New Zealand
From Wikipaddle
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Background Information
New Zealand is a country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean comprising two large islands (the North Island and the South Island) and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island and the Chatham Islands. In Māori, New Zealand is also known as Aotearoa, which is usually translated into English as the Land of the Long White Cloud.
The Realm of New Zealand also includes the Cook Islands and Niue, which are self-governing, but in free association; Tokelau; and the Ross Dependency (New Zealand's territorial claim in Antarctica).
New Zealand, Hawaii and Easter Island form what is known by anthropologists as the Polynesian Triangle.
New Zealand is notable for its geographic isolation, being separated from Australia to the northwest by the Tasman Sea, some 2000 kilometres (1250 miles) across. Its closest neighbours to the north are New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga.
The population is mostly of European descent, with the indigenous Māori being the largest minority. Non-Māori Polynesian and Asian people are also significant minorities, especially in the cities.
Elizabeth II, as the Queen of New Zealand, is the Head of State and is represented, in her absence, by a non-partisan Governor-General; the Queen 'reigns but does not rule', so she has no real political influence. Political power is held by the democratically-elected Parliament of New Zealand under the leadership of the Prime Minister who is the Head of Government.
Regions:
North Island
- Northland
- Auckland
- Coromandel
- Bay of Plenty
- Waikato
- Rotorua
- Eastland
- Taupo
- Ruapehu
- Taranaki
- Hawke's Bay
- Wanganui
- Manawatu
- Wairarapa
- Wellington
South Island
- Nelson
- Marlborough
- West Coast
- Christchurch
- Canterbury
- Mt Cook
- Wanaka
- Queenstown
- Otago
- Dunedin
- Fiordland
- Southland
Kayaking
New Zealand has a rich kayaking culture and is home to many rivers and a large kayaking industry. Notable is the abundance of whitewater rivers, lakes and easy access to oceans. In New Zealand there is no point where you can be more than 120 kilometers away from the sea, and even less to bodies of water.
Rivers
There are thousands of rivers and streams in New Zealand. Below is a short list of some of the most popular whitewater rivers for kayakers, canoeists and rafters. Next to each river name is a number indicating its difficulty on the International Scale of River Difficulty at the most commonly paddled points.
- Wairoa #2-5
- Kaituna #3-5
- Tongoriro #
- Motu
- Rangitikei
- Mohaka
- Gowan
- Buller
- Matakitaki
- Grey
- Shotover
- Kawarau
- Rangitata
