1. What can you say about …?

2. New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy, which means democratic decisions are made by the parliament, but the British monarch is still the head of state.  Her representative is the Governor General.  The effective head of the country is the Prime Minister, who sits in the House of Representatives, which is the only chamber of parliament.

6. New Zealand is about 2,000 km southeast of Australia, and it is one of the world’s most remote nations. It is made up of two major islands, the North Island and the South Island, and a number of smaller islands. The Realm of New Zealand also includes Tokelau, the Cook Islands, Niue and the Ross Dependency in Antarctica.

8. New Zealand’s natural beauty is evident in its huge mountains on the South Island and its volcanic activity on the North Island. It is the result of geological activities which also make the island prone to earthquakes, such as the one in Christchurch in 2011.

11.  The first inhabitants were the Maoris, who migrated here by boat from Polynesia in around 1300 AD.  In 1642 Abel Tasman was the first European to discover the islands, but they were explored and mapped by James Cook in 1769.  European colonists started settling here in large numbers in the 19th century. Today, the total population is 4.3 million.

13. The Maori language is the official language of New Zealand, though English is by far more widely spoken and is used in all aspects of everyday life.  Kua kai anō koe? Have you had something to eat?  He aha māu? What would you like?  He wai ārani māku. I would like an orange juice.  He wai noa iho māku. Just water for me.

23. The coastlines and beaches of the Bay of Plenty:

26.  One of the country’s top attractions is its glaciers, Franz Joseph and Fox Glacier, which visitors can hike up, or even fly over in a helicopter.

28.  Rotorua is popular especially with those who want to visit the Maori culture.

29.  It’s also an area known for its volcanic activity, geysers, and steaming mud pools.

34.  Would you like to go there for a visit? I would love to, but the flights are very expensive.  Read through the worksheet and use information from this presentation and the internet to fill in the gaps!  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand  HAVE FUN!