New Zealand           

I. Location and Topography

located in the southern Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia

North Island and South Island are divided by Cook Strait

there are approx. 220 mountains, the highest being Mount Cook (3754m)

active volcanos found on North Island, rugged shoreline and landscape with many torrents, cliffs and valleys

II. Facts and Figures

15 times more sheep than inhabitants (3.68 million)

capital is Wellington, biggest city is Auckland (0.9 million)

total land coverage 270,534 sqkm (about the same size as United Kingdom)

average temperature in Auckland in January is 24 degrees Celsius

III. History

first European (Abel Janszoon Tasman) set foot on North Island in 1642

James Cook explored New Zealand in 1769

1840 Treaty of Waitangi was signed, New Zealand was annexed by U.K.

Sovereign Constitution was passed by General Assembly in 1852

became Dominion of British Commonwealth in 1907

IV. The Maori people and their Culture

original inhabitants of New Zealand www.sunshineswingers.de.vu

Maori is second language, taught in most schools

today only 9% of population, 95% of those live on North Island

V. Economy

dominated by agriculture and export of wool, meat and dairy products

biggest exporter of Kiwis worldwide