Overview and history of New Zealand
Hometown of Changbaiyun"
100% Pure Country"
(1) Geography and human environment
New Zealand (English name: New Zealand), located in the southwest of the Pacific Ocean, 33 degrees to 53 degrees south latitude, 160 degrees to 173 degrees west longitude, between the equator and the Antarctic, west of the Tasman Sea, about the closest to the east coast of Australia 1500 kilometers. The whole country is composed of two large islands, south and north, Stewart Island and some small islands nearby. Between the north and south islands in the Cook Strait. The land area is about 268,600 square kilometers, which is similar to the area of Britain and Japan. New Zealand has a coastline of 15,000 kilometers and a territorial sea area of about 4 million square kilometers, which is 15 times its land area.
[Climate characteristics] New Zealand has a temperate maritime climate, the temperature difference is not big in four seasons, the plants grow very lush, the forest coverage rate reaches 29%, and natural pastures or farms occupy almost half of the country ’s land area. The vast forests and pastures make New Zealand a veritable green kingdom. New Zealand is rich in hydropower resources, and 80% of the country ’s electricity is hydroelectric. There are many volcanoes and hot springs in North Island, and many glaciers and lakes in South Island. The New Zealand season in the southern hemisphere is opposite to the northern hemisphere, with summer from December to February and winter from June to August. The average temperature in summer is about 20 ℃, the average temperature in winter is about 10 ℃, and the annual temperature difference generally does not exceed 15 ℃. The average annual rainfall is 600-1500 mm across the country.
[Administrative divisions] New Zealand has 11 regions, 5 single jurisdictions, and the Chatham Islands territory; there are 67 regional administrative agencies (including 13 city halls, 53 district councils, and the Chatham Islands Parliament).
Wellington, the capital, is located at the southern tip of the North Island and is the southernmost capital in the world. The city has an area of 266.25 square kilometers. As of June 2018, it has a population of about 400,000. It is the second-largest city in New Zealand, and it is the cultural center of Oceania along with Sydney and Melbourne.
Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, is the national industrial, commercial, and economic and trade center. Auckland is located in the Auckland area of New Zealand's North Island. It has 56 small islands, half inland towns, and half seaside towns, making it a diverse water world. Almost all of the world ’s major multinational companies have offices in Auckland. Auckland is actually New Zealand ’s “economic capital”, an important gateway to New Zealand ’s foreign trade and tourism, and a hub for roads, railways and air transportation. Auckland City is New Zealand's largest commercial and financial center. The headquarters of New Zealand's stock exchange and many major banks are located here. Other major cities in New Zealand are: Christchurch (Christchurch), Hamilton, Dunedin, Tauranga, etc. Famous tourist cities include Queenstown on the South Island, Taupo and Rotorua on the North Island.
Population and Ethnicity
As of June 2019, New Zealand's population is 4.92 million. The population of New Zealand reached 1 million in 1908, 2 million in 1952, 3 million in 1973, and 4 million in 2003. In the past few years, New Zealand ’s population has grown particularly fast, with a growth rate of 2.1% in 2016 and 2017. In the past year as of September 2018, the population has increased by 90,000. According to the 2013 census data from Statistics New Zealand, 68% of European immigrants, 14% are Maori, 11% are Asian, and 7% are Pacific Islanders.
New Zealand has a high degree of urbanization, with more than 57% of the population living in cities with more than 30,000 people, mainly settled in the three major areas of Auckland, Wellington, and Canterbury. The population of Auckland area accounts for about 1/3 of the total population of the country.
The main ethnic groups of New Zealand are European descendants and Maori. Among them, the descendants of European immigrants accounted for 74%, the Maori accounted for 15%, the Asians accounted for 12%, and the Pacific Islanders accounted for 7% (partially multi-ethnic identity).
In recent years, the number of Asian immigrants has been increasing. The latest census data released by Statistics New Zealand shows that the proportion of Asians is continuing to rise. At present, it has become the third-largest ethnic group in New Zealand, with a total of 231,000 Chinese, and residents account for 15.1% of the total population. In addition, among newly added residents, the proportion of immigrants born in China accounted for 2.9%, making it the second-largest overseas birthplace (the first in the United Kingdom), and Chinese (including Northern languages and Cantonese) also became the third largest language in New Zealand. Chinese residents are mainly distributed in large cities such as Auckland to engage in commercial activities, etc., and their social status is constantly improving.
Language and Religion
The official languages of New Zealand are English and Maori. Popular foreign languages include Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, and Spanish.Christianity is the most important religious belief in New Zealand. About 48.9% of the residents believe in Protestantism and Catholicism.
Customs and customs
New Zealand's folk customs are simple, full of adventure spirit, love nature, and field life, and have a strong sense of environmental protection. The Maori still retain strong traditional customs. Most of them believed in primitive polytheism, believed that "the soul is immortal," and respected the ancestors' spirits.New Zealanders meet and bid farewell with a handshake ceremony. The traditional way of shaking hands is to shake hands tightly. In general, men should wait for women to reach out first. The Maori people have a custom of nose-nosing when welcoming distinguished guests. The longer you touch your nose, the higher the courtesy, and the more popular it is. To take pictures of others, especially Maori, you must obtain the consent of the other party in advance.
(2) Transportation situation
Highway
The total mileage of New Zealand's national highways is about 94,000 kilometers. Among them, 11,000 kilometers are national highways and 83,000 kilometers are local highways. New Zealand is one of the countries with the highest road mileage per capita in the world, and about 70% of freight is transported by road. Because New Zealand is isolated from other countries, there are no road routes connecting other countries.Railway
The New Zealand Railway is operated by KiwiRail Ltd., which is a subsidiary of New Zealand Railway Group, New Zealand ’s largest railway transportation operator, and is headquartered in Wellington. The total railway mileage is about 4000 kilometers.New Zealand's railways were originally used for cargo transportation, connecting major cities in the North and South Island. With the development of the highway system, the freight transport function of the railway is gradually weakened, and it has been converted into three uses for freight, passenger, and sightseeing, and the number of trains is less. The New Zealand Intercity Railway is only commonly used in the Wellington area. It is mainly used to transport people from the city center and the three surrounding satellite cities to and from work.
Air Freight
There are 4 international airports nationwide, namely Auckland Airport, Wellington Airport, Christchurch Airport, and Queenstown Airport. Among them, Auckland Airport is the largest, with multiple international routes connecting Asia, Europe, the Americas, and neighboring countries, including Pacific Island countries. About 70% of international tourists enter the Auckland Airport. Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown airports are relatively small, and the main international routes are to Australia, Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.New Zealand domestic routes are mainly operated by New Zealand Airlines and JetStar Airlines. The aviation system in New Zealand is relatively developed, and there are airline connections between cities. Due to the large number of extreme sports enthusiasts, the number of New Zealand private small aircraft and the number of people holding private flight licenses are among the highest in the world.
Water transportation
New Zealand's import and export goods are transported by sea, so there are many ports and developed facilities. There are 13 main ports in New Zealand, of which Auckland Port, Tauranga Port, and Christchurch Liteton Port are the three larger ports with a port throughput capacity of about 48 million tons. In addition, there are several daily ferry trips between Wellington in New Zealand's North Island and Picton in the South Island.(3) Political environment
New Zealand is an independent country in the Commonwealth, and the Queen of England is its nominal head of state. The Governor of New Zealand exercises authority as the representative of the Queen of England in national ceremonial activities. The Governor is appointed by the Queen and is served by New Zealanders for a five-year term.
Politics
New Zealand is a parliamentary country with a multi-party cabinet system. The Governor appointed the leader of the political party that won the parliamentary election to form the cabinet. The Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the legislature have state power. The cabinet is made up of the majority party in Congress.Constitution
New Zealand has no written constitution. Its constitution is composed of a series of laws and amendments successively passed by the British Parliament and the New Zealand Parliament and certain decisions of the British Privy Council.Parliament
One-house system, with only the House of Representatives, was established in 1854. Members are elected by universal suffrage for a term of 3 years.Government
The executive council composed of governors and ministers is the statutory highest administrative body. The Executive Council is presided over by the Governor, who is presided over by the Prime Minister or senior minister when the Governor is absent. The Governor ’s exercise of power must be guided by the recommendations of the Executive Council. The cabinet has real power.Party
There are 18 registered political parties in New Zealand, mainly the National Party, the Labor Party, the Green Party, the New Zealand Action Party, the Maori Party, the United Future Party and the Progressive Party.(4) Diplomatic situation
New Zealand emphasizes that the fundamental purpose of foreign policy is to safeguard the world, especially the peace in the Pacific region, to safeguard New Zealand ’s sovereignty and security, and to safeguard economic interests; to take relations with Australia and Pacific island countries as a foothold for foreign political, defense, and economic relations; Asia-Pacific region as a priority area for foreign relations; actively improve relations with the United States, maintain traditional relations with European countries, emphasize the development of political and economic relations with emerging Latin American countries; actively support and participate in United Nations peacekeeping operations and humanitarian assistance, seeking to play in international organizations Role; attach importance to participating in regional economic cooperation and actively promote trade and investment liberalization; emphasize the defensive nature of the military and participate in multiple functions such as peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance; advocate continuing to promote the international nuclear disarmament process and eventually completely destroy nuclear weapons; adhere to the South Pacific non-nuclear Area, support the establishment of a Southeast Asia nuclear-free zone; actively participate in international anti-terrorist cooperation, oppose the Iraq war, and actively participate in the post-war reconstruction of Afghanistan and Iraq; pay attention to the Korean nuclear issue, oppose North Korea ’s development of nuclear weapons, and hope that the Korean nuclear issue will be adopted Flat way solved.
Relationship with the United Kingdom
New Zealand is a member of the British Commonwealth, and has a traditional relationship with the United Kingdom in history and culture. High-level contacts between the two sides are frequent. The UK was once New Zealand's largest trading partner and has now retreated to New Zealand's 8th largest trading partner, 6th largest exporter, and the 8th largest source of imports, and it is also the 2nd largest source of investment. According to statistics from New Zealand, in 2018, the bilateral trade volume between New Zealand and Britain was S $ 5.7 billion, of which New Zealand ’s exports were S $ 3 billion and imports were S $ 2.7 billion. The United Kingdom is New Zealand's fourth-largest source of tourists, with 237,000 new visitors to the country in 2018.Relationship with Australia
Established diplomatic relations in 1943. New Zealand prioritizes its relationship with Australia in its foreign defense policy. The leaders of the two countries meet regularly and have frequent contacts. The two sides have close cooperation in the political, economic, social and security, and international fields.In 1983, the two countries signed the Agreement on Further Close Economic Relations (CER). In 1990, the two countries announced the establishment of a free trade area and the elimination of tariffs. In 1996, the two countries signed the "Single Air Market Agreement" to ensure that the airlines of the two countries enjoy "unrestricted flying rights" in the other country. In 1998, the two countries signed the "Trans-Tasman Tourism Arrangement", which stipulates that citizens of the two countries can freely live and work in the other country. In January 2007, the two countries reached a consensus on continuing to promote a single economic market.
Australia is New Zealand's second-largest trading partner and the largest source of investment. According to statistics from New Zealand, in 2018, the bilateral trade volume between New Zealand and Australia was 26.7 billion Singapore dollars, of which New Zealand's exports were 14.1 billion Singapore dollars and imports were 12.6 billion Singapore dollars. Australia is New Zealand's largest source of tourists. In 2018, Australia visited 1.49 million new tourists.
Relationship with the United States
Established diplomatic relations in 1942. In 1951, New Zealand, the United States, and Australia concluded the "Australia-New Zealand-US Security Treaty", and New Zealand became an ally of the United States. After the "911" incident, New Zealand supported US anti-terrorist operations and sent special forces to cooperate with US military operations in Afghanistan. In January 2010, New Zealand and the United States signed the "Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement."The United States is New Zealand's fourth-largest trading partner and third-largest source of investment. According to statistics from New Zealand, in 2018, the bilateral trade volume between New Zealand and the United States was S $ 18.1 billion, of which New Zealand ’s exports were S $ 8.7 billion and imports were S $ 9.4 billion. The United States is New Zealand's third-largest source of tourists. In 2018, the United States visited 352,000 new tourists, second only to Australia and China.
Relationship with the EU
New Zealand values its relationship with the EU. The EU is New Zealand's third-largest trading partner. According to statistics from New Zealand, in 2018, New Zealand's trade with the EU was S $ 23.4 billion, of which New Zealand's exports were S $ 9.4 billion and its imports were S $ 14 billion.History of New Zealand
New Zealand is the latest continent discovered by mankind and the youngest country in the world. New Zealand has been uninhabited for 50 million years. It was not until the tenth century AD that Polynesian navigators from the Cook Islands and Tahiti came to New Zealand by canoe. According to legend, the first discoverer of New Zealand was an explorer named Kupe. He named this newly discovered land Aotearoa, meaning "home of long white clouds."
By the 12th century, many population settlements in New Zealand had been established; since 1350, Maori settled in New Zealand and became the original residents of New Zealand in history. "Maori" actually means "normal" or "ordinary people" in Maori, because at that time Europeans asked the locals what their ethnic names should be called, and the locals answered that they were normal-and foreign Seen as an abnormal or abnormal person (Pakeha).
The earliest Maori lived on fishing and hunting. When the European colonists arrived in the 17th century, the Maori were still in the primitive clan society. They developed a culture based on agriculture, fishery and hunting, and produced ingenious wood-carving art and were good at using stone tools for production activities. The main means of production are public property, but individuals and families possess certain means of living. The results of collective labor are distributed under the auspices of the tribal chief. The tools and weapons self-made and seized during the war belong to the individual. However, the Maori people have begun to divide the class, chiefs and ordinary people are already different, chiefs have a special status. At the lowest level of society are slaves, who are mainly captives captured in war. Slaves are engaged in some of the humblest jobs, and the chiefs are mainly responsible for guidance and organization. People with working abilities must do the necessary labor, but the division of labor between men and women is different. Men are mainly engaged in hunting, planting, and collecting food. Women are responsible for cooking, weaving, and collecting firewood.
In 1642, the Dutch navigator Abel Jansson Tasman discovered New Zealand ’s west coast area in an ocean adventure. After being attacked by the Maori, he quickly left and named New Zealand after the name of a region in the Netherlands-Nieuw Zealand, and painted Map of some West Coast regions.
From 1769 to 1777, Captain Cook went to New Zealand five times. In 1769, the English explorer Captain James Cook was the first European to set foot on this land. They studied the orbit of Venus transit in the South Pacific, and then discovered here.
James Cook found the news of the New World spread wildly, and then early settlers arrived in New Zealand looking for wood, rope-made linen, and oil-producing whales. Some early visitors settled here, bringing materials from Western countries, such as tools and rifles, as well as alcohol and disease. Missionaries soon followed, and settlements began to gradually build up. The British first came to New Zealand as the first colonists. They came to New Zealand with the purpose of predation. Whether it is whaling, sealing, logging or other resources, there will be conflicts of interest with indigenous peoples The order of life of New Zealand ’s indigenous people has caused great disruption and caused a large number of deaths of indigenous people.
Later, because of economic and trade reasons, France and the United States also became interested in New Zealand. In particular, France wants to usurp the rights of Britain and turn New Zealand into a French colony. Because some laws were not well implemented and the threat of French colonists, British colonists began to take measures to strengthen control of New Zealand.
In 1832-1839, the British government decided to appoint James Busby to protect the British economic interests in New Zealand. Busby united many Maori tribes on the North Island and then established the "United Tribal Patriarch of the Commonwealth of New Zealand".
Early British colonization of New Zealand was controlled by British colonial authorities in Australia. It was not until 1840 that Navy captains William and Hobson were appointed by the British as the British Consul in New Zealand. Their mission was to obtain British rule over New Zealand by signing a treaty with the local Maori chief. On January 29, 1840, Hobson arrived in New Zealand. The British bought land from the Maori at a very low price and then sold it to the colonists at a high price. The proceeds were used to build roads and other public works and to buy more land. When Hobson arrived in New Zealand, he began to exercise his functions as acting governor.
On February 6, 1840, the Maori and the British royal family signed the Treaty of Waitangi in the town of Waitangi in the Bay of Islands. This treaty made New Zealand a colony of the royal family. This treaty is regarded as the founding document of New Zealand. The anniversary of the signing-February 6th, is celebrated as the New Zealand National Day, also known as Waitangi Festival, which is a national holiday.
1. The treaty gives early pioneers the right to settle in New Zealand and promises the Maori to continue to own their land, forests and fisheries as they wish;
2. The treaty states that the Maori will make their own decisions on land and lifestyle, and promise to establish a government to enable all people to live a peaceful and legal life;
3. The treaty also established that New Zealanders enjoy the rights of British citizens;
4. The treaty is still "current" and is a very controversial topic in New Zealand concerning ethnic relations.
On the day the treaty was signed, 43 chiefs from the north signed the treaty. Within the next 8 months, more than 500 chiefs from across the country signed the treaty. The place and building where the treaty was signed are still intact. "Waitangi Historical Reserve" has now become a tourist attraction, where there is a large Maori synagogue, a colonial church, a historic flagpole, and a long Maori warship.
After the signing of this treaty, more people began to settle here. Most people settled on the southern island, where the land was suitable for farming, and gold mines were found in Otago and the West Coast area.
In 1852, New Zealand was granted internal autonomy. Until 1876, New Zealand implemented a provincial system, and the province as an administrative region was abolished in 1876. In 1879, all men who had reached the age of 21 gained the right to vote. The term of office of the House of Representatives was reduced from 5 to 3 years. In 1889. The principle of one person, one vote has been implemented. In 1893, women gained equal voting rights with men, and New Zealand became the first country in the world to grant women the right to vote.
In the 19th century, more people lived on the North Island than in the south. By the 1880s, the country ’s population had increased to 200,000, and railroads and roads had been built. Settlers had established farms. Agriculture had become the backbone of New Zealand ’s economy. At that time, Britain was still an important part of New Zealand culture and was often hailed as "hometown".
After countries such as Canada (1867) and Australia (1901) gained dominion status, with the development of New Zealand ’s capitalism and the increased influence of immigrant and descendant bourgeoisie on domestic political life, the call for autonomy Gradually strong. In 1907, the United Kingdom was forced to agree to make New Zealand a dominion, and its politics, economy, and diplomacy were under British control. Replacing the colony with the dominion is not only a change of title, but also a change of actual status. Since then, the British Parliament has no right to pass bills involving the dominion without the consent of the Dominion, and the British Parliament must modify their unsatisfactory laws in accordance with the Dominion ’s requirements. Although the dominion does not have the right to conduct diplomatic activities on its own, it has the right to decide to participate in or withdraw from commercial treaties related to their own interests, and has no obligation to play an active role in the war in which Britain participated. This change in the relationship between the dominion and the sovereign state was formally determined by the British Empire Colonial Conference held in 1907. At this time, New Zealand already possessed some basic characteristics of sovereign states.
Britain declared war on Germany on August 4th, and New Zealand also formally joined the war with other dominions. New Zealand showed loyalty to the British Empire in this war and actively sent troops into the war. In this world war, New Zealand mobilized a total of more than 120,000 troops, and the number of troops sent overseas to participate in the war reached 117,000, accounting for 109 of the total population of New Zealand. The number of casualties exceeded 56,000, including 16,000 deaths. Injured 40,000 people, one casualty per 17 residents.
In 1935, the New Zealand Labor Party Government was elected. The government carried out a series of social reforms, including a 40-hour workweek and a state-sponsored health and welfare system. After the start of World War II, New Zealand sent troops again. 10% of the country ’s population went abroad to fight. After the war, the international market demand for New Zealand ’s agricultural products increased.
In 1947, he became a sovereign country and a member of the Commonwealth.
