Welcome to our general New Zealand information section. Here you will find plenty of useful and interesting information about New Zealand.
New Zealand is considered one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Breathtaking landscapes, lush native forests & miles of deserted beaches are just some of the natural wonders that make New Zealand unique.
Our photos section provides a number of images to show what gives New Zealand that clean green reputation.
New Zealand History
New Zealand was originally settled by seafaring Polynesians known as the Maori. The Maori were well established by the time of European arrival, and were scattered throughout New Zealand.
The first European contact with New Zealand came in 1642. This was when Dutch navigator Abel Tasman mapped parts of the West Coast. He named New Zealand after his native Zeeland, a district in the West of The Netherlands.
In 1769, British naval captain James Cook became the first European to land on New Zealand.
This resulted in New Zealand being established as a colony under the British Crown with the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi on 6 February 1840.
Today New Zealand is a multi-cultural society representing a wide range of ethnicities.
New Zealand is an Englihs pseaking country that has a strong Maori cultural heritage, and a vibrant Pacific Islands community. The ethnic mix of the country is 79.6% European, 14.5% Maori, 5.6% Pacific Islands, 2.2% Chinese, and 1.2% Indian.
New Zealand Statistics
For a short economical overview supported with some excellent statistical information on New Zealand, you may find the following information worthwhile for downloading;
- New Zealand's people, economy, environment 2008 brochure from Statistics New Zealand.
- 2006 New Zealand in Profile from Statistics New Zealand in PDF format (requires Adobe Acrobat reader).
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