New Zeland
 
 
New Zealand is one of the most recently settled major land masses. The first settlers of New Zealand were Eastern Polynesians who came to New Zealand, probably in a series of migrations, sometime between around AD 800 and 1300.[4] Over the next few centuries these settlers developed into a distinct culture now known as Mâori. The population was divided into Iwi (tribes) and hapû (subtribes) which would co-operate, compete and sometimes fight with each other. At some point a group of Mâori migrated to the Chatham Islands where they developed their own distinct Moriori culture.[8][9] The first Europeans known to have reached New Zealand were Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman and his crew in 1642.[10] Several of the crew were killed by Mâori and no Europeans returned to New Zealand until British explorer James Cook's voyage of 1768–71.[10] Cook reached New Zealand in 1769 and mapped almost all of the coastline. Following Cook, New Zealand was visited by numerous European and North American whaling, sealing and trading ships. They traded European food and goods, especially metal tools and weapons, for Mâori timber, food, artefacts and water. On occasion, Europeans traded goods for sex.[11] Mâori agriculture and warfare were transformed by the potato and the musket, although the resulting Musket Wars died out once the tribal imbalance of arms had been rectified. From the early nineteenth century, Christian missionaries began to settle New Zealand, eventually converting most of the Mâori population, who had become disillusioned with their indigenous faith by the introduction of Western culture.
 
                       
 
Fact File :
Location : New Zealand lies between 37 and 47 degrees south of the Tropic of Capricorn. Both the North and South Island's of New Zealand enjoy moderate, maritime climate, weather and temperatures.
Area : 268,680 km² (75th) 103,738 sq mi
Capital : Wellington
Time Zone: NZST9 (UTC+12) - Summer (DST) NZDT (UTC+13)
Language : English (98%)3 Mâori (4.2
Religion: Statistics on religion re
Climate : New Zealand does not have a large temperature range, lacking the extremes found in most continental climates. However, New Zealand weather can change unexpectedly—as cold fronts or tropical cyclones quickly blow in. Because of this, you should be prepared for sudden changes in weather and temperature if you're going hiking or doing other outdoor activities. Spring - September, October, November Summer - December, January, February Autumn - March, April, May Winter - June, July, August
Clothing : Dress is informal and relaxed on most occasions. Smart casual clothes are acceptable at most restaurants and night-spots. Men are generally not expected to wear suits and ties, except in a few of the top formal bars and restaurants in major cities. In summer a light jacket or sweater should be included in your luggage should the weather turn cooler or you visit higher altitudes. You can expect some rain, so include a light rainproof jacket or coat. If visiting between May and September, pack warm winter garments and layer your clothing.