FULL COUNTRY NAME : New Zealand CAPITAL: Wellington TOTAL AREA: 269,000 sq.km POPULATION: 4,182,000 people PEOPLE: 88% Europeans, 125 Maori and Polynesian LANGUAGES: English and Maori RELIGION: Predominantly Christian (81%) HEAD OF STATE: Queen Elizabeth II represented by Governor-General FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Constitutional monarchy

New Zealand is a country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two large islands – the North Island and the South Island – and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. In Māori, New Zealand has come to be known as Aotearoa, which is usually translated into English as The Land of the Long White Cloud. The Realm of New Zealand also includes the Cook Islands and Niue, which are self- governing but in free association; Tokelau; and the Ross Dependency (New Zealand's territorial claim in Antarctica). New Zealand is notable for its geographic isolation, being separated from Australia to the northwest by the Tasman Sea, approximately 2000 kilometres (1250 miles) across. Its closest neighbours to the north are New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga.

Quick Facts LONGEST RIVER: Waikato (425 km) LARGEST LAKE: Taupo (606 km) HIGHEST POINT: Mount Cook (3,754 m) NATIONAL DAY: Waitangi Day, 6 February ( since 1840) MAJOR INDUSTRIES: wood and paper products, wool, textile, iron, steel CURRENCY: NZ dollar NATIONAL SYMBOLS: Kiwi NATIONAL ANTHEM: God Defend New Zealand

The Flag The Flag of New Zealand is a defaced blue ensign with the Union Flag in the canton, and four red stars with white borders to the right. The stars represent the constellation of Crux, the Southern Cross, as seen from New Zealand. The flag proportion is 1:2 and the colours are Red, Blue and White. Proportion and colours are identical to the Union Flag. the Emblem The shield of the Emblem is supported by two figures, a blonde Pākehā (European) woman holding the New Zealand flag, and a Māori warrior holding a taiaha (Māori staff). The shield is topped with the St Edward's Crown, and beneath the shield thereare two silver fern leaves and a scroll bearing the words "New Zealand". National Symbols

The kiwi bird was named so for the sound of its chirp. This flightless bird, about the size of a domestic hen, has an extremely long beak and plumage more like hair than feathers. It has no tail, almost no wings. It weights about 2 kg. The female kiwi lays only one egg, but it is about 1/5th of her own weight. After laying it she leaves her husband to hatch the egg out. The New Zealand dollar is frequently called the Kiwi. The dollar coin features a kiwi bird on one side. National Symbols

National Currency The New Zealand dollar (sign: $; code: NZD) is thesigncode currencycurrency of New Zealand. It also circulates in theNew Zealand Cook IslandsCook Islands (see also Cook Islands dollar), Niue, Cook Islands dollarNiue TokelauTokelau, and the Pitcairn Islands. It is often informally known as the "Kiwi (dollar)", from the word Kiwi typically being associated with New Zealand, and the fact the $1 coin depics a kiwi.Pitcairn Islands

The Maori people are the indigenous people of New Zealand. Maoritanga is the native language. It is believed that the Maori migrated from Polynesia in canoes about the 9th century to 13th century AD. The Maoris lived in tribes called iwi. They lived in villages and were fishermen, hunters and framers. The present Maori population has increased to about 250,000 and the Maori live in all parts of New Zealand, but predominately in the North Island where the climate is warmer.

The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand. The island is 113,729 sq. km in area, making it the world's 14th- largest island. It has a population of 3,148,400. Several important cities are in the North Island: Auckland, and Wellington, the capital. Approximately 76% of New Zealand's population lives in the North Island.

Wellington is the capital of New Zealand, the country's second largest urban area and the most populous national capital in Oceania. The population is about 449,000 people. Wellington is New Zealand's political centre, housing Parliament and the head offices of all government ministries and departments, plus the bulk of the foreign diplomatic missions based in New Zealand. Te Papa Museum Wellington Parliament