Some Interesting Facts About New Zealand

Children in New Zealand's secondary schools spend more time than the OECD average learning mathematics, science, technology and physical education. They spend less time learning foreign languages, arts and religion than children in other countries.

Graduates from New Zealand's universities who tend to earn the highest salaries are those qualified in sciences, management and commerce and engineering. Creative arts, food, hospitality and personal services graduates tended to have lower salaries.

The highest rainfall in a year in New Zealand was a drenching 18.4 metres (60 feet) in 1997-1998 at Cropp River on the west of the South Island. By contrast, the lowest rainfall was a miserly 167 mm (6.6 inches) in 1963-1964 at Alexandra, Central Otago.

New Zealand's Head of State is Queen Elizabeth. 'God Save The Queen' and 'God Defend New Zealand' are New Zealand's two official national anthems. Although they have equal status, 'God Defend New Zealand' is sung at 100% of sporting occasions.

Part of the ceremony at which immigrants become New Zealand citizens involves singing 'God Defend New Zealand'. Everyone at the ceremony sings it together, so you don't have to sing on your own.

According to the most recent numbers from SPARC and the NZRU, the most popular sports in New Zealand, measured by club memberships, are as follows:

>> Rugby Union: 136,059
>> Golf: 132,063
>> Netball: 123,069
>> Soccer: 105,000
>> Cricket 102,759

10% of New Zealand's economy, as measured by GDP, is dependent on tourism. Tourism supports more than 10% of New Zealand jobs.

For each person who lives here, New Zealand produces 100 kg of butter and 65 kg of cheese each year.

30% of New Zealand's land is forested. Forestry accounts for 12% of New Zealand's exports. This is expected to increase as more plantations mature.

>>24% of New Zealand families have only one parent.
>> Over 40% of Maori children live in one-parent families.
>> 17% of NZ European children live in one-parent families.
>> 26% of children in both the US and UK live in one-parent families.
>> 14% of children in Germany live in one-parent families.

It's a fact: at 41.2^o South, Wellington is the most southerly capital city on the planet. Cities on similar latitudes in the Northern hemisphere are Barcelona, Istanbul and Chicago.

>> Since 1990, total tobacco consumption in NZ has fallen by over one-third.

>> One in five deaths in New Zealand is caused tobacco smoking.

According to the 2006 census:

>> 18% of New Zealand's adult population classed themselves as regular smokers.

Older surveys had found that:

>> 50% of Mäori, 30% of Pacific Islander and 20% of European people smoke.

The City of Dunedin is home to:
>> New Zealand's oldest university.
>> New Zealand's first newspaper.
>> New Zealand's first botanic gardens.

Latest annual road deaths for every 100,000 of population show that New Zealand's roads are getting safer:

>> UK: 5 per 100,000
>> Canada: 9
>> Australia: 9
>> NZ: 10
>> United States: 14
>> Spain: 15

Not so many years ago, New Zealand had 13. The major reason for more deaths in NZ compared to the UK is fewer few multi-lane highways in NZ.

One fact about New Zealand that is a relief to all Kiwis is that New Zealand's sheep are free of scrapie. Scrapie is a brain disease similar to BSE that's present in sheep in many other countries. It's thought BSE was caused by scrapie jumping the "species barrier" from sheep to cows. Cattle in NZ are free of BSE.

The biggest contributors to New Zealand's Tourism earnings, accounting for 55% of all money spent, are:
>> Australians 16%
>> British 14%
>> Americans 13%
>> Japanese 12%

The last fatal earthquake in New Zealand was on the West Coast of the South Island in May 1968. Three deaths resulted.

Compared with other countries, New Zealanders are not heavy drinkers. The average New Zealander drinks:
>> 5% less alcohol than the average Australian.
>> 12% less alcohol than the average Briton.
>> 30% less alcohol than the average German.
>> 40% less alcohol than the average Irish.

Due to the moderating effect of the ocean, summer and winter temperatures in most NZ locations differ by less than 10 ^oC.

The most continental climate is found in the South Island, in Central Otago, inland from Dunedin.

Here the temperature reaches 24 ^oC on an average day in summer while in winter it falls to -2 ^oC on an average night. Rainfall is a semi-arid 350 mm a year. In comparison, rainfall in other New Zealand locations is:

>> Christchurch 635 mm.
>> Wellington 1250 mm.
>> Auckland 1200 mm.

Many of New Zealand's stone fruit crops, such as peaches and apricots are grown in Central Otago.

"New Zealanders who go to Australia raise the IQ of both countries." Former NZ Prime Minister Robert Muldoon, who made this superbly cutting comment, did not provide any numbers to back it up. Unfortunately, therefore, we cannot claim it as a true New Zealand fact.

The Top Ten Countries New Zealand Imports from are:
1. Australia
2. United States
3. Japan
4. China
5. Germany
6. United Kingdom
7. Malaysia
8. Italy
9. Korea
10. Taiwan

New Zealand's Top Ten Export Markets are:
1. Australia
2. United States
3. Japan
4. United Kingdom
5. Korea
6. China
7. Germany
8. Taiwan
9. Hong Kong
10. Canada

>> With 2.5 million cars for four million people, including children, New Zealand's car ownership rate is one of the world's highest.
>> New Zealanders make only about 2% of their journeys by bus and fewer than 1% by rail.

From the early 1980s, when NZ was home to over 70 million sheep, the population in 2008 has declined to around 39 million. This means the oft-quoted statistic, that NZ has 20 sheep for each human, is wrong! Nowadays it's only about 9 to 1. This decline hasn't stopped NZ from cornering 50% of all international trade in sheepmeat.

NZ roads don't need to be salted so cars rust very slowly.
>> Around a fifth of cars are less than seven years old.
>> Around two thirds of cars are between seven and 16 years old.
>> Around a sixth of cars are more than 16 years old.

Little known amongst facts about New Zealand is that 22% of its residents were born overseas. This compares with 24% in Australia, 20% in Canada, 12% in the USA and 8% in the UK.

New Zealand is one of the top five dairy exporters in the world. The top five countries supply around 90 percent of dairy products on the international market. There are over nine million beef and dairy cattle in NZ.

To become a New Zealand citizen, you must swear an oath of loyalty to Queen Elizabeth.

New Zealand's school students reported better relations with their teachers than the average for students in the OECD. New Zealand's students also reported more pressure to achieve good results is applied by their teachers than the OECD average.

For New Zealand families who have children;
41% have one child
36% have two children
23% have more than two children.

96% of those in jail in NZ are males.
50% are Maori.
36% are European.
12% are Pacific People.