Two islands – North Island and South Island The nearest country is Australia (2000 km) A part of nearly submerged Zelandia (a continent) and with Australia it creates a region Australasia, which is a part of Oceania

Capital city: Wellington Largest city: Auckland Official languages: English, Maori Population: 4.5 million Currency: New Zealand dollar

Formed by two islands Mountainous The highest peak: Mount Cook The highest falls: Sutherland Falls The highest volcano: Ruapehu Climate: mild and humid, rainy west coast

1642 Abel Tasman landed and called it Staten Landt (he thought he had discovered South America) 1645 renamed it by Dutch cartographers after the Dutch province of Zeeland 1769 was the name anglicised by James Cook

First settlers: Easter Polynesians, 13th – 14th century and later they developed a culture known as Maori Abel Tasman 1642, James Cook British colony 1861 fights between colonists and Maori 1907 dominion 1931 independence

Constitutional monarchy (the constitution is not written) Parliamentary democracy Queen: Elisabeth II. Legislature: 1) Queen 2) The House of Representatives Executive power: the Cabinet with Prime Minister John Key The first state in the world to introduce women‘s suffrage (1893)

Bird kiwi Tuatara

Tolkien tourism

A hill (305 metres) called Taumatawhakatangihangako auauotamateaturipukakapiki maungahoronukupokaiwhen uakitanatahu has been listed in Guinness World Records for the longest place name Translation: "The summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the slider, climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travelled about, played his nose flute to his loved one"