New Zealand

Quick Facts

• Youngest country on earth• Last major landmass to be

discovered• Population: 4 million people• Comparable in size to

Colorado• Warmest months: Dec.-Feb.• Coldest months: June-Aug.

Maori People• 1st inhabitants of New Zealand

(Aotearoa) • Came to NZ about 1,000 years

ago from Polynesian islands• Maoris

– Expert hunters and fishermen• Cooked using a “umu” or earth oven

built over a pit

– Constructed a “pa” or fortified village to protect from other people

Example of an Earth oven

Maori Greeting

British Colonization• Tasman (Dutch) went to NZ 1st

but only spotted it• Captain Cook also went to NZ• Before 1840, mostly whalers,

sealers, and missionaries went to NZ and lived in coastal areas

• Europeans (Pakeha) brought disease and Maori people began to see a decline in their numbers

• Treaty of Waitangi (1840): New Zealand became a British colony– Great increase in the number of British

migrants coming to NZ

New Zealand Political Life Today

• Heavily influenced by its colonial heritage

• Member of the British Commonwealth– An association of nations

consisting of the United Kingdom and several former British colonies that are now sovereign states but still pay allegiance to the British Crown

• Is a nuclear-free zone• Wants to become a republic

Culture of NZ

• Rugged individualism and a strong sense of fairplay and teamwork

• Mateship is important

• Rugby and yacht racing are popular

• Hiking, mountaineering, and kayaking

Photo credit: www.northland.org.nz