New Zealand - Bridge-online.cz

1 11 GeographyNew Zealand consists of twoislands that are located south east of Australia in the SouthPacific. Both islands are wellknown for their beautifulscenery. There are activevolcanoes, caves, deep glaciallakes, amazing fjords, and longsandy beaches. The majority of the peoplelive on the North Island, mainlyforits mild climate andeconomic potential, since thecapital city, Wellington, as wellas the largest city, Auckland,are also situated here. NewZealand's largest natural lake, the Taupo,is also to be found on the North Island. On the South Island you can find theSouthern Alps, a 300 mile long mountainrange, with the highest peak Mount Cook(3,754 metres). There are more than 360glaciers in the Southern Alps. HistoryIt is generally agreed that the firstsettlers in New Zealand came fromEastern Polynesia in the Central Pacificaround AD 800. These were most likelythe ancestorsof the Maori first European to reach New Zealandwas a Dutch sailor, Abel Tasman, in1642.

2 However, it was the British navalofficer James Cook who really exploredthe country and colonists and tradesmensoon followed him to the islands. Great Britain took control ofthe SouthIsland by right of discovery, and theNorth Island also became a British colonyin 1840, when the Treatyof Waitangi wassigned by the Maori northern chiefs. TheMaori were promised protection. A fewyears later war broke out between theMaori and the British, as some Maoriwere not willing to selltheir land to thenewcomers and felt deceivedby theTreaty. The Maori resistancewas more orless crushed by effortto achieve independencefrom Britain culminatedafter WWII, andNew Zealand became formallyindependent in 1947. It is still a memberof the systemNew Zealand is a constitutionalmonarchy in which the British monarch isthe formal head of state and appointsa governor general. Legislative powerresides with the single chamberHouseof Representatives (Parliament), whosemembers are elected for three yearterms.

3 The party that has a majority inthe House forms the government, whichcomprises the prime minister (the leaderof the winning party) and their are two major parties National majority of the population (about74 per cent) are made up of those ofEuropean descent. The Maoris form thesecond largest group (about percent). New Zealanders are known forbeing friendly and easygoing. HolidaysSince 1960, February 6 is celebratedby New Zealanders as Waitangi Day. It isan occasion for thanksgiving, and forremembering the signing of the Treaty recognise Anzac Day, a publicholiday held on 25 April each year. This isa holiday to honour those NewZealanders who were killed in the twoworld wars. The holiday celebrates thosevalues admirable about this nation comradeship, unity, courage, self sacrifice, and ormov , Phil Jones (Great Britain)New ZealandNew Zealand New Zealand 's flag, like the Australian one, hasa royal blue background with a small UnionJack, the flag of Great Britain, in the top-leftcorner.

4 The four five-pointed red stars representthe Southern Cross star formationthat is foundin the Southern lake["gleISl leIk] ledovcov jezeromainly for hlavn kv liancestor["&nsEst@] p edch dcetradesman["treIdzm@n] obchodn ktook control by right of discovery[k@n"tr@UldI"skVv(@)ri] ovl pr vem objeviteletreaty["tri:ti] dohoda, smlouvato break out vypuknoutwere not willing to to the newcomers andfelt deceived["nju:kVm@z dI"si:vd] nebyli p ist hovalc m a c tili se podvedeniresistance[rI"zIst(@)ns] culminated["Ef@t "kVlmIneItId] appoint[@"pOInt] jmenovatlegislative power resides with the single chamber["lEdZIsl@tIv rI"zaIdz "tSeImb@] z konod rn moc p slu jednokomorov mudescent[dI"sEnt] p vodeasygoing[%i:zi"g@UIN] pohodov celebrates those values admirable about thisnation["v&lju:z "&dm(@)r@b(@)l] oslavujevlastnosti, kter jsou na tomto n rodu obdivuhodn comradeship["kQmreIdSIp] kamar dstv ,soudr nostself sacrifice[%sElf"s&krIfaIs] ob tavoststar formation[fO:"meIS(@)n] souhv zd Maori people performing their traditonal Zealand 's largestnatural lake, the TaupoTotal area: 268,680 sq kmPopulation: 4 millionCapital: 11:12 Str nka 11