NEW ZEALAND

Geography
- In the Southern Hemisphere
- Island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean
- Comprises of two main islands - the North and South, separated by Cook Strait
- Many other small islands, populated and unpopulated
- Mainly hilly with the highest peak Mt. Cook (over 3 500 metres) on the South Island
- The North Island is marked by volcanism (several still active volcanoes)
- Mild and temperate maritime climate
- Lots of specific species of animals and plants (kiwi, kakapo etc.)
- Four main cities (Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin)
History
- Inhabited by the Maoris, a Polynesian nation in the middle of the 14th century
- 1642 Abel Tasman, the Dutch navigator, discovered it
- 1769 Captain James Cook of the Royal Navy mapped the two main islands
- In the 19th century visited by sealers and whalers
- 1840 the Treaty of Waitangi (British rule acknowledged, full British citizenship for the Maoris)
- 1907 became a dominion
- 1931 granted full independence
Political system
- Independent member of the Commonwealth
- Constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy
- Reigning monarch Queen Elizabeth II represented by Governor General (for 5 years)
- Parliament consists of the Queen and the House of Representatives
- 1895 voting rights given to women
- Prime Minister is the head of the government
- 67 territorial authorities and 11 regional councils
Culture
- Culture inherited from British and European customs with Maori and Polynesian influences (carving and weaving)
- Literature is mainly 20th century creation
- Witi Ihimaera (one of the most prominent Maori writers alive) wrote the novel on which a well-known movie Whale Rider directed by Nikki Caro was based
- Margaret Mahy author of children and young adults books (Hans Christian Andersen Award)
- Gary McCormick is a notable poet, radio and television personality
- Music influenced by blues, jazz, country, rock and roll and hip hop, with many of these genres given a unique interpretation
- Maori developed traditional chants and songs from their ancient South-East Asian origins, and after centuries of isolation created a unique sound
- Actors Russel Crowe and Sam Neil come from here as well as director of the Lord of the Rings Peter Jackson and Edmund Hillary, the first person to climb Mount Everest
- Golf, tennis, cricket, rugby considered popular sports
Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org
T.Chudý, J. Chudá: Some Basic Facts, Fragment, Havlíčkův Brod 1996

Naposledy změněno: Čtvrtek, 29. říjen 2015, 10.56