7 facts that prove New Zealand is the most fascinating place on Earth
You may have heard a lot about this unique country – let's see if you knew these amazing New Zealand facts before.
#1 It's a perfect place for people who love the ocean
In New Zealand, you're never more than 120 km (75 miles) away from the ocean.
#2 It's a nuclear-free zone
Hydroelectric systems are the main energy source on the archipelago, which makes it one of the safest nations on Earth.
#3 It has two beautiful names
In Māori language, the country is known as Aotearoa, meaning "land of the long white cloud". Its English name is derived from Dutch, meaning "sealand". But why is it "New"? In 1640s, explorer Abel Tasman named it after Zeeland, a province in the Netherlands.
#4 There are no deadly spiders, killer jellies and snakes
Unlike neighboring Australia, New Zealand is free from all these notorious creatures.
#5 It's one of the least crowded countries
Even though New Zealand is a little larger in size than the UK, only 4.8 million people live there, compared to the 66 million who live in the United Kingdom.
If you enjoy these facts about New Zealand, take a look at this article about Mongolia, another sparsely populated and beautiful country.
#6 It's a perfect place to see penguins in the wild
NZ is home to several species of penguins. All of them are incredibly cute! The most popular places to watch the colonies are the Banks Peninsula and Oamaru. The smallest penguin species (in the picture), known as the little penguin or Eudyptula minor, lives on New Zealand's coastlines.
#7 It has the most beautiful views
New Zealand's geographical diversity is stunning. The archipelago is home spectacular mountains, waterfalls, crystal clear lakes, sand dunes, deserted beaches and rare flora and fauna.
Bonus! Test yourself:
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Would you like to visit New Zealand one day? Or have you already been there?
Don't stop exploring! Read educational articles and answer trivia questions on QuizzClub!
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