Text 4. New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean. It comprises two large islands (the North and the South Islands) and numerous smaller islands. New Zealand is separated from Australia by the Tasman Sea. The total land areais 268,680 km². The country has extensive marine resources. The islands are mountainous and are also marked by volcanoes. The highest peak is Mount Cook. The capitalcity is Wellington. Because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans. Polynesians settled New Zealand in 1250–1300 and developed a distinctive Māori culture. The first Europeans who reached New Zealand were Dutch explorer Abel Tasman and his crew. In a hostile encounter, four crew members were killed and at least one Māori was shot. Europeans did not revisit New Zealand until 1769 when British explorer James Cook mapped almost the entire coastline. Following Cook, New Zealand was visited by numerous European and North American trading ships. They traded food, metal tools, weapons and other goods for timber, food, artefacts and water. In 1840 the British and Māori signed a treaty making New Zealand a colony of the British Empire. From the early 19th century, Christian missionaties began to settle New Zealand, eventually converting most of the Māori population. In 1907, at the request of the New Zealand Parliament,King Edward VII proclaimed New Zealand a dominion within the British Empire, reflecting its self-governing status.Today New Zealand is a permanent member of the Commonwealth of Nations.The population of the country is about 4.2 ml. The majority ofNew Zealand's population is of European origin. New Zealand has three official languages: New Zealand English, the Maori language, and New Zealand Sign Language. In practice only English is widely used. New Zealand has a developed economy and a high standard of living. Principal export industries are agriculture, gardening, fishing, and forestry. Tourism plays a significant role in New Zealand's economy. It contribute s almost 9% to New Zealand’s total GDP. The most developed industries are machinery, textile, furniture, and food industry. New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government. Queen Elizabeth II is the Queen of New Zealand. The Queen’s position is largely symbolic. She is represented by the Governor-General. Political power is held by the Parliament of New Zealand and the Prime Minister. The legislature is represented by Parliament, which has only one chamber, the House of Representatives. Parliamentary general elections are held every three years. The leading political parties of the country are the Labour Party, the New Zealand First, the Conservative Party of New Zealand and others. The Prime Minister is the leader of Parliament as well as the head of the Government. The Cabinet is the senior policy-making body and is led by the Prime Minister. The Governor-General has the power to appoint and dismiss the Prime Ministers and to dissolve Parliament. The Governor-General also chairs the Executive Council. The Executive Council is a formal committee of all the Crown ministers. New Zealand's judiciary includes the Supreme Court of New Zealand (the highest court); the High Court; the Court of Appeal; and subordinate courts.New Zealand is a member of the following geopolitical organisations: APEC, East Asia Summit, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the United Nations.

Поиск по сайту: