THE FACTS
New Zealand is a country of rare beauty: glacial mountains, fast-flowing rivers, deep, clear lakes, hissing geysers, and boiling mud. There are abundant forest reserves, long, deserted beaches and a variety of outdoor activities, such as hiking, skiing, rafting, and bungy-jumping. You can swim with dolphins, play with newborn lambs, whalewatch or fish for the best trout in the world. The people, of a culture that melds European with Maori ancestry are resourceful, helpful and friendly. It is a nation of do-it-yourselfers, and we are known for our 'kiwi ingenuity'. We are also quick to come to the aid of strangers, and will go out of our way to help out in a crisis.
New Zealand place names tend to be tongue trippers, but with a bit of practice, are easily enough pronounced. Aoteroa is Ao-tay-a-roa, but try out Te Awamutu, Whangamomona, or Paekakariki!!
FACTS AT A GLANCE
Full Country Name: New Zealand
Maori Name: Aotearoa (Land of the Long White Cloud)
Population: 3.6 million
Capital City: Wellington (pop 328,000)
People: Predominantly European, with about 14% Maori, also Polynesian, and Asian.
Language: English and Maori
Religion: Mostly Christian
Government: Independent member of the British Commonwealth
Prime Minister: Jenny Shipley
Time Zone: GMT+12
Currency: NZ Dollar. US Exchange Rate: US$1 = NZ$1.9
Major Trading Partners: Australia, Japan and the US
Major Industries: Food processing, wood and paper products, wool, textiles, dairy products, iron and steel
For a remote and beautiful country in the South Pacific, with a tiny population of 3.6 million people, New Zealand has a remarkable record of achievement. Be it yachting, athletics, horse riding, rugby, or (may I bashfully concede) mountaineering - we are up with the best in the world. The skill, determination and courage of the people who meet these challenges are, we believe, characteristics of the New Zealand way of doing things - a commitment to quality, innovation and accomplishment" Sir Edmund Hillary, New Zealand Mountaineer. ( The first man to climb Mt Everest)
:
a must for Americans wanting to visit NZ