New Zealand
What is the name of the first people to settle in New Zealand over 1,000 years ago?
The Māori
Glow worm caves in Waitomo are noted for a species of creature with what notable feature?
Bioluminescence (they glow in the dark).
Mount Maunganui is a sacred Māori site and a dormant example of what land feature?
A volcano
True or false? Parts of New Zealand are subtropical, while others are subantarctic
True. The climate of the islands varies widely, and weather can change drastically within a day.
What is the name of New Zealand’s currency unit?
Dollars (New Zealand dollars).
Known for his role in Gladiator, what actor was born in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand?
Russell Crowe
Matariki is a national holiday that is also known as what?
Māori New Year, falling in midwinter, its exact date is determined by star positions.
About how many islands comprise New Zealand: 20, 150, or 700?
700. New Zealand comprises of two large islands and hundreds of small islands. Most of these small islands are close to the main islands.
Animals hunted by Māori settlers included the moa, a large species of what type of animal?
Bird
How many official languages does New Zealand have?
Three. English, the Māori language, and New Zealand Sign Language
New Zealand was the first country in the world to give what group of people the right to vote?
Women
Who was the first European to sight New Zealand?
Abel Tasman. Tasmania is named for this Dutch explorer.
Waitangi Day is an annual celebration observing an 1840 treaty signed between the Māori and what monarchal power?
Great Britain
Christmas Day in New Zealand is during what season?
Summer
How many moas are currently in New Zealand?
None. These giant flightless birds are a symbol of extinction in New Zealand, much like the dodo.
Which New Zealand city is known as the “City of Sails” and is home to famous beaches and the Sky Tower?
Auckland
What recent Disney movie is based largely off Māori culture and traditions?
Moana
True or false? The Southern Alps are located in New Zealand.
True. Known in the native language as Kā Tiritiri o te Moana, these mountains divide the island by climate.
The people of New Zealand’s Chatham Island are the first to see what rise each day?
The Sun
The Waikato, Waitaki, Buller, and Manawatu are examples of what geographical features?
Rivers
In what decade did New Zealand gain independence from British rule?
The 1940s. Native resistance to British rule dates back to the 1840s, and the nation became independent around 100 years later, in 1947.
What famous Lord of the Rings director is a New Zealand native?
Peter Jackson.
Pipi, scallop, and pāua are three kinds of what animal and important food source?
Shellfish
he Anzus Pacific Treaty was signed in 1951 between what three nations?
Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. Each country’s name is represented in the treaty’s name.
What is the highest mountain peak in New Zealand?
Mount Cook (Cloud Piercer). This mountain rises 12,316 feet (3,754 meters).