New Zealand is an island country in Oceania. Located southeast of Australia, New Zealand has over 600 islands. Due to isolation from major landmasses, New Zealand has developed unique ecosystems, landscapes, and evolution patterns. Here are 20 interesting facts about New Zealand, “the paradise of the Pacific”.
20 interesting facts about New Zealand
Overview
New Zealand has an area of about 268,000 square km. There are two major islands in New Zealand: the North Island and the South Island. The population in New Zealand is around 5 million (2023 census).
Why are New Zealanders called Kiwis?
The nickname comes from the flightless bird Kiwi. The Kiwi bird is the national icon of New Zealand. They are endemic to New Zealand and are considered special in Maori culture.
What are the major languages in New Zealand?
English is the most spoken language in New Zealand. Almost everyone in New Zealand can speak English. There are 3 official languages of New Zealand – English, Māori, and New Zealand Sign Language.
The first country to give voting rights to Women
On 19 September 1893, New Zealand became the first self-governing country in the world to give voting rights to women.
The steepest street in the world is in New Zealand
Baldwin Street in Dunedin, New Zealand, is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the “steepest street in the world.” It has a steeper gradient of 34.8%.
Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu
Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu (shortened to Taumata) is a 305-meter high hill in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. The name is the longest ‘single-word’ name of a place in the world.
New Zealand lies south of the Tropic of Capricorn
New Zealand is one of the only four countries entirely south of the Tropic of Capricorn. The four countries entirely south of the Tropic of Capricorn are – New Zealand, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Uruguay.
Land of the volcanoes
There are many volcanoes in New Zealand, particularly on the North Island. Mount Ruapehu is the tallest volcano in New Zealand. It is located on the North Island and has an elevation of 2,797 m.
White Island (Whakaari), 30 miles from the North Island is the most active volcano in New Zealand. On 9 December 2019, a large explosion on White Island resulted in unfortunate 22 fatalities.
What is the largest island in New Zealand?
The South Island (145,836 sq km) is the largest island in New Zealand. It is also the 12th largest island in the world.
The North Island (111,583 sq km) is the second largest island in New Zealand. It is also the 14th largest island in the world.
How many islands are in New Zealand?
Apart from North and South island, there are over 600 smaller islands in New Zealand. Stewart Island (Rakiura) is the largest among the smaller islands. Stewart Island has an area of 1,747.74 sq km.
What is the highest mountain peak in New Zealand?
Mount Cook (Aoraki) is the highest mountain peak in New Zealand. It has an elevation of 3,724 m (12,218 ft). The peak is located in the Southern Alps mountain range.
Land of the sheeps
The human-to-sheep ratio in New Zealand is about 5:1. There are approximately 25 million sheep in New Zealand. This number is, however, continuously decreasing due to various economic reasons.
What is the most popular sport in New Zealand?
Rugby Union is the most popular sport in New Zealand. It is the national sport while Cricket is the national summer sport in the country.
What is the capital of New Zealand?
The capital of New Zealand is Wellington. It is located at the southern tip of the North Island. The city has a population of over 200,000. Wellington is sometimes called the “windiest city in the world”. The average wind speed in Wellington is over 25 km/hr.
Auckland – the largest city in New Zealand
The largest city in New Zealand is Auckland. The city’s urban area has a population of around 1.5 million (2023). Auckland is located on the North Island and is the former capital of New Zealand. It is also the largest economic hub of New Zealand.
What is the largest religion in New Zealand?
About half of the population in New Zealand is non-religious. The largest religion in New Zealand is Christianity, followed by Hinduism.
Closest neighbors of New Zealand
The closest neighbor of New Zealand is New Caledonia (a French territory), about 1,400 km from the North Island. The Tasmania state of Australia is about 1.500 km, and mainland Australia is about 1,600 km from New Zealand.
Forest cover in New Zealand
New Zealand has a forest cover of about 38%. The country has 10.1 million hectares of forest land of which 8 million hectares are native forests, the rest are plantation forests.
Bats are the only indigenous mammals in New Zealand
It may sound strange but Bats are the only indigenous land mammals in New Zealand. There are 3 species of bats in New Zealand-
- New Zealand long-tailed bat
- New Zealand lesser short-tailed bat
- New Zealand greater short-tailed bat
The clearest freshwater lake is in New Zealand
The Blue lake/Rotomairewhenua in Nelson Lakes National Park, New Zealand is the clearest natural freshwater lake in the world as per a 2011 study. The lake has a visibility of 70-80 m.
Some basic facts about New Zealand
| Capital | Wellington |
| Largest city | Auckland |
| Area | about 268,000 sq km |
| Population | around 5 million (2023 census) |
| Most popular sport | Rugby |
| Official languages | English, Māori, and New Zealand Sign Language |
| Currency | New Zealand Dollar |
Flag of New Zealand
These were 20 interesting facts about New Zealand, here are some suggestions for you if you want to learn about other countries.