New Zealand: Fun Facts, Information, and Resources

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Located in the south-west Pacific, New Zealand is a nation of 4.2 million people in an area approximately two-thirds of the size of California.  The country is a mountainous archipelago with two main islands, simply referred to as the North and South Islands, and hundreds of smaller, mostly uninhabited islands.  The North Island is home to around two-thirds of New Zealand’s population and is known for its unspoilt beaches, rainforests, and volcanic central plateau.  The sparsely populated South Island is renowned for its alpine scenery and rainforests. 

Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand

Wellington is located at the southern tip of the North Island, and became the capital of New Zealand in 1865.  The city is nestled in between bush-clad hills and the harbour, and is known for its extreme weather, with frequent gale-force winds.  Wellington has a thriving arts scene and cafe culture.  It is the home of film-maker Peter Jackson and special effects companies Weta Workshop and Weta Digital.  The filming of movies such as Lord of the Rings, King Kong and Avatar in and around Wellington has earned the city the nickname “Wellywood”.  Wellington city has a population of about 200,000, but the population of the greater urban area is about 386,000.

Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand

With a population of about 1.4 million, about one third of New Zealanders live in Auckland.  The city straddles a narrow isthmus of land in the north of the North Island so is open to both the east and west coast of the island.  The city is defined by its two harbours, beaches and numerous volcanic cones, the most recent of which, Rangitoto Island, erupted only 600 years ago.  Auckland is New Zealand’s centre of commerce, and has its busiest port and airport. It is also New Zealand’s most multicultural city, being home to large Asian, Pacific Island and Maori communities. 

Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand

Maori settled in New Zealand around 1250 to 1300 AD, making New Zealand one of the most recently settled countries in the world.  Maori arrived from eastern Polynesia, bringing with them rats, dogs, taro and kumara (sweet potato) and developing their own distinct culture after settlement.  The first European settlers arrived in New Zealand in the early 1800s.  In 1840, the “Treaty of Waitangi” between the British Crown and Maori was signed, which purported to give Maori and British settlers equal rights as citizens, and is known as New Zealand’s founding document.  However, Maori and English versions of the Treaty differ in their interpretation and despite the Treaty, Maori suffered significant loss of their land and culture throughout the 19^th and 20^th centuries.  In recent years the New Zealand government has sought to address long-standing grievances over land and there has been a resurgence in Maori language and culture.

New Zealand is a biodiversity hot-spot

New Zealand is home to an extraordinarily large number of endemic species – those that are found nowhere else on earth.  Around 1900 out of 3400 plant species are endemic to New Zealand, as are around 90 out of 200 bird species.  Many species, including tuatara, kiwi, and Leiopelma frogs evolved in isolation in New Zealand over millions of years, after the New Zealand landmass broke away from the southern super-continent of Gondwana, so have no close relatives anywhere in the world. 

Aoraki-Mt Cook is the highest mountain in New Zealand

Aoraki-Mt Cook is 3754 m high, and is part of chain of mountains running down the spine of the South Island known as the Southern Alps.  The mountain is located in Aoraki-Mt Cook National Park, which was gazetted as a National Park in 1953.  The National Park contains 140 peaks over 2000m high, and 5 major glaciers including the Tasman Glacier, New Zealand’s longest at 27km.  The first successful ascent of Mt Cook was in 1894.  Aoraki means “Cloud Piercer” in Maori and was officially added to the English name in 1998.

Lake Taupo is New Zealand’s largest lake and largest volcano

Lake Taupo is in the center of the North Island and covers an area of 623 sq km. It lies in a caldera (collapsed crater) formed by the massive Oruanui eruption 26,500 years ago, which ejected about 1200 cubic km of pumice and ash – around 1000 times more than the Mt St Helens eruption in 1980.  Taupo most recently erupted in 200 AD when 60 to 100 cubic km of ash were ejected. The volcano is still active and steam vents can be seen around the edge of the lake. 

About 30% of New Zealand’s energy is generated by renewable power sources

Hydropower is the main source of renewable energy with hydro dams in central and southern South Island, and the central North Island supplying around 11% of New Zealand’s total energy.  There are also eight geothermal power stations, mainly located in the central North Island in the Taupo Volcanic Zone.  Wind energy is the fastest-growing renewable energy source. 

New Zealand is one of the largest exporters of dairy products in the world.

Dairy products, such as milk, cheese and butter, are New Zealand’s largest export earner, worth $6.3 billion in 2007.  New Zealand exports 95% of its dairy products to 140 countries.  The country’s largest dairy company, Fonterra, is a cooperative owned by 11,000 farmers and supplies 95% of New Zealand’s milk.

Tourism is New Zealand’s largest industry

The tourist industry employs, either directly or indirectly, nearly 10% of New Zealand’s population.  Around 2.5 million international tourists visit New Zealand every year, arriving mainly from Australia, the UK, USA and Asia.  Tourists are attracted by New Zealand’s scenery, made famous by movies such as Lord of the Rings, as well as adventure and ecotourism.

Resources about New Zealand

Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Tourism information about New Zealand

World Factbook information on New Zealand

Biodiversity New Zealand

Resource by H.Miller

I am a biologist and freelance science writer based in Wellington, New Zealand. My research interests include evolution, genetics and genomics of New Zealand’s native birds and reptiles. I also write a popular science blog at www.chickenoreggblog.wordpress.com, and in my spare time enjoy biking and hiking.

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