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World > Oceania > New Zealand
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New Zealand |
Introduction:
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The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars. New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances.
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| Official name: |
New Zealand |
| Capital: |
name: Wellington
geographic coordinates: 41 28 S, 174 51 E
time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends third Sunday in March
note: New Zealand is divi |
| Government type: |
parliamentary democracy |
| Population: |
4,115,771 (July 2007 est.) |
| Languages: |
English (official), Maori (official), Sign Language (official) |
| Official Currency: |
New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
Current New Zealand Dollar Exchange Rates
Historical New Zealand Dollar Exchange Rates
Chart New Zealand Dollar Exchange Rates |
| Currency code: |
NZD |
| Area: |
total: 268,680 sq km
land: 268,021 sq km
water: NA
note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands |
| Climate: |
temperate with sharp regional contrasts |
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Map of New Zealand
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