25 Fascinating Facts About New Zealand (26 Photos)

Nestled somewhere between Australia and Antarctica, New Zealand often gets overlooked when people plan their travels. About the size of Japan with a population of just 4.5 million, it is one of the most sparsely populated places on Earth. Its indigenous people, the Māori, only settled the islands around 1250 AD. But are we simply underestimating this remarkable country?

Here are 25 incredible facts about New Zealand — proof that it’s high time to visit this fascinating land of Kiwis and "The Lord of the Rings"!







1. First off, in New Zealand, the word "kiwi" never refers to the fruit. A Kiwi is either a native flightless bird or a local resident. By the way, calling a New Zealander a "Kiwi" isn't offensive at all! As for the fruit itself, it's always called a kiwifruit.





2. New Zealand was discovered in 1642 by Dutch explorer Abel Tasman. He left abruptly after several of his crew members were killed by the indigenous Māori. Europeans didn't return until 1769, when Captain James Cook arrived and mapped the islands. Incidentally, before Europeans arrived, the native Māori had no currency and relied entirely on a barter system.



3. While the country boasts some of the world's most breathtaking landscapes, no point in New Zealand is more than 130 kilometers from the ocean. What's more, the islands are just the visible 7% of a submerged continent known as Zealandia.



4. New Zealanders are among the first people in the world to greet the sunrise of a new day.



5. Wellington is the capital and second-largest city of New Zealand. Famous for its vibrant culture and unique attractions, Wellington also holds the title of the southernmost capital city in the world, making it a favorite among travelers.



6. Obesity can actually be grounds for having a New Zealand residency visa application rejected.



7. New Zealand ranks as the second least corrupt country in the world, trailing only Denmark.



8. Baldwin Street in Dunedin holds the record as the steepest street in the world, with a maximum gradient of 38%.



9. Even though the kiwi is a flightless bird, it serves as the official roundel logo for the Royal New Zealand Air Force.



10. The New Zealand government actually appointed a Minister for The Lord of the Rings to maximize the economic opportunities brought by the film trilogy.



11. Queen Elizabeth II was the monarch of New Zealand, with the official duty of granting royal assent to laws passed by parliament.



12. There are more vending machines in Japan than there are people in New Zealand (roughly 4.5 million).



13. Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to reach the summit of Mount Everest, was a Kiwi (a native New Zealander, that is, not a bird).



14. Lake Taupo is a popular spot for tourists. It was created by a volcanic eruption roughly 27,000 years ago, which remains the largest known volcanic eruption on Earth in the last 100,000 years.



15. There are roughly nine sheep for every human living in New Zealand.



16. Blue Lake, located in Nelson Lakes National Park, is officially recognized as having the clearest natural water in the world.



17. There are absolutely no snakes in New Zealand.



18. New Zealand is home to more penguin species than any other country in the world.



19. Auckland is consistently ranked among the most livable and safest cities in the world.



20. Roughly one-third of New Zealand's total land area is protected conservation land.



21. Tourists frequently notice that local Kea parrots love to vandalize cars by stripping off window rubber and stealing windshield wipers.



22. New Zealand declared itself a nuclear-free zone in the 1980s, and today there are no nuclear power plants anywhere in the country.



23. Stretching from the subtropical north to the cooler south, New Zealand features incredibly diverse landscapes and climates. The North Island boasts active volcanoes, deserts, and sandy beaches, while the South Island offers vast plains, glaciers, and alpine peaks.



24. New Zealand is home to a small hill with the world's longest place name (82 letters): Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu. In Māori, it roughly translates to: "The summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travelled about, played his flute to his loved one."



25. *Powelliphanta* is a giant land snail found only in New Zealand. Unusually for a snail, it's actually carnivorous.