Capital | Wellington
/ 41.283°S 174.45°E / -41.283; 174.45 | | Largest city | Auckland | | Official languages | English (98%)3
Maori (4.2%)3
NZ Sign Language (0.6%) | Ethnic groups | 78% European Other
14.6% Maori
9.2% Asian
6.9% Pacific peoples | | Demonym | New Zealander Kiwi(colloquial) | | Government | Parliamentary democracy and Constitution monarchy | | Head of State | HM Queen Elizabeth II | | Governor-General | Anand Satyanand | | Prime Minister | John Key | | Speaker | Lockwood Smith | | Chief Justice | Sian Elias | | Independence | from the United Kingdom | | 1st Parliament | 25 May 1854 | | Dominion | 26 September 19074 | | Statute of Westminster | 11 December 1931 (adopted 25 November 1947) | | Constitution Act 1986 | 13 December 1986 | | AREATotal | 268,680 km2 (75th)
103,738 sq mi | | PopulationSeptember 2008 estimate | 4,280,000 (122nd (2008)) | | 2006 census | 4,027,947 | | Density | 15/km2 (204th)
39/sq mi | | GDP (PPP) | 2007 estimate | | Total | $112.703 billion | | Per capita | $26,610 | | Time zone | NZST9 (UTC+12) | | Summer (DST) | NZDT (UTC+13) Sep to April | | Drives on the | left | | Calling code | 64 |
HistoryIt is estimated the Maori inhabited New Zealand around 800AD. Around eight hundred years later the Western world discovered New Zealand. In 1642, in a bid to locate the mysterious, rich land Australia, the Dutch Explorer, Abel Tasman caught sight of the West Coast of the South Island. The First European to set foot on New Zealand soil was Captain James Cook of England, in 1769. He also made the first, but inaccurate map of the country. Settlers from England started to arrive in the 1830's, and by 1840 a Treaty was signed between the crown and the chiefs of the Maori tribes. One hundred and seven years later, in 1947 New Zealand declared independence, and became its own country, after Britain did not let New Zealand troops return to defend their home against the possibility of Japanese invasion in the Second World War. Though all New Zealanders became New Zealand citizens, until 1977 they were still British subjects. In 1983, New Zealand was declared "The Realm of New Zealand", and in 1986 the Constitution Act removed all power from the United Kingdom to legislate for New Zealand when it was requested. Today, Queen Elizabeth holds the title of Queen of New Zealand, and is represented by the Honorable Anand Satyanand, our Governor General. New Zealand remains part of the Commonwealth, but as an independent country. Other Important Dates1893 - First country to grant women the right to vote
1903 - Richard Pearse flew a home constructed aircraft. It's debatable whether he flew before the Wright brothers or not.
1953 - Explorer Sir Edmund Hillary with Tenzing Norgay reached Mt. Everest's summit
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