New Zealand
hide5 There is a multitude of dates that could be considered to mark independence (see Independence of New Zealand). 6 National Population Estimates: March 2009 quarter. 7 Number of people who usually live in New Zealand. 8 The Chatham Islands have a separate time zone, 45 minutes ahead of the rest of New Zealand. 9 The territories of Niue, the Cook Islands and Tokelau have their own cctlds, .nu, .ck and .tk respectively.
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (commonly called the North Island and the South Island), and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud. The Realm of New Zealand also includes the Cook Islands and Niue (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: it is situated about 2000 km (1250 miles) southeast of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and its closest neighbours to the north are New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga. During its long isolation New Zealand developed a distinctive fauna dominated by birds, a number of which became extinct after the arrival of humans and the mammals they introduced.
The population of New Zealand is mostly of European descent; the indigenous Māori are the largest minority. Asians and non-Māori Polynesians are also significant minority groups, especially in urban areas. The most commonly spoken language is English.
New Zealand is a developed country that ranks highly in international comparisons on human development, quality of life, life expectancy, literacy, public education, peace, prosperity, economic freedom, ease of doing business, lack of corruption, press freedom, and the protection of civil liberties and political rights. Its cities also consistently rank among the world's most liveable.
Elizabeth II, as the Queen of New Zealand, is the country's head of state and is represented by a ceremonial Governor-General who holds reserve powers. The Queen has no real political influence, and her position is essentially symbolic. Political power is held by the democratically elected Parliament of New Zealand under the leadership of the Prime Minister, who is the head of government.
For more information about New Zealand, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with new zealand
More than 20 whales die in mass beaching in New Zealand
Dec 27, 2009 |
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More than 20 pilot whales died in a mass beaching in New Zealand Sunday while another 40 were successfully herded back to sea, conservation officials said.
Icebergs head from Antarctica for New Zealand
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Nov 24, 2009 |
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(AP) -- Ships in the south Pacific Ocean have been alerted that hundreds of icebergs believed to have split off Antarctic ice shelves are drifting north toward New Zealand, officials said Tuesday.
Giant Antarctic iceberg heads towards N.Zealand: experts
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Nov 12, 2009 |
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A giant iceberg twice the length of Beijing's "Bird's Nest" Stadium has been spotted floating off Australia and could be headed for New Zealand, scientists said on Thursday.
Lack of retail grocery competition impacts Australians' health
Oct 06, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Limited competition in the grocery sector could be having a serious effect on public health, according to a University of Queensland study published today in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public ...
Research backs legend of man-eating bird
Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils
Sep 22, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- A huge flesh-eating eagle that became extinct in New Zealand only 500 years ago was an efficient hunter that could attack prey 10 times its size, UNSW research has found, lending credibility ...
Australia and NZealand join in super telescope bid
Aug 21, 2009 |
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Australia and New Zealand announced a joint bid Friday for a giant radio telescope project which will reach for the earliest traces of the universe in a search for intelligent life.
Lowering the Blow
Aug 05, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Serving lower-alcohol drinks at public events can help reduce the number of people who need medical attention.
Shaking the Earth: How Water Helps Tectonic Plates Slide in New Zealand
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Aug 05, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- New Zealand is the site of one of the world’s youngest subduction zones, where the Pacific Plate of Earth’s crust dives beneath the Australian Plate. Now, a University of Utah study shows ...
Young Australians not as 'sex savvy' as they think
Jun 03, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Young Australians need to be better informed about the use of emergency contraception to reduce terminations and unwanted pregnancies.
Facebook fugitive caught after 105 days
May 27, 2009 |
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The long arm of the law finally caught up with a New Zealand fugitive whose 105 days on the run inspired a Facebook fansite, a song and a line of tee shirts.
Scramble to stop swine flu spread among travelers
Apr 27, 2009 |
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(AP) -- Three more New Zealanders recently returned from Mexico are suspected of having swine flu and Spain announced the first confirmed case of the deadly virus in Europe on Monday, as countries rushed ...
Rare reptile hatchling found on NZ mainland
Mar 19, 2009 |
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(AP) -- A hatchling of a rare reptile with lineage dating back to the dinosaur age has been found in the wild on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in about 200 years, a wildlife official said Thursday.
