1. New Zealand Basic Facts Prathom 4 Geography Saengthong

3. New Zealand is an island nation in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country has two main landmasses—that of the North Island, or Te Ika-a-Māui, and the South Island, or Te Waipounamu—and numerous smaller islands.

4. New Zealand Flag

5. The capital city is Wellington

6. The largest city is Auckland

7. The money is called the New Zealand Dollar.

8. Early Polynesian settlers called New Zealand Aotearoa, which means Land of the White Cloud.

9. New Zealand is a long way from any other country. The closest country is Australia, which is 2,000 kilometers away.

10. New Zealand is not a crowded country. There are more sheep than people there.

11. Most people live on the North Island in the capital, Wellington, or in Auckland.

12. People from New Zealand are sometimes called kiwis. This is because the national symbol of New Zealand is a bird called the kiwi. The kiwi has no wings and cannot fly.

13. The original people of New Zealand are called Maoris.

14. Maoris say hello by pressing their noses together in a greeting called hongi.

15. Maoris have a special dance called Haka, when they stick theur tongues out to frighten their enemies. There are many types of Haka dance.

16. The New Zealand national rugby team is very popular. Their name is the All Blacks. The team gets its name from the fact that it plays in black shirts, shorts, and socks.

17. The All Blacks perform a Haka dance before their games, called the Ka Mate Haka.

18. New Zealand has great weather for many sports. One of the most popular sports in New Zealand is bungee jumping.