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New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main islands called, North Island and South Island, and hundreds of smaller islands called the Bay of Islands, the Chatham Islands, Stewart Island and other tiny islands. The country is situated some 1,500 kilometres east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly 1,000 kilometres south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. New Zealand has a mild and temperate maritime climate with mean annual temperatures ranging from 10°C in the south to 16°C in the north. Conditions vary sharply across regions from extremely wet on the West Coast of the South Island to almost semi-arid in Central Otago and the Mackenzie Basin of inland Canterbury and subtropical in Northland. 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 fauna dominated by birds, many of which became extinct after the arrival of humans and introduced mammals.

Maoris were the first inhabitants of New Zealand, arriving on the islands in about 1000. Maori oral history maintains that the Maoris came to the island in seven canoes from other parts of Polynesia. In 1642, New Zealand was explored by Abel Tasman, a Dutch navigator. British captain James Cook made three voyages to the islands, beginning in 1769. Britain formally annexed the islands in 1840. The Treaty of Waitangi (on the 6^th of February, 1840) between the British and several Maori tribes promised to protect Maori land if the Maoris recognized British rule.

New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy. The monarch of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, represented by the Governor-General, is the head of state. The government is headed by the Prime Minister, who is appointed by the Governor-General following legislative elections. Members of the 120-seat unicameral parliament (the House of Representatives) are elected by popular vote for three-year terms using a system of mixed constituency and proportional representation. Administratively, the country is divided into 16 regions and one territory (the Chatham Islands). New Zealand is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

New Zealand has a modern, prosperous and developed market economy with an estimated gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of roughly US $28,250. Agriculture has traditionally been the mainstay of the economy, although it now employs only 10% of the population, while services and industry make up a much greater percentage of the gross domestic product. The currency is the New Zealand dollar, informally known as the “Kiwi dollar”; it also circulates in the Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau, and the Pitcairn Island. New Zealand was ranked fifth in the 2011 Human Development Index (індекс розвитку потенціалу людини), fourth in the 2011 Index of Economic Freedom (індекс економічної свободи) published by the Heritage Foundation (фонд “Відродження”).

More than 85% of the population lives in urban areas. In addition to Wellington (the capital of the country), the principal cities are Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Hutt City, and Invercargill. People of European background constitute almost 70% of the population. The Maori now make up about 8% of the population, with most living on the North Island. Almost 5% of the population is of Asian descent, while Pacific Islanders make up over 4%. Both English and Maori are official languages. New Zealand has no established religion; the three largest faiths are Anglican, Roman Catholic, and Presbyterian.

1. What kind of country is New Zealand?

2. Where is it situated?

3. What is the climate of New Zealand?

4. During its long isolation New Zealand developed a distinctive flora, didn’t it?

5. When did the first inhabitants arrive on the island?

6. Did Britain formally annex the islands in 1840 or in 1940?

7. What do you know about the political system of New Zealand?

8. How many regions is the country administratively divided into?

9. What is the GDP of New Zealand?

10. What is the currency of New Zealand?

11. What areas does most of the population live in?

12. Is Auckland or Wellington the capital of the country?

13. Are there any official languages in New Zealand?

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