
Capital: name: Wellington
geographic coordinates: 41 28 S, 174 51 E
time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends third Sunday in March
note: New Zealand is divided into two time zones, including Chatham Island
Currency (Code): New Zealand dollar (NZD) ...More
Area: total: 268,680 sq km , land: 268,021 sq km , water: NA , note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands ( 1 sq km is approximately 0.4 sq miles or 250 acres)
Area Comparison: about the size of Colorado
Elevation Extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m , highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m (1 meter = 3.28 feet)
Population: 4,173,460 (July 2008 est.)
Unemployment: 3.6% (2007 est.)
Ethnic Groups: European 69.8%, Maori 7.9%, Asian 5.7%, Pacific islander 4.4%, other 0.5%, mixed 7.8%, unspecified 3.8% (2001 census)
Religion: Anglican 14.9%, Roman Catholic 12.4%, Presbyterian 10.9%, Methodist 2.9%, Pentecostal 1.7%, Baptist 1.3%, other Christian 9.4%, other 3.3%, unspecified 17.2%, none 26% (2001 census)
Languages: English (official), Maori (official), Sign Language (official)
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| History
Archaeological evidence indicates that New Zealand was populated by fishing and hunting people of East Polynesian ancestry perhaps 1,000 years before Europeans arrived. Known to some scholars as the Moa-hunters, they may have merged with later waves of Polynesians who, according to Maori tradition, arrived between 952 and 1150. Some of the ... Read this Article
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| Geographic Info for New Zealand : |
Geography
Area: 270,500 sq. km.; about the size of Colorado.
Cities (December 2006): Capital--Wellington (450,600). Other cities--Auckland (1,237,239), Christchurch (338,748), Hamilton (130,000).
Terrain: Highly varied, from snowcapped mountains to lowland plains.
Climate: Temperate to subtropical.
People
Nationality: Noun--New Zealander(s). Adjective--New Zealand.
Population: 4,280,000.
Annual growth rate (since September 2007): 0.9%.
Ethnic groups: European 67.6%; Maori 14.6%; Asian 9.2%; other Polynesian Pacific ... Read this Article
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