New Zealand

General information:

is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main landmasses ‒ that of the North and South Islands ‒ and numerous smaller islands. New Zealand is situated some 1, 500 kilometres east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1, 000 kilometres south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. It has an area of 268, 680 square km including Antipodes islands, Auckland islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell islands, Chatham islands, Kermadec Islands. Making it slightly smaller than Italy and Japan, and a little larger than United Kingdom. These islands are the main areas of land that emerged from the largely submerged continent of Zealandia. New Zealand has 15, 134 km (9, 398 mi) of coastline and extensive marine resources. The country claims the fifth-largest Exclusive Economic Zone in the world, covering over four million square kilometres (1.5 million sq mi), more than 15 times its land area.[1] It has no land borders.

Government:

Her Majesty's Government in New Zealand, is the administrative complex through which authority is exercised in New Zealand. Based on the Westminster system of responsible government, executive power in New Zealand is based on the principle that " The Queen reigns, but the government rules, so long as it has the support of the House of Representatives".

The head of state of New Zealand, the Queen – represented in New Zealand by the Governor-General – follows the advice of the government and plays only a formal role in the executive, except with respect to the formation and dismissal of governments and the use of their reserve powers.

The head of government in New Zealand is the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is de facto indirectly elected, in that they are not directly elected by the people of New Zealand but become Prime Minister by (usually) becoming the leader of the largest party in Parliament following a general election. Formally, they are appointed and can be dismissed by the Governor-General of New Zealand.

Economy:

New Zealand has a market economy that is greatly dependent on international trade, mainly with Australia, the European Union, the United States, China, South Korea and Japan. It has only small manufacturing and high-tech sectors, being strongly focused on tourism and primary industries such as agriculture. Free-market reforms of recent decades have removed many barriers to foreign investment, and the World Bank in 2005 praised New Zealand as being the most business-friendly country in the world, before Singapore.

Traditions and customs:

In matter of social behavior the way of saluting is shaking hands no matter the genre. By it it's a woman with a man in a formal way – the man waits for a woman to do the first movements. Maori people use a hug or the traditional hongi, which consists on getting close nose to nose closing their eyes and making a sound. An other salut - called Kia Ora – consists on wishing good blessings to the other person. Nowadays this salut has been used more and more by people in general.

New Zealand families like spending their free time in their homes and do barbecues. Moreover people are hospital and they often invite person in their homes a little after know them.

New Zealand has a national day called «Waitangi» celebrated every year on february 6th. In this historic day people are celebrate that in 1810 the British Council firmed an agreement allowing New Zealand to be a British colony an the protection of Maori people under the British. There are many other festivals which New Zealand celebrates, such as the Auckland Folk Festival, New Zealand international arts festival, Biennial Wellington Jazz festival, New Zealand fringe Festival, the International Comedy festival, Folcloric Wellington Festival and others.

Other days of celebrations are the «Anzac» (day which honours the army of New Zealand, in this day special rugby games and dancing) and the birthday of the Queen Elizabeth II (the first mondat of june, in this day there is a parade on her honour with music and dancing).