| The diverse culture of New Zealand | | | | are impressive, they became a lot more |
| carries much tradition and history built | | | | popular when the production the Lord of |
| on the customs of the indigenous people | | | | the Rings trilogy called them home. |
| known as the Maori. Legend holds that | | | | New Zealand has a population of about |
| the Maori traveled by canoe from their | | | | 4.1 million people mostly of European |
| mythical ancestral island of Hawaiki | | | | descent with Maori being the largest |
| over 1,000 years ago. These Polynesian | | | | minority. Non-Maori Polynesian and Asian |
| settlers traveled in open boats (or in | | | | peoples are also significant minorities, |
| canoes) that are not too different from | | | | especially in the nation's cities. |
| the traditional crafts found in | | | | Officially, Elizabeth II is the Queen of |
| Polynesia today. | | | | New Zealand and is represented in the |
| New Zealand is a country comprised of | | | | country by a non-political |
| two large islands and many smaller | | | | governor-general; however, the Queen has |
| islands in the southwestern Pacific | | | | no real political influence. Political |
| Ocean and is noted for its geographic | | | | power is held by the Prime Minister |
| isolation. The Tasman Sea separates | | | | (currently Helen Clark) who is leader of |
| Australia to the northwest; to north are | | | | the Government in the democratically |
| Fiji and Tonga. The total area of New | | | | elected Parliament of New Zealand. |
| Zealand is 268670 sq. km, which is | | | | Since 1984 the government has be |
| slightly less than Japan but a little | | | | restructuring the economy to lean more |
| more than the United Kingdom. The | | | | towards an industrialized free market |
| country has extensive marine resources | | | | and less of an agrarian economy that was |
| and the fifth largest Exclusive Economic | | | | dependant on the British market. Leading |
| Zone in the world. Meaning New Zealand | | | | agricultural exports include meat, dairy |
| can claim over four million km2 or more | | | | products, forest products, fruit and |
| than 15 times its land area for | | | | vegetables, fish, and wool. |
| exploration and use of marine resources. | | | | The culture, contemporary and diverse, |
| The climate is mild, mostly cool | | | | has influences from British, Irish, and |
| temperate to warm temperate, with | | | | Maori cultures. New Zealand is one of |
| temperatures rarely falling below 0°C | | | | the most recently settled major |
| (32°F) or rising above 30°C (86°F). | | | | landmasses. Polynesian settlers arrived |
| The South Island is the largest mass, | | | | in their waka some time between 800 and |
| mountainous, wet and cold. It is divided | | | | 600 years ago to establish the |
| length-wise by the Southern Alps. The | | | | indigenous Maori culture. Among the |
| North Island, dry and continental, is | | | | British settlers, many people were from |
| marked by volcanism. The tallest | | | | Scotland giving New Zealand more bagpipe |
| mountain on the North Island Mount | | | | bands than in Scotland! |
| Ruapehu (9,176-ft) is an active cone | | | | What exactly is a Kiwi? |
| volcano. Although the island landscapes | | | | |