Interesting Facts About New Zealand...
New Zealand may be a little nation in the corner of the world, but there are so many amazing things about this country! Check out these interesting facts about New Zealand…
Blue Lake in Nelson has the clearest water in the world. Its Maori name ‘Rotomairewhenua’ means ‘Lake of Peaceful Lands’.
Gisborne is the first city in the world to see the sunrise because it is 496.3 kilometres away from the International Date Line.
The steepest street in the world is in New Zealand’s South Island - Baldwin Street at about 350 meters in length with a 35 percent gradient. Every year, a crowd of about 15,000 people watch and take part in the annual Jaffa Race where Jaffas (red-shelled chocolate candies popular in Australia and New Zealand) are released at the top of the street and barrel down the street, reaching speeds of up to 100km/hour.
A 305 metre tall hill in Hawke’s Bay has the longest place name in the world.
Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu - shortened to Taumata for brevity, translates roughly as "The summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the slider, climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travelled about, played his kōauau (flute) to his loved one".
The southernmost capital in the world is Wellington, at the bottom of New Zealand’s North Island.
New Zealand is one of the world’s least populated countries with only 4.75 million people (2018).
No part of the country is more than 128 kilometres from the sea.
There are no snakes in New Zealand!
New Zealand was the first country in the world to give women the right to vote. Kate Sheppard, the leader of the women’s suffrage movement in New Zealand, whose work led to women’s right to vote, is on New Zealand’s $10 note.
New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay were the first people to reach the top of Mt. Everest, the world’s highest summit on 29th May 1953. Sir Edmund Hillary is on New Zealand’s $5 note.
This was the first country to have its three top positions of power held simultaneously by women; Prime Minister Helen Clark, Governor General Dame Silvia Cartwright and the Chief Justice Sian Elias.
It is one of only two countries in the world to have two national anthems of equal standing. The first is God Save the Queen and the other is God Defend New Zealand which is usually sung in both English and Te Reo Maori. Although between the two official anthems, God Defend New Zealand is more commonly used.
Our biggest city, Auckland, sits on a large volcanic field of approximately 53 volcanoes. You don’t need to worry though as the last eruption was about 500 years ago and is most probably unlikely to erupt again.
Yes it’s true, there are a lot of sheep. There are roughly 9 sheep to 1 person living in New Zealand. That means there are a total number of around 40 million sheep. You might think you’ll see sheep walking the streets and relaxing at beaches, but you’re actually more likely to see them in the countryside during road trips.
And of course…
All of New Zealand’s universities are ranked in the top 500 universities in the world.