New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country located in the south-western Pacific Ocean. It is made up of 2 larger islands and several small ones. Its closest neighbors to the north are New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga, while its closest neighbor to the south is Australia.

The indigenous people of New Zealand, the Maori, named the country Aotearoa. Maori people make up the second largest percentage of the population of New Zealand, behind those of European descent.Statistics New Zealand: Ethnic population projections: issues and trends

The first Europeans known to have explored New Zealand were the Dutch in 1642, but violent conflicts with the Maori led them to leave the islands. In 1840, British representatives negotiated with the Maori and signed The Treaty of Waitangi on February 6, 1840.New Zealand in History: The history of New Zealand

• Mahalo's page on New Zealand Tours

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  Creative Commons image by "CIA The World Factbook"

• Official Site: Map of New Zealand

• Wikipedia: Geography of New Zealand

• New Zealand Tourism Online: New Zealand's Geography and Geology