If you have never visited the island country of New Zealand, you probably think of the place as the sleepy set of the Lord of the Rings films, which is full of sheep and does not have much else to offer beyond its luscious landscapes and gentle rivers. Well prepare for your mind to be (semi) blown away by the following list of lesser known facts about “The Land of the Long White Cloud” (the English translation of “Aotearoa“, what the native Maori people call NZ).
- Potential NZ tourists planning a a fly drive New Zealand break should know that there drivers drive on the LEFT side of the roads, and always give way to cars on the right.
- Bungee jumping was invented in New Zealand! Woooooah!
- Ninety mile beach which is favoured amongst those who take New Zealand holidays is actually only 55 miles long!
- 94% of the people in NZ jails are male. Seems like they’ve got their women well controlled!
- It is common knowledge that there are a lot of sheep in the ‘Zealand but amazingly, there is nine to every individual? That’s a massive amount sheep!
- Of the world’s exports of sheep meat, NZ is accountable for 54%. Tasty
- New Zealand also has the number of ratio of book shops and golf course per person than any country in the world. This might sound snooze-tastic but it has been enough to convince many people to migrate there – one for every 25 mins and 49 secs in fact!
- In order to become an offical New Zealand citizen, you have to swear an oath of loyalty to Queen Elizabeth. Hail the Queen!
- Possums and rabbits are considered pests in New Zealand and residents often kill them. The latter I cannot understand because rabbits are adorable!
- Around 14,000 earthquakes occur in New Zealand every year. Earth shattering!
New Zealand tours are the best way to get the most out of your visit to New Zealand.
