Facts About New Zealand

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Facts About New Zealand

New Zealand is a Commonwealth country made up of two main Islands and many smaller Islands located in the Southern hemisphere below Australia - and no NZ is not part of Australia - they are only our neighbours and biggest rivals in sport.

NZ has a population of 3.5 million people and I think there are about 17 sheep for every New Zealander, which is why we get a lot of sheep jokes told to us by non New Zealanders.

For those who are not quite sure what NZ looks like............

For a clickable map of NZ with place names click HERE

New Zealander's call themselves 'Kiwis'. We are not named after a fruit (kiwifruit). The fruit is named after us, and we are named after our national bird the Kiwi.

The Kiwi looks something like this...........

The Kiwi Bird is flightless and has very poor eyesight. However, it has exceptional smell with nostrils at the end of its beak. You can usually only see a kiwi at a Zoo as they live deep within NZ bush and forests. Even in the Zoo, they are difficult to see as they tend to be hidden in their habitat.

Why we are named after these birds? - I have no idea - Because we're cute and adorable?

Interesting facts about NZ (useless pieces of information to impress your friends)

NZ has the largest insect in the world - the Giant Weta..... trust me its big and scary and they jump.
NZ has the rarest parrot in the world - the Kakapo - it's an endangered national bird.
NZ has NO snakes or other poisoness bugs - only one poisoness spider but it wont kill you - very safe to walk in NZ forrests because of this!!! no creepy crawlies that bite.
NZ has the oldest living reptile - the Tuatara - a relative of the Dinosaurs. It looks like a big lizard.
NZ has the largest fern - the silver fern - which is very beautiful and is also a national symbol of NZ. The All Blacks wear it on their jersey.
NZ has the rarest frog - don't ask me what it's called - somebody just told me this
NZ is the first country in the world to see the new day - New Years 2000 in NZ is the place to be to see the millennium.
Wellington (NZ's capital) has more cafes per capita than New York.
NZ grows the best Rubgy players in the world.

Other Myths about NZ

(that are not true)

That we all run around in grass skirts
That there is a bridge connecting NZ to Australia
That Auckland is the capital (Wellington is really the capital)
That New Zealand is the capital of Australia - doh! I hate that one
That we don't speak english
That all New Zealanders are Farmers