24 interesting facts about New Zealand

24 interesting facts about New Zealand

As our time in the country comes to an end, we'll share the most interesting facts about New Zealand that we learned along the way

I left New Zealand a little annoyed. See, before visiting this part of the Antipodes, I could list exotic countries like Samoa, Cambodia, Turkey and Jordan as my favorite countries.

New Zealand, on the other hand, feels decidedly European. Nevertheless, there is no denying that this country has usurped everyone else. It offers not only exceptional natural beauty, but also progressive politics, ever-improving integration between the Maori and European populations, and an outspoken national attitude that is thoroughly endearing.

Of course, New Zealand is not without its problems - there is social and economic inequality here, as everywhere else - but it is one of the safest and happiest countries on earth.

We spent a month traveling around the North and South Islands and learned lots of interesting facts about New Zealand along the way. Here we share the best of them.

Interesting facts about New Zealand

1. Neuseeland war das letzte große bewohnbare Land, das von Menschen besiedelt wurde. Die ersten Siedler waren Polynesier und kamen vor etwa 700 Jahren an. (Quelle: Britannica, Te Ara Encyclopedia)
2. 1642 entdeckte der niederländische Seefahrer Abel Janszoon Tasman als erster Europäer Neuseeland. Er ging, nachdem mehrere seiner Crew von Maoris getötet wurden und es dauerte bis 1769, bis Captain James Cook ankam und das Land kartografierte. (Quelle: Britannica)

alt="Abel Tasman National Park is named after the first European to discover New Zealand">Atlas & BootsAbel Tasman National Park is named after the first European to discover New Zealand

1. Neuseeland hat drei Amtssprachen: Englisch, Maori und neuseeländische Gebärdensprache. (Quelle: CIA World Factbook)

2. New Zealand was the setting for the epic Lord of the Rings trilogy. Today, tourists can visit “Hobbiton,” which served as the setting for the Shire. Ticket proceeds are split between the landowners and the films' director, Peter Jackson. (Source: IMDb)

3. Such was the fanfare surrounding the films that New Zealand appointed a Lord of the Rings minister to take advantage of the opportunities they presented. (Source: NZ Herald)

alt="Tourists to New Zealand can visit Hobbiton">Atlas & BootsTourists to New Zealand can visit Hobbiton

1. Neuseeland ist ungefähr so ​​groß wie Großbritannien und hat eine Bevölkerung von 4,5 Millionen Menschen im Vergleich zu den 65 Millionen Menschen in Großbritannien. (Quelle: CIA World Fact Book, CIA World Fact Book)

2. One of the most fun interesting facts about New Zealand is that there are more sheep than people - about six per person. (Source: The Guardian)

3. There are no native snakes in New Zealand. However, there is the giant weta, the heaviest insect in the world. She is heavier than a sparrow and looks like a giant cockroach. (Source: The Guardian)

alt=“The fearsome giant Weta”>CC BY-SA 4.0The fearsome giant Weta

1. Fledermäuse sind die einzigen einheimischen Landsäugetiere in Neuseeland. Alle anderen wurden von Menschen eingeführt. (Quelle: Department of Conservation)

2. New Zealanders are known as kiwis not because of the kiwi fruit, but because of the long-snouted, flightless bird that is endemic to New Zealand. (Source: Britannica)

3. According to a 2011 study by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Blue Lake in Nelson Lakes National Park has the clearest fresh water in the world. The horizontal visibility can be up to 80 m. (Source: National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research)

alt="Nelson Lakes National Park has the clearest fresh water in the world">DreamtimeNelson Lakes National Park has the clearest fresh water in the world

1. Eine weitere unserer interessantesten Fakten über Neuseeland ist, dass es die Heimat des längsten Ortsnamens der Welt ist. Willkommen bei Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu. (Quelle: The Guardian)

2. In 1893, New Zealand became the first country to give women the right to vote. (Source: Britannica)

3. New Zealand is home to the steepest residential street in the world. Baldwin Street in Dunedin has a 35% gradient and is home to the annual Jaffa Race, where 75,000 chocolate balls are rolled down the hill. (Source: BBC, The Guardian)

alt="Baldwin Street is the steepest residential street in the world">DreamtimeBaldwin Street is the steepest residential street in the world

1. 1988 schuf AJ Hackett den ersten kommerziellen Bungee-Sprung auf der Kawarau Bridge in Queenstown. Der Unternehmer ließ sich von den kulturellen „Bungy Jumps“ inspirieren, die mit Baumreben in Vanuatu durchgeführt wurden. (Quelle: AJ Hackett)

2. Wellington is the southernmost capital in the world. Its northernmost counterpart is Reykjavik in Iceland. (Source: Te Ara Encyclopedia, BBC)

3. Star Trek: First Contact is one of many examples where New Zealand was wiped off the map. The NZ Herald has reported on the worst offenders and has an entire subreddit dedicated to it. (Source: Movie Mistakes)

4. Famous New Zealanders include Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to climb Mount Everest, and Baron Ernest Rutherford, the first person to split the atom. (Source: Britannica 1, 2)

alt="New Zealand's volcanic White Island">Public domainNew Zealand's volcanic White Island

1. Neuseeland ist Teil des pazifischen Feuerrings, eines seismischen Gürtels, der durch häufige Erdbeben und vulkanische Aktivität definiert ist. (Quelle: Britannica)

2. New Zealand won the first ever Rugby World Cup, held in 1987. The mighty All Blacks have since won twice more - in 2011 and 2015 - making New Zealand the most successful rugby playing nation. (Source: Te Ara Encyclopedia)

3. According to some sources, New Zealander Richard Pearse flew a plane over 1 km on March 31, 1903, months before the famous Wright brothers made their first flight in America. (Source: BBC)

4. New Zealand has more than 10,000 protected areas, covering approximately 32% of its total land area. (Source: Te Ara Encyclopedia)

alt="Protected versus non-protected land">Google MapsProtected versus non-protected land

1. Der Mount Taranaki, auch bekannt als Mount Edgmont, liegt im Zentrum des Egmont-Nationalparks, der ihn kreisförmig umgibt. Auf der Karte erkennt man deutlich den Unterschied zwischen intensiv bewirtschafteter Milchweide auf der einen Seite der Grenze und dem satten Grün des Urwaldes auf der anderen Seite. (Quelle: Google Maps)

2. New Zealand is one of the few countries with two national anthems: God Save the Queen and God Defend New Zealand. (Source: Britannica)

Lonely Planet New Zealand is a comprehensive travel guide to New Zealand, ideal for those who want to both explore the main attractions and take the road less traveled.

Mission statement: Atlas & Boots

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