New Zealand Cultural Essentials

History And Current Events

Don’t be fooled by New Zealand’s reserved demeanor on the world stage. Despite its relative brevity, the country’s history is fast and tumultuous—better befitting its dramatic geological beginnings ...more

Culture

Largely shaped by its short, intense history as a peopled land, Kiwis pride themselves on their well-balanced culture. Best characterized by its most beloved sporting hero, Sir Edmund Hillary, the country ...more

Demographics

With only 4.1 million people, New Zealand has a lot of wide open spaces. Nearly three-quarters of the population live on North Island and half of those in Auckland alone. As a result, New Zealand has ...more

Sports

New Zealand is a sports-crazed nation; almost half the population belongs to the New Zealand Sports Assembly, 150 national sporting associations. In addition to the multitude of outdoor sports, including ...more

Food and Drink

In the tradition of the earliest inhabitants’ dinners of roast moa and kumara (sweet potato), New Zealanders still maintain a largely meat-and-potatoes diet. While vegetarian and vegan options ...more

Art, Literature and Film

A number of prominent and critically acclaimed artists hail from New Zealand. Frances Hodgkins (1869-1947) and Colin McCahon (1919-1987) are two of the most famous 20th-century Kiwi painters. Hodgkins ...more