85 Interesting facts about New Zealand [Free Fact Cards]

Ready to go on a virtual trip to one of the coolest places? Put on your seatbelts because we are flying to New Zealand as we are uncovering all kinds of interesting facts about New Zealand. This county is like a little hidden gem, with amazing animals, very cool landscape, and fascinating stories! So grab your explorer hat, and let’s dive under with these facts about New Zealand.

A common question many people ask when they hear New Zealand they wonder where it is located in the world. It is made up of 2 big islands and ways down close to Antarctica, that is why we said let’s go travel down under! Even though it is far away, people from all over the world travel to New Zealand to visit because there is so much to do and see there!

Did you know that New Zealand is home to some of the most unique critters in the entire world? Have you ever heard of a bird that can’t fly with a really long beak? That’s a Kiwi, and it lives in New Zealand. And if you are afraid of snakes, have no fear because there are no snakes in the world there.

So, are you excited to learn even more interesting facts about New Zealand? There is so much to discover, so let’s get ready to go on a fun adventure as we learn more about New Zealand! Don’t forget to download your free New Zealand fact cards below!

Do you love learning about new places and things? Be sure to check out Facts About William Shakespeare and Giraffe Facts.

Best Facts about New Zealand

1. New Zealand is the first country with universal suffrage.
2. There are 5 sheep per person in New Zealand, making it the highest ratio in the world.
3. The kiwi bird, native to New Zealand, is a national symbol and gives its name to the people and culture.
4. With 85 letters, the longest one-word place name is that of a hill in New Zealand called Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu. In English translation, “The summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the slider, and climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travels around, played his flute to his loved one.”
5. There is only 5% human population in New Zealand and the rest of the inhabitants, i.e. 95% are animals.

6. New Zealand has only been inhabited by humans since the 13th Century.
7. The Māori name for NZ – Aotearoa, means ‘land of the long white cloud’.
8. New Zealand can have 4 seasons in one day
9. You can pay with hobbit money.
10. New Zealand does not have a nuclear generating station.

11. The world’s first commercial bungee jumping operation started at the Kawarau Bridge in Queenstown.
12. Wellington Is The Most Southerly Capital In The World.
13. New Zealand is home to the smallest dolphin species on earth.
14. New Zealand is home to the world’s smallest dolphin species, Hector’s dolphin.
15. Earthquakes are common in New Zealand.

16. New Zealand could be sunny and warm on the East Coast while pouring rain on the West Coast.
17. 30% of the country is a national reserve.
18. The clearest lake in the world is Nelson’s Blue Lake, with a visibility of up to 80 meters deep.
19. New Zealand was the first self-governing country to grant women the right to vote in 1893.
20. A giant carnivorous snail lives on the southern island of New Zealand.

21. New Zealand has more Scottish pipe bands per capita than any other country in the world.
22. Every 24 hours, more than 21 million liters of freshwater spring from the ground through the cracks in the limestone at Waikoropupu, near Takaka – part of the Nelson Province. 
23. The Māori haka is a traditional war dance often performed by New Zealand’s sports teams.
24. There are no snakes in New Zealand.
25. They legalized same-sex marriage in 2013.

26. There are two national anthems for New Zealand.
27. New Zealand has a small population of approximately 4.7 million people, and ¾’s of those people live on the North Island and ¼ on the South Island.
28. NZ is the first country to see the sunrise.
29. Dunedin has the steepest road in the world.
30. Edmund Hillary, the first man to climb to Everest Summit, is originally from New Zealand.

31. There is a law that states every high school in New Zealand may hold one pound of uranium and one pound of thorium, for conducting nuclear experiments. 
32. In New Zealand alone, more than 53,000 residents identified themselves as Jedis. That number meant that Jediism was more popular than Buddhism and Hinduism.
33. New Zealand is the least corrupt country in the world (on par with Denmark), based on the Corruption Perception Index.
34. The Abel Tasman Coast Track is one of New Zealand’s Great Walks, offering coastal hiking opportunities.
35. New Zealand is a picturesque island nation situated in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.

36. The Pōhutu Geyser in Rotorua can erupt up to 30 meters high and is a significant tourist attraction.
37. New Zealand recognizes English, Maori, and Sign Language as its three official languages.
38. The country has around 600 islands. The main ones are of course the North Island and South Island there’s also Waiheke Island, Stewart Island and Chatham Island. 
39. The kea, a bird originally from New Zealand, is known for pulling windshield wipers from cars and eating rubber strips from windows.
40. It has the most southerly capital in the world.

41. In the scene of Star Trek: First Contact, where one sees the Earth from space, Australia and Papua New Guinea are clearly visible but New Zealand is absent.
42. New Zealand is in the Southern Hemisphere, the holiday falls during the summer months.
43. New Zealand has some of the best wineries in the world.
44. The national sport is rugby union.
45. New Zealand houses Waitomo Glow worm Caves, the world’s only glow worm cave.

46. New Zealand is an extremely multicultural country and very welcoming to immigrants.
47. In New Zealand there is a drinking holiday called Crate Day.
48. ‘God Save The King’ is the official national anthem of New Zealand.
49. It was the last country in the world to be inhabited by humans.
50. New Zealand is the 3rd closest country to Antarctica, only after Chile and Argentina.

51. Volcanoes are everywhere.
52. No part of the country is more than 128km (79 miles) from the sea.
53. Lord of the Rings was filmed in New Zealand.
54. There are no terrestrial land-snakes in New Zealand.
55. Ships navigating in New Zealand waters have a famous dolphin as a guide.

56. New Zealand has a hole in its ozone layer.
57. In NEW Zealand insects are big.  One of our best examples of this is the Weta, the largest insect in the world, which has ears on its knees, loves carrots, and weighs in at 70g. Another is the Powelliphanta snail which has a carnivorous diet of earthworms (which it sucks up through its mouth), weighs 90g, and can live for up to 20 years.
58. There are more Scottish piping bands per capita in New Zealand than in Scotland.
59. People die in New Zealand each year playing lawn bowls rather than scuba diving.
60. Gumboot throwing is a ‘sport’ in which the gumboot is thrown to the furthest distance

61. The driest city in New Zealand is Christchurch, and Wellington is the wettest.
62. New Zealand is among only three countries in Oceania.
63. More than 360 glaciers make up New Zealand’s Southern Alps.
64. The country is known for its stunning landscapes, including mountains, beaches, forests, and lakes.
65. The All Blacks, New Zealand’s national rugby team, are one of the most successful rugby teams in the world.

66. New Zealand’s location on the Pacific Ring of Fire makes it prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity.
67. The man who pioneered plastic surgery, Harold Gillies, was a Kiwi.
68. New Zealand’s native kauri tree takes about 200 years to mature.
69. In New Zeeland, the Pohutukawa is a Kiwi Christmas tree.
70. The most horrifying fact about New Zealand is that it has one of the highest domestic abuse rates in the world.

71. You can eat a lot of butter and cheese. New Zealand will produce 22 million metric tons of milk in 2021. This will allow them to make 360,000 metric tons of cheese and 520,000 metric tons of butter. 
72. New Zealand was named the world’s top country in 2007 and 2008 by Wanderlust magazine.
73. Auckland is one of the most affordable cities in the world where you can live.
74. The Kiwi fruit was originally called Chinese gooseberries.
75. Cars are just as prevalent in New Zealand! It’s not quite to the tune of 9:1 people ratio, but they estimate there are 3.5 million cars on our roads. 

76. In 1990, New Zealand became the first country in the modern world to appoint an Official National Wizard.
77. New Zealand has more penguin species than any other nation.
78. It’s one of the most unknown facts about New Zealand the food in NZ is delicious! One of the most delicious meals is a hangi, which is a traditional Maori meal that is cooked underground.
79. The famous mince pie shouldn’t be missed during your visit to New Zealand. A mince pie is a pastry pie (for 1 person), about the size of your hand, and it’s filled with different fillings like most popular flavor combinations include mince and cheese, steak and cheese, and bacon and egg.
80. The Kiwi, a little flightless bird native to New Zealand, lays eggs that are about 20% of the mother’s body. Kiwi eggs are six times as big as normal for a bird of its size.

81. The lowest denomination in New Zealand currency is the 10-cent piece.
82. New Zealand has a unique and diverse range of flora and fauna due to its isolation.
83. New Zealand’s flag features the Union Jack and the Southern Cross constellation.
84. The Whakapapa Ski Area on Mount Ruapehu is the largest ski resort in New Zealand.
85. English is spoken by 96.14% of the national population.

Do you have even more interesting facts about New Zealand? Be sure to share them in the comments, and don’t forget to download our facts about New Zealand cards!

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