Family: New Zealand

A KID’S LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND

Hello! My name is Emily and I live in New Zealand. I am 11 years old. I

have a pet kiwi (I'm talking about the bird kiwi not the fruit kiwi) and a pet
rat. The reason that I have a pet kiwi is because my parents are animal
rescuers. They found this rare bird on the road. It was too injured to go pet kiwi
back into the wild, so mom and dad gave him to me. Sadly, this happens a animal rescuer = person
lot, and mom and dad aren't there to save all of them. My father's name is who tries to save animals
Robert, my mother's name is Carol, and my brother's name is Steve (he is 7 wild ↔ domesticated
years old). I'm going to tell you all about my country.
mild = with a good
First of all, New Zealand is an island country in the Southwest Pacific climate
Ocean. New Zealand is part of a large island group called Polynesia. Our moist = wet
country is made up of two main islands called the North Island and the
South Island. There are also many smaller islands. New Zealand is a mild
and moist country, and rain falls throughout most of the year, but more in snow-capped
the winter. If you come to visit, you will find that New Zealand is a
beautiful country. We have snow-capped mountains, green lowlands,
beaches, and lots of lakes and waterfalls. You will also find out that we
speak English (with a British accent). sail (verb)

Popular sports here are rugby (like football), cricket (like baseball), and
soccer. Many people love to sail (including my dad). In the mountains, you
can ski and climb. In the water you can fish, swim, scuba dive, or surf. I
love to tramp (hike to Americans). Steve loves to play rugby.
scuba dive
The Dutch were the first people to spot New Zealand. They named it New tramp = hike = walk
spot = see
Zeeland after a Dutch province. The Dutch did not stay long because there stuck < stick = remain
was a battle when they first arrived, but the name stuck.

Then the British came. New Zealand soon became an important whaling,
Whaling < whale
sealing, and trading base. More Europeans came because of the good
farming and the nice climate here.

sealing < seal

trading < trade =
commerce
 Family: New Zealand

The British established new colonies in New Zealand, and on Feb 6, 1840,
New Zealand became a British colony after many Maori (the native people
of New Zealand) chiefs, William Hobson (lieutenant governor), and
representatives of the British Crown, signed the Treaty of Waitangi. The
Treaty said the British were to protect the Maori’s rights. The Treaty also
sign a treaty said that the British Crown were the only people who could buy Maori land.

Soon more colonists arrived! Naturally, more land was wanted. Soon, the
treaty was pretty much forgotten. People began to fight over land. The
fighting was off and on. The Maori lost a lot of their land. Then, in 1858,
the Maori made one of their chiefs, Potatau Te Wherouwhero, king.

One of my favorite foods is pizza with extra dead horse (tomato sauce to
Americans). I also enjoy spaghetti without the dead horse. Lamb is the
staple = main product meat staple here, though Steve refuses to eat it. He lives off mainly
candy. Did you know that New Zealanders eat more butter and meat per
person than do people from any other country?

I hope you enjoyed hearing about my beautiful country and that someday
you will come and visit New Zealand. Well, good-bye!

Source: http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0212302/newzealand.html

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1. Where is New Zealand?

2. What is the climate like?
3. Why was New Zealand called in that way?
4. What is the name of the native people?
5. Who signed the Treaty of Waitangi?
 Family: New Zealand

DATA OF NEW ZEALAND

Country (long form) none
Capital Wellington
103,737.93 sq mi
Total Area 268,680.00 sq km
(about the size of Colorado)
Population 3,864,129 (July 2001 est.)
Estimated Population in 2050 4,842,397
Languages English (official), Maori
Literacy 99% total, N/A% male, N/A% female (1980 est.)
Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%, Methodist
Religions 5%, Baptist 2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none 33%
(1986)
Life Expectancy 75.01 male, 81.1 female (2001 est.)
Government Type parliamentary democracy
Currency 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
GDP (per capita) $17,700 (2000 est.)
food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery,
Industry
transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining
wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, beef, dairy
Agriculture
products; fish
Arable Land 9%
natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold,
Natural Resources
limestone

Source: http://go.hrw.com/atlas/norm_htm/newzland.htm