| New Zealand is a country that is located in the South Pacific ocean. |
| The country is made up of two large islands, |
| the North Island and the South Island, |
| which are separated by a narrow channel of water. |
| Although New Zealand has many beautiful mountains and forests, |
| much of the land is used for farming. |
| In fact, New Zealand has almost 70 million sheep, but only 4 million people! |
| New Zealand’s farms are also famous for their delicious fruit, especially apples and kiwi fruit. |
| About 10% of the people who live in New Zealand belong to an ethnic group called the Maori. |
| The Maori came to New Zealand by boats from small Polynesian islands. |
| They arrived about 1000 years ago, |
| and lived by farming, hunting, and fishing. |
| About 200 years ago, many more people came to New Zealand. |
| These people were from the British Isles, |
| and they came to New Zealand to begin farms. |
| Today, most of the people of New Zealand are descended from people who came from Britain. |
| During the 19th century, some wars started between the Maori and the British settlers. |
| After years of fighting, the two sides signed a treaty to end the wars. |
| Today the Maori have achieved equal rights, |
| but there are still some disagreements about land ownership. |
| In recent years, many more people have come to New Zealand, |
| mostly from Asian countries and from other Pacific Islands. |
| There are three large cities in New Zealand. |
| Auckland is the largest city, with more than 1 million people. |
| It is located in the northern part of North Island. |
| The capital city of New Zealand is Wellington. |
| It is located in the southern part of the North Island. |
| The largest city of the South Island is Christchurch. |
| The cities of New Zealand are very modern and clean. |
| Many tourists enjoy visiting the cities of New Zealand, |
| but they also enjoy the beautiful countryside. |
| New Zealand is an excellent place for outdoor recreation, such as climbing or walking. |
| Most of New Zealand has a mild, or temperate, climate. |
| The summer is not very hot, and the winter is not very cold. |
| Because New Zealand is in the southern part of the world, |
| summer begins in December and winter begins in June. |
| The South Island is cooler than the North Island, |
| but both islands have similar amounts of rain. |
| This rain gives the fields and forests of New Zealand a beautiful green colour. |
| Each year, many tourists visit New Zealand, |
| to experience the beautiful countryside and the interesting cultures of its people. |
