New Zealand’s 30 Weird and Unusual Facts!
New Zealand is one of the most beautiful countries on the planet, and despite its small size, it is jam-packed with history, culture, and attractions for us to enjoy.
Beautiful national parks, vibrant Mori culture, fantastic hiking trails, and world-class skiing and surfing are all reasons to visit New Zealand.
I’ve bragged about New Zealand in post after post, and I still don’t feel like I’m done. So, I’d want to add one more entertaining post about New Zealand, one of the most diverse and intensely gorgeous destinations on the planet.
I’m sure some of these will astound you because they seem virtually impossible, but as you’ll see, New Zealand is much more than meets the eye!
New Zealand Fun Facts include the following:
1. Sheep Are in Charge!
New Zealand has the greatest sheep-to-person ratio in the world, with 9 sheep per person.
There were only 4.8 million New Zealanders at the time, spread across 268,021 square kilometers, which meant there were nearly 43 million sheep in the country!
What’s more remarkable is that New Zealand is larger than the United Kingdom but only has a quarter of the population.
2. The Weather in Elvish
In 2012, New Zealand broadcasted the first weather report in Elvish. They would, after all, be the setting for the Lord of the Rings films! It’s available to view here.
3. For the Love of Golf
New Zealand has more golf courses per capita than any other country in the world, at over 400.
4. It’s Time to Bungee!
New Zealand is known for its high-octane activities, including bungee jumping. In 1988, AJ Hackett conducted the first commercial bungee jump from the Kawarau Bridge in Queenstown.
The cultural “bungee” leaps performed in Vanuatu with only tree vines connected to their feet inspired AJ Hackett.
5. The “Pseudo-Kiwi”
New Zealand is not home to kiwi fruit. Although it originated in China, it was called after the kiwi bird.
6. The Water Is So Clear
Nelson’s Blue Lake is the cleanest lake on the planet, with visibility up to 80 meters deep.
7. Avoid going nuclear!
Every high school in New Zealand is allowed to keep one pound of uranium and one pound of thorium for nuclear experimentation, according to the law. However, if a nuclear explosion occurs, they will be fined $1,000,000.
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8. Capital of the Southernmost State
Wellington is the world’s southernmost capital.
9. First in the field of women’s rights
In 1893, New Zealand became the first country in the world to provide women the right to vote.
10. The Bats’ Tenth Home
Bats are the country’s only native land mammals. Maoris and Europeans were responsible for the rest.
11. Human Population Percentage is Extremely Low
One of the most fascinating facts about New Zealand is that only 5% of the country’s population is human. The rest are animals, making this the world’s highest animal-to-human ratio.
12. The Most Steeply Sloped Residential Street
Baldwin Street in Dunedin, New Zealand, is the world’s steepest residential street. It has a 38-degree gradient.
13. The 9th Longest Coastline in the World
With a length of 15,134 kilometers, New Zealand boasts the world’s ninth longest coastline for such a small country.
14. It is located near Antarctica.
After Chile and Argentina, New Zealand is the third-closest country to Antarctica.
15. Always Staying Close to the Sea
You’ll never be more than 128 kilometers from the seaside in New Zealand, no matter where you are.
16. Are there any more Scottish pipes?
In New Zealand, there are more Scottish piping bands per capita than in Scotland.
17. Southern Hemisphere’s Tallest Man-Made Structure
The tallest man-made edifice in the Southern Hemisphere is in Auckland (as of 2014). With a height of 328 meters, it is the Sky Tower.
18. The Bird Without Wings
The Kiwi, a small flightless bird native to New Zealand, lays eggs that are approximately 20% of the mother’s body size. For a bird of its size, kiwi eggs are six times larger than average.
19. There are a Lot of Volcanoes in Auckland
In and around Auckland, there are 50 volcanic cones. But don’t worry, the majority of them have become extinct. Mount Rangitoto, which can be viewed from the port, is the most prominent.
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20. The Longest Name in any English-Speaking Country is Number Twenty.
The Maori name for a hill in Hawke’s Bay, which is 85 characters long, is the longest place name in any English-speaking country.
Taumatawhakatangihangaoauauotameteaturipukakapikimaungah-oronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu means “the spot where Tamatea, the man with the huge knees, who slid, climbed, and devoured mountains, renowned as the land-eater, played his nose flute to his loved ones.”
21. The Religion of the Jedi
“Jedi” was declared as a religion by 53,715 persons in the 2001 New Zealand census. There were more Buddhists and Hindus in the country than there were Buddhists and Hindus. However, by 2006, the “religion” had dropped to around 20,000 people.
22. An Official Wizard is a number.
New Zealand became the first modern country to select an Official National Wizard in 1990.
23. Kiwis from Australia?
New Zealand is listed as a state of Australia in the Australian constitution, and they have the option of joining the Australian Confederation.
24. Sign Language (Official)
One of New Zealand’s three official languages is sign language. The other two languages are English and Maori.
25. Kea Destructive
The kea, a New Zealand bird, is infamous for ripping windscreen wipers off cars and eating the rubber strips from the windows. Many travelers have had their car rentals damaged as a result of this small bird.
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26. The World’s Least Corrupt Country
New Zealand is the least corrupt country in the world, according to the Corruption Perception Index (tied with Denmark).
27. There will be no snakes!
In New Zealand, there are no snakes. None.
28. Climbing Mount Everest
Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to reach the summit of Everest, is a New Zealander.
29. Land of the Long White Cloud
The Maori name for New Zealand is Aotearoa, which translates to “country of the long white cloud.”
30. An Enormous National Park
National parks cover almost one-third of the country.