New zeland: "The Land of the Long White Cloud"

New Zealand is a country in the south-west of Pacific Ocean including two large islands ( the North Island and the South Island ) and numerous smaller islands. In Maori, New Zealand has come to be known as Aotearoa, which is translated into English as THE LAND OF THE LONG WHITE CLOUD.

CAPITAL - Wellington LARGEST CITY – Auckland OFFICIAL LANGUAGE – English (98%) - Maori (4,2%) GOVERNMENT – Parliamentary democracy PRIME MINISTER – Helen Clark POPULATION – 4,228,000 (122nd ) AREA – 268,680 sq. km (75th ) WATER- 2,1 % FULL INDEPENDENCE FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM – in 1947

Wellington is the capital of NZ. It is the second largest urban area. Wellington is situated in the Wellington region at the southern tip of the North Island. Population -448,959 Land area – 290 sq. km

POPULATION-1,3 million people(32,4 of NZ’ s total population) AREA-1,086 sq. km It is situated in the North Island of NZ. Auckland is the largest city of the country and had the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world.

NZ is one of the most recently settled major land masses. The first settlers of NZ were Eastern Polynesians who came to NZ between around AD 800 and 1300. Over the next few centuries these settlers developed into a culture now known as Maori. The population was divided into tribes which cooperated and sometimes fought with each other. The first Europeans who reached NZ were Dutch explorer Abel Tasman and his crew in 1642. Several of the crew were killed by Maori and no Europeans returned to NZ until British explorer James Cook voyage of 1768. Following Cook, NZ was visited by numerous European North American trading ships Christian missionaries began to settle NZ. From 1840 the number of European settlers increased and the New Zealand Land Wars of the 1860s-1870s began. Maori lost much of their land and became a member of the British Empire. NZ became a fully independent nation only in 1947 and now it is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy . The NZ parliament has only one chamber, the House of Representatives.

“The death of James Cook “ at Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii One of the most famous reproductions Of Cleveley’s “Death of Cook” hangs at Honolulu Academy of Art A statue of James Cook In Greenwich, England

BORN: October 27,1728 Marton, England DIED: February 14,1779 (aged 50),Hawaii/ in the fight with Hawaiians during his third exploratory voyage in the Pacific/ OCCUPATION: explorer, navigator, cartographer JAMES COOK has 3 children. The Death of James Cook

NZ has a diverse culture influences from English, Scottish, Irish, American, Australian, Maori cultures, and others. Large festivals in celebration of Diwali and Chinese New Year are held in Auckland, as is the world’s largest Polynesian festival, Pasifika

People from the northern hemisphere never seem to become completely familiar with upside-down seasons.To them Christmas simply doesn’t fall in the middle of summer and how is it possible to have mid-winter cold in August? PUBLIC HOLIDAYS INCLUDE: January : NEW YEAR’S DAY February :NEW ZEALAND DAY ( 6th ) March-April : Good Friday Easter Monday June : Queen Birthday ( 1st Monday ) October : LABOR DAY ( 4th Monday ) December : Christmas Day ( 25th ) Boxing Day ( 26th ) Winter in NZ

Sport has a major role in NZ’ culture; this is particularly the case with rugby union. Other popular sports include cricket, netball, basketball, lawn bowling, soccer, cycling, golf, tennis, field hockey, skiing ,snowboarding ,and a variety of water sports: surfing sailing, rowing. The national rugby team ,ALL BLACKS, has the best record of any national team. NZ cricket team (known as the BLACK CAPS) usually ranks in the top four teams in the world

New Zealand’s plant and animal life is unique. Primeval forest trees and plants that have died out in larger lands continue to flourish in NZ. Among the most notable of New Zealand’s unique species are the kiwi, the world’s oldest reptile (tuatara ),the world’s largest parrot (kakapo) the world only mountain parrot (kea ),the heaviest insect (weta ) and NZ’ s native giant tree, the kauri.

KOURI TREE