New Ze a land

1. New Zealand

2. Some Informations • Capital city – Wellington • Largest city -Auckland • Official languages -English, Māori, NZ Sign Language • Ethnic groups – European, Maori, Asian, Pacific peoples • Government - Parliamentary democracyand Constitutionalmonarchy • Head of State -Queen Elizabeth II • Governor-General - Sir Anand Satyanand • Prime Minister - John Key • Speaker - Dr Lockwood Smith • Chief Justice - Dame Sian Elias

3. Thehistory of New Zealand dates back at least 700 years to when it was discovered and settled by Polynesians, who developed a distinct Māori culture centred on kinship links and land. The first European explorer came to New Zealand in 1642. From the late 18th century, the country was regularly visited by explorers and other sailors, missionaries, traders and adventurers. • Anthem: "God Defend New Zealand""God Save the Queen" Coats of Arms are widely used in New Zealand by major institutions, local authorities and even in some cases individuals. Their decorative qualities, symbolism and historical aspects hold an enduring interest.

4. New Zealand comprises two main islands, the North and South Islands called Te Ika a Maui and Te Wai Pounamu The South Island is the largest land mass of New Zealand, and is divided along its length by the Southern Alps, the highest peak of which is Aoraki/Mount Cook at12,320ft. Geography and Environment

5. Mitre Peak looks over the tranquil waters of Milford Sound in Fiordland. This region is an area of immense grandeur and exquisite beauty. Visitors can explore its deep and mysterious waters in vessels ranging from kayaks to cruise ships. • Climbing the Fox Glacier, one of New Zealand’s most spectacular, on the West Coast of the South Island. The massive Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers, in the West Coast of the South Island, are a must for any visitor.

6. Sports • Sport has a major role in New Zealand's culture, with the unofficial national sport of rugby union being particularly influential. Other popular participatory sports include cricket, bowls, netball, soccer, motorsport, golf, swimming and tennis. New Zealand has strong international teams in several sports including rugby union, netball, cricket, rugby league, and softball. New Zealand also has traditionally done well in the sports of rowing, yachting and cycling. • New Zealand is also well known for its extreme sports and adventure tourism

7. Canada • Capital city – Ottawa • Largest city – Toronto • Population - 28 million people • Official languages - English and French • Ethnic groups - White/European (English, French, Scottish, Irish, German),South Asian, Chinese, Aboriginal, Asian, Black/Africa, Others • The Royal Coat of Arms of Canada is, since 1921, the official coat of arms of the Canadian monarch, and thus also of Canada. It is closely modelled after the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom with distinctive Canadian elements replacing or added to those derived from the British.

8. History • Native Americans lived in Canada for thousands of years. In the early 1600s, colonists from Britain and France began to settle in eastern Canada, along the St. Lawrence River. Canada proved to be an excellent spot for trapping and trading of furs. In the 1800s, settlers began to push west. Most of the native Americans were displaced by the Europeans.

9. Geography • Location: Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US • Canada is the world's second largest country in total area after Russia • Canada has a very large and diverse range of geographic features. Canada is divided into 10 provinces and 2 territories. Canada stretches from the Pacific Ocean on the west, to the Atlantic Ocean on the east. Northern Canada reaches into the Arctic Circle, while southern Canada stretches below the northern points of the United States

10. Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Lowlands- Prior to its colonization and heavy urban sprawl of the 20th century, this area was home to large mixed forests covering a mostly flat area of land between the Appalachian Mountains and the Canadian Shield • Appalachian Mountains - The Appalachian mountain range extends from Alabama in the southern United States through the Gaspé Peninsula and the Atlantic Provinces, creating rolling hills indented by river valleys. It also runs through parts of southern Quebec.

11. Animals • The majority of Canada is still wilderness. This makes Canada a popular spot for hunting and fishing

12. Climate • With Canada being so large, the climate varies considerably throughout the country. Canada is generally known for its cold winters and hot, but short,Summers

13. Australia • Capital - CanberraLargest city - Sydney • National language - English • Ethnic groups- white,Asian,Aboriginal and other • Population – about 21 750000 • The present coat of arms was granted by King George V in 1912. It consists of a shield depicting the badges of the six Australian states, enclosed by an ermine border. The shield is a symbol for the federation of the states, which took place in 1901.

14. History • The writtenhistory of Australia began when Dutch explorers first sighted the landmass in the 17th century. The interpretation of the history of Australia is currently a matter of some contention, particularly regarding the British settlement and early treatment of Indigenous Australians • The first inhabitants of Australia were the Aborigines, who migrated there at least 40,000 years ago from Southeast Asia. There may have been between a half million to a full million Aborigines at the time of European settlement; today about 350,000 live in Australia.

15. Geography • Thegeography of Australia encompasses a wide variety of biogeographic regions being the world's smallest continent but the sixth-largest country in the world. The population of Australia is concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts. The geography of the country is extremely diverse, ranging from the snow capped mountains of the Australian Alps and Tasmania to large deserts, tropical and temperate forests

16. The Great Dividing Range, or the Eastern Highlands, is Australia's most substantial mountain range and the 4th longest in the world Victoria River is the longest river in the Northern Territory.

17. Animals • Platypus is found in eastern Australia. They live aside freshwater rivers or lakes, and create burrows for shelter and protection. They are active mainly at nighttime hours, and use their webbed feet for swimming. When swimming the platypus has its eyes shut. They swim underwater for 2 minutes, before returning to the surface for oxygen. They can however stay underwater for up to 10 minutes, and due to their natural buoyancy, they need to be underneath another object to do this. • The Koala is one of Australia's best known animals. It is an icon represented when promoting Australia to the tourist industry, and in general people adore these cuddly creatures. There are two species, the Southern Koalas and the Northern Koalas. • The huntsman spider is found throughout south-eastern Australia. It lives anywhere, favouring plants which will offer shelter such as ivy. It is very common to have huntsman spiders in urban areas, and the spiders will come inside your house.

18. Climate • In winter typical daily maximums are from 20 to 24 degrees Celsius and rain is rare, Further south, the weather is less dependable; in Melbourne in August maximums as low as 13C degrees are possible, but can reach as high as 23C • In summer, the northern states are hotter and wetter, while the southern states are simply hotter, with temperatures up to 41C in Sydney, Adelaide, and Melbourne but generally between 25C and 33C • Snow is rare in the southernmost capitals Melbourne and Hobart, falling less than once every ten years, and in the other capitals it is unknown