20 Interesting Facts About New Zealand Which Will Amaze You

1. The Rubber Eating Bird

The Kea bird is referred as a rubber eating bird, as it eats the strips of rubber by pulling it from the windscreen wipers of the cars and from windows.

2. Longest Name of a Place

Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu, is the longest name of a place in the world. It is a hill situated in the Hawkes Bay.

3. Least Populated Country

More than 95% of the inhabitants of New Zealand are animals and the remaining 5% are humans. There was a time, when NZ was considered as inhabitable for the humans.

4. Least Corrupt

According to the Corruptions Perception Index, NZ is the least corrupt country in the world after Denmark.

5. World’s Smallest Dolphin

World’s smallest species of dolphin are found in the New Zealand. These dolphins can be seen in the sea near shores of northwestern side. This specie is quite agile and swims faster than the normal sized dolphins.

6. Snake Free Land

You don’t have to fear while hiking in the mountains of New Zealand, as there are no land snakes in this part of the world.

7. Three Official Language

New Zealand offers a diverse choice in terms of the official languages. There are three official languages used by the state department and these are English, New Zealand Sign Language and Māori.

8. Kiwis were the first to Climb Mount Everest  

   

The first climber who reached at the top of Mt. Everest was a kiwi. The name of this daring climber is Sir Edmund Hillary.

9. Same Sex Marriage

Just like other European countries, the matrimonial laws of the New Zealand acknowledge same sex marriage. This kind of marriage was legalized in 2013.

10. Heaviest Insect

The giant weta is the heaviest insect in the world. It weighs greater that an adult sparrow and looks like a huge cockroach.

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11. Guiding Dolphin

A dolphin named Pelorus Jack used to guide ships through rocky and dangerous waters around NZ. Numerous sailors experienced this during early 1900s.

12. Lord of the Rings was Filmed in the New Zealand

New Zealand’s economy was pumped with a huge economic activity of almost $200 million due to the filming of “Lord of the Rings”. Not only this, a minister for Lord of the Rings was also designated by the New Zealand government to make sure that maximum economic benefit should be availed through the shooting of this film.

13. Driver Dogs

It seems unbelievable but it is true, as two rescue dogs were taught to drive a car on a track in NZ. These dogs performed well and proved the intelligence level of such animals.

14. Controversial Name of Badminton Team

The name of Kiwi badminton team was changed after one year as the old name was too controversial and there have been complaints about the same. The ridiculous name of NZ Badminton team was ‘The Black Cocks’.

15. National wizard

The NZ Prime Minister appointed a national wizard in 1990. The purpose of doing so was to promote the culture of NZ, which relates to witches and Hobbits.

16. Giant Carnivorous Snail

You might not have listen about a carnivorous snail, as these tiny animals are too weak and slow for this job. However, there is a huge carnivorous snail in the South Island, which feeds on other small insects.

17. Continuously Running Clock

There is an amazing piece of engineering at Dunedin in shape of an old clock. It has been running 20 Interesting Facts About New Zealand Which Will Amaze You.

18. Train Track on the Runway

Trains and plains never meet each other however, in NZ Gisborne airport there is a railway track that runs across the middle of the runway. Both the trains and plains have to stop at occasions, in order to give space to each other.

19. Two National Anthems

The only country having two national anthems is New Zealand. The first anthem is God Defend New Zealand and the second one is God Save The Queen.

20. Bats are the Only Native Animals

Although the national parks of NZ are thriving with the animals, yet the only native animal who was found there prior to the human habitation is the Bat. The Maoris and Europeans introduced other animals and reptiles at the later stage.