About New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country located in the south-western Pacific Ocean. The country
geographically comprises two main landmasses ‒ that of the North and South Islands ‒ and numerous
smaller islands. New Zealand is situated some 1,500 kilometres (900 mi) east of Australia across the
Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilometres (600 mi) south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia,
Fiji, and Tonga. Because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans.
During its long isolation, New Zealand developed a distinctive biodiversity of both animal and
plant life. Most notable are the large number of unique bird species, many of which became extinct
after the arrival of humans and introduced mammals. With a mild maritime climate, the land was mostly
covered in forest. The country's varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks owe much to the
tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions caused by the Pacific and Indo-Australian Plates
clashing beneath the earth's surface.
Polynesians settled New Zealand in 1250–1300 CE and developed a distinctive Māori culture, and
Europeans first made contact in 1642 CE. The introduction of potatoes and muskets triggered upheaval
among Māori early during the 19th century, which led to the inter-tribal Musket Wars. In 1840 the
British and Māori signed a treaty making New Zealand a colony of the British Empire. Immigrant numbers
increased sharply and conflicts escalated into the New Zealand Wars, which resulted in much Māori land
being confiscated in the mid North Island. Economic depressions were followed by periods of political
reform, with women gaining the vote during the 1890s, and a welfare state being established from the
1930s. After World War II, New Zealand joined Australia and the United States in the ANZUS security
treaty, although the United States later, until 2010, suspended the treaty after New Zealand banned
nuclear weapons. New Zealand is part of the intelligence sharing among the Anglosphere countries, the
UKUSA Agreement. New Zealanders enjoyed one of the highest standards of living in the world in the
1950s, but the 1970s saw a deep recession, worsened by oil shocks and the United Kingdom's entry into
the European Economic Community. The country underwent major economic changes during the 1980s, which
transformed it from a protectionist to a liberalised free-trade economy. Markets for New Zealand's
agricultural exports have diversified greatly since the 1970s, with once-dominant exports of wool
being overtaken by dairy products, meat, and recently wine.
The majority of New Zealand's population is of European descent; the indigenous Māori are the
largest minority, followed by Asians and non-Māori Polynesians. English, Māori and New Zealand Sign
Language are the official languages, with English predominant. Much of New Zealand's culture is
derived from Māori and early British settlers. Early European art was dominated by landscapes and to a
lesser extent portraits of Māori. A recent resurgence of Māori culture has seen their traditional arts
of carving, weaving and tattooing become more mainstream. Many artists now combine Māori and Western
techniques to create unique art forms. The country's culture has also been broadened by globalisation
and increased immigration from the Pacific Islands and Asia. New Zealand's diverse landscape provides
many opportunities for outdoor pursuits and has provided the backdrop for a number of big budget
movies.
New Zealand is organised into 11 regional councils and 67 territorial authorities for local
government purposes; these have less autonomy than the country's long defunct provinces did.
Nationally, executive political power is exercised by the Cabinet, led by the Prime Minister. Queen
Elizabeth II is the country's head of state and is represented by a Governor-General. The Queen's
Realm of New Zealand also includes Tokelau (a dependent territory); the Cook Islands and Niue
(self-governing but in free association); and the Ross Dependency, which is New Zealand's territorial
claim in Antarctica. New Zealand is a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, Commonwealth of
Nations, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Pacific Islands Forum, and the United
Nations.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
