Rare Zealand

Explore New Zealand’s Diverse Culture

The diverse culture of New Zealand carries much tradition and history built on the customs of the indigenous people known as the Maori. Legend holds that the Maori traveled by canoe from their mythical ancestral island of Hawaiki over 1,000 years ago. These Polynesian settlers traveled in open boats (or in canoes) that are not too different from the traditional crafts found in Polynesia today.

New Zealand is a country comprised of two large islands and many smaller islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean and is noted for its geographic isolation. The Tasman Sea separates Australia to the northwest; to north are Fiji and Tonga. The total area of New Zealand is 268670 sq. km, which is slightly less than Japan but a little more than the United Kingdom. The country has extensive marine resources and the fifth largest Exclusive Economic Zone in the world. Meaning New Zealand can claim over four million km2 or more than 15 times its land area for exploration and use of marine resources.

The climate is mild, mostly cool temperate to warm temperate, with temperatures rarely falling below 0°C (32°F) or rising above 30°C (86°F). The South Island is the largest mass, mountainous, wet and cold. It is divided length-wise by the Southern Alps. The North Island, dry and continental, is marked by volcanism. The tallest mountain on the North Island Mount Ruapehu (9,176-ft) is an active cone volcano. Although the island landscapes are impressive, they became a lot more popular when the production the Lord of the Rings trilogy called them home.

New Zealand has a population of about 4.1 million people mostly of European descent with Maori being the largest minority. Non-Maori Polynesian and Asian peoples are also significant minorities, especially in the nation’s cities. Officially, Elizabeth II is the Queen of New Zealand and is represented in the country by a non-political governor-general; however, the Queen has no real political influence. Political power is held by the Prime Minister (currently Helen Clark) who is leader of the Government in the democratically elected Parliament of New Zealand.

Since 1984 the government has be restructuring the economy to lean more towards an industrialized free market and less of an agrarian economy that was dependant on the British market. Leading agricultural exports include meat, dairy products, forest products, fruit and vegetables, fish, and wool.

The culture, contemporary and diverse, has influences from British, Irish, and Maori cultures. New Zealand is one of the most recently settled major landmasses. Polynesian settlers arrived in their waka some time between 800 and 600 years ago to establish the indigenous Maori culture. Among the British settlers, many people were from Scotland giving New Zealand more bagpipe bands than in Scotland!

What exactly is a Kiwi?

A Kiwi to a New Zealander is not the green fuzzy fruit most Americans relate to. It is in truth a flightless nocturnal native bird with a long beak with nostrils on the end. Most important however, it is the national bird of New Zealand. Over the years, Kiwi has been applied to and adopted by New Zealanders as a nickname for themselves and as an adjective for their culture.

About the Author

For more information on New Zealand please visit the site at http://www.new-zealand-vacations.info/ . This article may be freely reprinted as long as this resource box and url links remain intact.

Stevie Ray Vaughan rare in New Zealand

Chatham Island Black Robin – South East Island (Rangatira) Photo Mugs MC-362 Chatham Island Black Robin – South East Island (Rangatira) Chatham Islands – New Zealand – once the rarest bird in the world (down to one pregnant female) Petroica traversi Endangered Mark Carwardine Please note that pritns are for personal display purposes only and may not be reproduced in any way. contact details web ardea tel and 44 (0) 20 8672 2067 ….

Chatham Island Black Robin Photo Mugs MC-364 Chatham Island Black Robin South East Island (Rangatira) – Chatham Islands -New Zealand Petroica traversi once the rarest bird in the world (down to one pregnant female) Endangered Mark Carwardine Please note that pritns are for personal display purposes only and may not be reproduced in any way. contact details web ardea tel and 44 (0) 20 8672 2067 ….

Chatham Island Shore Plover / Tuturuatu Photo Mugs MC-361 Chatham Island Shore Plover / Tuturuatu South East Island (Rangatira) – Chatham Islands – New Zealand Thinornis novaeseelandiae Endangered (only about 80 pairs left) Mark Carwardine Please note that pritns are for personal display purposes only and may not be reproduced in any way. contact details web ardea tel and 44 (0) 20 8672 2067 ….

Gold Teeth Thief [Rare] $9.99 1.a Missy Elliott – Get Ur Freak On 1.b Bravehearts – Oochie Wallie Instrumental 1.b Ricky Dog – Risen To The Top 2.a DJ Scud – Badman Time 3.a Barrington Levy – Here I Come – Jungle 3.b Nettle – Duende 4.a dead prez – Cop Shot 4.b Monie Muss Crew – Thugz Riddim 4.c Spragga Benz – Certain Bwoy 5.a Bounty Killer – Corrupt System 5.d Kid606 – Ge…

Birchville Cat Motel [RARE] $49.98 1 Cast Iron Teether (8:07) 2 So Sad Doll (10:52) 3 Rimrider (11:54) 4 Allandale Triple Culvert (10:36) 5 Twelve Roses High (14:44) 6 Transparent Soul Fragment (6:54)…

Aotearoa [RARE] 1 Sweet Pie (Opotiki) (8:40) 2 Tribe (11:09) 3 Lunar 2 (The Whole Crew) (8:57) 4 Two Rivers (11:20) 5 Bish Bish 2 (11:29) 6 A Hill (On the Moon Mix) (13:24) 7 Shed Logic (9:44)…

New Zealand Flag Wall Decal Room Decor Sticker 25 x 18 $23.99 Oustanding quality – rich colors bring this decal to life on your walls! Decal is easy to move and reposition without harming the walls. For indoor use only….

Black Sheep (Unrated) $5.03 A delirious mix of broad comedy and wall-to-wall splatter, the New Zealand feature Black Sheep makes a convincing case for sheep as the new modern horror icon. These sheep aren’t the garden variety grass eaters, however; they’re genetically altered sheep who develop a ravenous hunger for human flesh after an experimental fetus is accidentally unleashed on a sprawling ranch by a hapless environment…

Baby of Macon RARE UNCUT [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.4 Import - New Zealand ] …

Manuka Honey Drizzle Manuka, a rare variety of honey found only in New Zealand, and renowned for its restorative and antibacterial properties, is the foundation of this nourishing bath treatment. Enriched with a unique blend of citrus extracts and pure essential oils, honey drizzle will leave your skin deliciously soft and glowing from head-to-toe. Using the accompanying dipper, drizzle under warm, running water and r…