Fun Facts About New Zealand

Graphics & Words by Caitlin Chuah

Breath-taking views, adorable animals, adrenaline activities…New Zealand has got it all! In addition to its extraordinary attractions, many students travel far and wide to further their studies at NZ’s world-class academic institutions. If you are planning to study there, below are 25 fun facts about New Zealand that will have you falling head over heels for this remarkable country.

1. New Zealand consists of 2 main islands: North Island and South Island.

2. There are more sheep than people in New Zealand (10 sheep to 1 person).

3. In 2001, the top religion in New Zealand was “Jedi”.

4. Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu is a town in New Zealand; it is the longest town name in the world.

5. You can visit “Hobbiton” in New Zealand, which was made famous through the “Lord of the Rings” saga.

6. The word “kiwi” can mean 3 things in New Zealand; a “dry kiwi” is someone who was born in NZ, “kiwi bird” refers to the small flightless bird and national symbol of NZ and “kiwi fruit” is well, the delicious green fruit!

7. New Zealand is similar in size to the UK but only houses 4 million people (compared to 63 million people in the UK).

8. Only 5% of its living population are humans, the remaining 95% of life are animals.

9. Baldwin Street is the steepest road in the world, located on the South Island of New Zealand.

10. New Zealand was the first country to allow women to vote; women’s rights for the win!

11. What’s more, NZ is the first country to have its top 3 positions simultaneously held by women; from 2001 to 2006, Helen Clark was Prime Minister, Dame Silvia Cartwright was Governor-General and Sian Elias was Chief Justice.

12. According to the Corruption Perceptions Index, NZ is one of the least corrupt countries in the world.

13. Gisborne, NZ is the first city on our planet to see the sunrise every day.

14. New Zealand has 3 official languages: English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.

15. The Māori term for New Zealand is ‘Aotearoa,’ which translates to ‘Land of the Long White Cloud.’

16. New Zealand was the last country in the world to be inhabited by humans; its history dates back to only a few hundred years.

17. The Kea is a bird native to NZ; it has a reputation for dragging windscreen wipers off of cars and even pecking on the rubber strips from windows.

18. New Zealand has a maritime climate, with temperatures ranging from 10°C to 16°C all year round.

19. The first known man to reach the peak of Mt. Everest is a Kiwi named Sir Edmund Hillary.

20. In New Zealand, most children start school on their 5^th birthday, not at the beginning of the year.

21. New Zealand is famous for its adrenaline activities, such as bungee jumping, skydiving, white-water rafting and more; perfect for adrenaline junkies!

22. The smallest dolphin in the world, Hector’s Dolphin, is from New Zealand; they only grow to about 1.5 metres.

23. The most popular sport in New Zealand is rugby.

24. 30% of the country is a national reserve, making New Zealand a natural paradise protected from the harm of humans.

25. Blue Lake in Nelson Lakes National Park has the clearest water in the world; it has a visibility of 70 to 80 metres.

If you are interested in furthering your studies, feel free to contact us. Our services include: education and career counselling, assistance in college/university applications, student visa application, arranging accommodation and more!