🌟 World‑Famous New Zealanders
Which world‑famous director from New Zealand created The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films?
Sir Peter Jackson
What is the name of the building in Wellington known for its distinctive round shape and housing government offices?
The Beehive
Who were the first people to discover and settle New Zealand?
Māori, who arrived from East Polynesia around 1200–1300 CE using skilled navigation methods such as stars, ocean currents, and birds.
What is the Māori name for New Zealand?
Aotearoa
Who was the first woman to become Prime Minister of New Zealand?
Jenny Shipley
Which New Zealand mountaineer was the first person to reach the summit of Mount Everest (with Tenzing Norgay)?
Sir Edmund Hillary
Which city became New Zealand’s second capital
Auckland
Who was the first European to sight New Zealand?
Abel Tasman, a Dutch explorer, in 1642.
He did not land, and his encounter with Māori in Golden Bay turned violent.
What is the most commonly accepted translation of the word “Aotearoa”?
Land of the long white cloud
Who was Prime Minister during the Christchurch earthquakes of 2010–2011?
John Key
1. Who is credited as the first person to achieve powered flight from New Zealand?
A. Jean Batten
B. Richard Pearse
C. Sir Edmund Hillary
D. George Bolt
What is the popular nickname for Wellington’s main sports stadium, Sky Stadium?
The Cake Tin
Which European first mapped New Zealand?
Captain James Cook (British), who arrived in 1769 and circumnavigated both islands, producing the first accurate maps.
Which famous trilogy was filmed across New Zealand?
The Lord of the Rings
Which famous politician appears on the NZ $10 note?
Kate Sheppard
Which New Zealand scientist invented the modern jet boat?
Sir William Hamilton
What bay is Wellington Harbour located in?
Port Nicholson / Te Whanganui‑a‑Tara
Who is the woman most famously known for leading the campaign that won women the right to vote in New Zealand?
Kate Sheppard
What is New Zealand’s tallest mountain?
Aoraki / Mount Cook
Who was Prime Minister when New Zealand adopted MMP voting?
Jim Bolger
Which New Zealand-born physicist is known as the “father of nuclear physics”?
Ernest Rutherford
What was the first capital city of New Zealand?
Ōkiato (also known as Old Russell)
When did women get the right to vote in New Zealand?
In 1893 — New Zealand became the first country in the world to grant women’s suffrage.
Which New Zealand city is known as the "Garden City"?
Christchurch
Who was New Zealand’s first Prime Minister?
Henry Sewell