New Zealand

Area with all islands: 270986 sq. km

Population: 3570 000 [it’s about 13 persons per 1 sq. km.]

Capital: Wellington

System: Constitutional Monarchy

Currency: 1 New Zeland dolar =100 cents

Language: English, Maorish

Religion: Christianity and about 50% Protestants

Climate: nautical with big fallings, moderate. On the South Island rain falls during the whole year and on the North Island only in winter. Temperature in Wellington: from 8,1C in July to 16,2C in January

Soil using: pastures: 50%, forests: 27%, growings: 1,4% , other: 21,6%

Main Products: cattle, fruits, vegetables, wood, cereals, fishes, Calor gas, coal, iron, sand

Main branches of economy: alternation of Calor gas, production of iron, paper, steal, aluminium, manure, cement, glass, machines, agriculture, production of wood, textiles, meat and dairy products, wine, fishing, tourism.

Main exported goods : meat, dairy products, wool, wood and wood products, paper, fishes, vegetable and fruits, leather, aluminium.

Year earning per one inhabitant: 14 649 USD

Year natural birth: per 1000 inhabitants – 10 babies

Average living length: women-78, men-72.

Flag: A Biritsh flag put in grenade rectangle with 4 red stars.

Facts and landscapes
New Zealand consist of two main Islands: North and South and some more smaller ones, like Stewart Island or Chathan Island. New Zealand is located directly on the opposite site of Earth to the Great Britain. About 80% of its inhabitants are British origin, so the main language is English. Area of this country is a little bit bigger than area of Great Britain, but population here is only 3570 thousands, and 80% lives n cities. In area of Auckland half of all inhabitants from north Island live. South Island is seldom settled because of many mountains, forests and agriculture areas.

Although agriculture, which branches are basic wealth of New Zealand, it employs only 10% of population. Most of educated people work in offices, education and banking. This minority which occupies agriculture breeds about 55,2 million pieces of sheep, 8,1 millions pieces of cattle (milk and meat)

This country lies in the same distance from the Equator like Italy but climate is more moderated, rain falls regularly during the whole year. There are no freezes and to big heats. On the North Island active volcanoes are-like Egmont on the west coast or volcanic mountain Ruapehu height for 2797 meters, which is important sport centre, or one more Ngauruhoe, which is background for beautiful Tampo lake.

Along south and east coast of South Island plains spread, on which cereal grows and sheep grazes. Under hills fruit trees grows. Along Island we can admire snowy tops of South Alps. On their rich in water slopes ever green beech forests grows. Eighteen of mountains reach height over 3000 meters. In the higher rounds big glaciers shows us their tongues. Two most famous are: Fox and Franz Josfen glaciers. Two millions ago this area was strongly iced, so the south and west coasts of south Islands are cut with fjords. The most beautiful one is called Milford Sound.


Maorish people
One of important features of today society of New Zealand is recently growing number of Maorish people. They are Polynesian tribes, which settled this islands about 700 years before appearance of first European people. Abel Tosman the Dutch researcher had happened to met with Maorishians in 1642. The legend tells that first Polynesian immigrants came to New Zealand by seven boats. Although at the time when European people came the number of Maorishians was quite big, two centuries ago it seemed that they will extinct. White people were taking them their lands, sometimes with force, and the European lifestyle destroyed their culture. The decrease of their number was caused also by the tribal wars with use of modern weapons and by the new, brought diseases, on which Maorish people had not immunity. But fortunately better medical care and revival of their culture have soon changed this bad situation. Now almost 15% of New Zealand inhabitants are Maorishians and many more people have dash of Maorish blood. Children in schools are taught native Maorish language, traditions. This program was called kohanga reo. Local council gives back land or pays compensations to the Maorishians. Now the main Maorish manufactures are seen only in museums, but their weevil and sculptural traditions are still being hold.

Maorish political and cultural revival had come in time with incoming waves of immigrants from the Pacific islands, especially West Samoa, Fiji and Cooks Islands. Most of them had settled in Auckland. Although the race relations were perfect some time ago, now they still remains good. You can hear radical views very seldom here.


Unique nature
Because of New Zealand geographical location it is one of the most beautiful and unique countries. On this islands live many endemical species of plants and animals. One of them is kakapo. This is the heaviest parrot in the world which does not fly. Now only 86 kakapos remain alive. Most of them, in that is 21 hens, lives on Whenna Hou. This island is mainstay of wild nature.

Someday sounds of kakapo was composing music in whole area of New Zealand. During three months of summer time of breeding-ground kakapos gathered on the tops of the hills and gave concerts till sun rises. Now we won’t hear sounds of kakapo on the “Main Land” (South and North Islands). Their music was replaced by screams of palanki kurzu-plaque brought from Australia by white human. This pouches are machines for eating leafs has displaced kakapo and other native birds preying in the bottom of forests. Only on Whenna Hou and two other islands free from predators, kakapo can walk in peace-with micro radio transmitter in its back. All kakapos have their own names, given them by children. One of them-Aranga(what means resurrection) to our surprise we found sitting on a tree 10 meters above ground! So as we can see climbing in not any problem for kakapos, what Aranga showed to us using her beak as a hook and with her paws helping her to come down.

If kakapo seems strange for us let’s take a look at 4 other species of kiwi-small relatives of ostrich. This small non-flying birds walking on the forest bottom widen to us definition of a bird. While bird do not have noses, kiwi has one on the top of its beak. They look rather like hairy ones than mouldy. They have quite big eggs, which heaviness is 20% of mother weight. And finally their temperature is closer to warmth of mammals than birds. They are also believed to know their area like dogs.

Like national kiwi bird, kakapo symbolises endemical exception of New Zealand nature. Protecting this animals we are reminding us and the world how little time is needed for some animals to extinct.

Kiwi and kakapo are not the only oddnesses that have evolutioned in here. This country is also homeland for skrętodziób, the only bird in the world with deflecting beak. Here lives keia, mountain parrot which can split sheep’s back or snatch window seal from parked car. This islands born few kinds of crickets weta. It has prickles on its legs and when endangered it puts them on head. Females have something like ivory for fighting. We can see here huge lad snails, spiders and fly that...does not fly! From 150 species of earthworms on are about 1 meter long, other are luminous. Some people tells story about zoology professor reading his lecture in the light of only one luminous earthworm!

How had this happened that in this area we can observe so many wild, strange and unique animals? Biologics says about two reasons: sizes and isolation. New Zealand is the biggest oceanic island gathering on the whole world and it is very far from any continents. Big area and variety of area shapes make conditions to create new species. Isolation brings protection and it perpetuates specific species. Combination of this factors made New Zealand home for new created experimental species.

80 millions years ago part of land had detached from supercontinent Gondwana and from that time it is still drifting. During long loneliness it came through floods and mountains formations. Form hot equator climate it swam to thousands years of icings. Amazing is this than some animals had survived in unchanged form. Hatteria is a reptile a bit bigger than a squirrel and it is called life fossil. We have here frogs that can not croaking or legendary, extinct moa, instead deer. Instead cattle-takahake and weta in the place of mice. The only incoming animals was those which could swim or fly over the oceans. That could only do ancestors of kakapo and kiwi. During centuries they stopped flying and got down to the ground. Till the time of human appearance this birds could not fly anymore.

But it was to beautiful to last. At about year 1300 human came. He brought rats, dogs and fire. The effects of Polynesian settling were immediate. In the time of 100 years moa extinct and some other non-flying birds soon joined to moa, first by being food ofcourse. Eagle Haasta, which wings were 3 meters long and his cloves was like tigers ones, devoid hiss natural food died soon too. In not more than 500 years from Polynesian settling white people came. Their weapons, tools, new predators brought from Europe and their lifestyle leaded to immediate deforestation and curvation of plants and other animals. In place of original, unique forests, plants, animals human brought other, new, maladjusted and clashing with native environment. World have never seen so rapidly ecological colonisation.

Although this nature was destroyed it hadn’t been yet annihilated. There are still places where it had survived in old, intact state. But if you want to see it you have to go up in the mountains or swim to further small islands. About 110 km. From Stewart Island we can find mainstay of New Zealand nature. We can find there even penguins or sea lions.

New Zealand is world centre of biological variety of sea birds. There is 84 species and it is ¼ part of all sea birds species in the world. 36 are endemic species of native coasts. On snares Island small grey birds called burzyki masters. They can perfect fly. They are migrating from their birth islands on South Hemisphere to waters between Japan and Alaska and backwards-every year. It’s about 24000 km. They are also perfect divers because they hunt for small fishes 40 meters underwater. But most amazing thing is their navigation sense. While coming back on Snares islands they must find small pieces of land, then localise on which is their mink. next they must land safety. It is connected with coming through bushy trees and omitting V-shaped branches [their neck is in danger] and finally recognise on the bottom of forest their own mink.

Sanctuaries on islands like Snares have become rescue for endemic flora and fauna of New Zealand. From it’s 340 islands, 220 are sanctuaries. There are also ecological islands on “Main land”. They are in National Park Te Unewera, which area is about 212672 ha. It is on the east side of North Island. This become real to make because of modern techniques of controlling population of predators.

Protecting environment in New Zealand will be continued as a mixture of failures and succeeded attempts of saving species. Who knows, maybe some day even kakapo will return in it’s favourite areas on the main land?


Politics, economy and modern history
Although New Zealand population s getting older, it is very well qualified and it is precious labour. New Zealand always was modern country. This “new thinking” has reflection in politics In 80 years government has faced with economical difficulties, which caused limitations of export to Great Britain. This difficulties were connected with too many births from 60’s. And that have increased unemployment in beginning of 80’s. From that time country economy is still developing and stays on very high level. Unemployment has fallen to 6% and it is still decreasing. Government started to develop few industry branches on small scale but in very effective way. Accord with Australia has effected in increasing of internal trade of New Zealand from 3 to 21 millions of dollars.

New Zealand in 1852 has got internal autonomy what allowed for announcing the Constitution and brought into being The Parliament and the Government. Maorish wars in 1840 and 1860 lead to ruination of big groups of Maorish people. During the I world war New Zealand was on the alliances side and fought against German colonisation. In 1931 Great Britain granted to New Zealand independence and gave this country status of member British national Community. After II world war connections with USA were very good and in 70’s New Zealand had entered into co-operation with Australia. In march 1994 the Prime minister J. Bolger started to transform New Zealand into Republic. Till 21 march 1996 Michael Hardie Boys is the General Governor. Now New Zealand is multipartial constitutional monarchy with onechamber Parliament –House of Deputes with 120 places


Agriculture and industry
Thank to moist climate New Zealand has one of the best pastures in the world. There are well charged fruit, cattle or sheep farms, which produce huge amount of wool meat and milk. Small population makes small needs on internal market, so gig part of production is exported. New Zealand is on the first place in exporting lambs, second in milk export and second also in wool production.

Revival in export came thank to bigger production of citrus fruits: oranges, lemons, grapefruits kiwi and also apples. More and more good brings the sea. Area in about 370 km distance from the shore is economical zone. It is rich spring of seafood which ofcourse is exported. Although country has a little resources of oil inhabitants do not suffer of lack of energy. Here are many more energy sources. We have got huge coal seams, on North Island we can use geothermal energy of hot springs. There also mountains rivers gives energy in hydro power stations fulfilling about 75% of all needs for energy. So we can see how ecological solutions government have found not to destroy nature and to make environment to stay clean.

Nowadays industry has so strongly developed that it produces about 29% of whole country export while in 60’2 it was only 4%. So we can see how quick and effective industry in New Zealand is.


Cities and living
Auckland inhabitants like others New Zealand people live mainly in detached houses built in American style. Often they have wooden walls and roofs made of brass. Wooden houses became common in Wellington because of its often earthquakes and very strong winds. Houses are placed on steep slopes, above harbour and huge skyscrapers. Although Wellington is half smaller than Auckland it is Capital and headquarters of New Zealand Parliament.

Main town of South Island-Christchurch is situated on Canterbury lowland below freezzed lava from extinct volcano. This city is one, big and beautiful garden. Atmosphere of this city brings to our thoughts about good, old times. Also on South Island Dunedin was established by Scots. During XIX century many people moved here in search of gold.

Pine and cypress are trees that are the most typical for this part of country. They have been brought from California. Beautiful scenery of forests, mountains, lakes, empty beaches, clan air and lush pastures are confirmation for the words of the first Prime Minister of New Zealand that this is “country of the God”.

Swimming, yachting surfing and other water sports are often ways of spending free time. The most remote point lays 110 km from the sea. It is about 1 hour of car driving.


Curiosities
1.New Zealand first gave women rights to vote in 1893
2. There is the biggest number of golf pools in the world-over 400 for 3,7 millions of people.
3. In Auckland there is the biggest number of boats [counting for one inhabitant]
4. In 1919 Ernest Ruthenford as a first man split atom. After this he was researching
radioactivity of atom for what he got the Nobel prize
5. New Zealand first in the world is welcoming every new day.
6. Curio bay is one of the bigger in the world. We can admire here fossil forest from before 180 million years.
7. It is the first country, which has hired Minister of Tourism in 1901.
8. The old Council building is the biggest wooden building on the South Hemisphere
9. There is the biggest number of sheep-about 12,6 per one inhabitant.
10. Nelson was the first city on Earth where 8 hour working day was introduced.
11. Tongarino National Park was the second formed park in the world-after Yellowstone.
12. There we can meet the smallest dolphins- named Hector dolphins and the sea lions of Hookers.
13. Native reptiles Tautara live even 300 years, and they come from the Mesozoic ere [about 190 millions years ago]
14. Waikoropupu springs near Nelson are the most cleanest in the world and they have also the biggest efficiency: 2.160.000 litres of water per 24 hours.
15. Frying Pan Lake near Rotorua is the biggest hot water spring in the world. In its the deepest place about 200C.
16. First machine for sport totalitarian son of local bishop has constructed.