New Zealand
It’s time to get out your globe! You need to know about the imaginary lines on globes and maps. These lines are called lines of latitude and longitude, and they tell a pilot or ship’s captain exactly where in the world a certain place is located. Basically, latitude lines (also called parallels) are the horizontal lines on your map. Lines of longitude (also called meridians) are the vertical lines that run from the North Pole to the South Pole. This mapping system is written in degrees and uses the symbol °. Get ready to travel the world!
Located at 42o S and 174o E on the map, New Zealand is a group of islands, including two larger main islands, the North Island and the South Island, off the coast of Australia that make up one country. Besides being where the Lord of the Rings movies were filmed, it is a truly incredible place. The country has an amazing mix of tall snowy mountains, clear sandy beaches and soft grassy meadows in between. It should come as no surprise that in the beautiful mix of landscape is also an interesting mix of people. The two official languages of New Zealand are English and Maori. The English comes from when the island was an English colony and is the most commonly used. The Maori language is from the Maori people who came to New Zealand in canoes about 1,000 years ago. Europeans did not arrive in the islands until 1642, and the British didn’t map the islands until 1769.
Here are some interesting facts about New Zealand:
- The Maori called New Zealand Aotearoa, which means “land of the long, white cloud.”
- According to the Maori, Kupe was the first explorer to reach New Zealand.
- The first European explorer to arrive was a Dutch explorer named Abel Tasman.
- Tasman originally named the country Staten Landt before it was changed to New Zealand by Dutch map makers.
- The Treaty of Waitangi made the islands a British colony.
- Maori legend says that the island was fished out of the sea by a demigod named Maui.
- The capital is Wellington.
- The largest city is Auckland.
- In 1893, New Zealand became the first country to give women the right to vote.
- The highest mountain is Aoraki Mount, meaning Cloud Piercer, or Mount Cook, which is 12,316 feet tall.
- Rugby is the most popular sport.
- New Zealand has active volcanoes that people can visit.
- People can relax in pools of mineral water naturally heated by the earth called geothermal pools or hot springs.
- The Maori used these pools for cooking and bathing.
- Hikers can visit and climb glaciers in the mountains.
- New Zealand is 1,000 miles from Australia.
- It is about the size of Colorado.
Another amazing aspect of New Zealand is the wildlife. Because the island is cut off from other lands, its plants and animals have developed into amazing and unique species. One of the animals the nation is most known for is a small flightless bird called a kiwi. They are so well known for this bird that Kiwi has become a nickname for someone from New Zealand. Other amazing animals people can see while visiting are dolphins, whales and three species of penguins.
For more information about New Zealand, visit the following sites: www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/countries/newzealand.html, www.newzealand.com/us/history/, http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/countries/new-zealand.html, www.timeforkids.com/destination/new-zealand