New Zealand

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Map with New Zealand in red. New Zealand, situated in the South Pacific Ocean southeast of Australia is about the size of Great Britain. It is considered to be the last major landmass to be discovered.

The first people to settle New Zealand were the Maori people about 1,000 years ago. The Dutch navigator Abel Tasman discovered New Zealand in 1642 and Captain Cook claimed it for Britain in 1769. An 1840 treaty between the Maori and the British is considered New Zealand’s founding document. Today, New Zealand is an independent nation and a member of the British Commonwealth. The current head of government is Prime Minister Helen Clark.

The two main islands (North and South) are predominately mountainous with beautiful coastlines, steaming volcanoes and lush rainforests. New Zealand is home to many unique plants and animals. The islands cover 103,735 square miles. Wellington, the capital is located at the southern end of the North Island. The official languages of New Zealand are English and Maori. New Zealand has a population of only about 4 million. It is one of the world’s least crowded countries. Approximately 14 percent of the population is indigenous Maori. Religiously the population is primarily Christian.

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