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New Zealand : An Example Of A Country

Decent Essays

Every country of the world is unique in its own way. Countries that are closer to each other, perhaps on the same continent, tend to have more similar characteristics. However, some countries are fairly isolated from others, making them rather diverse. New Zealand is an example of a country that contains some similarities and some differences with other countries. New Zealand’s history, politics, culture, economy, and geography are all particularly captivating.
New Zealand has a very rich history. The first inhabitants of New Zealand were the Maori. These Polynesian people first reached the islands in A.D. 900, and remained the sole inhabitants of the nation for some time. In 1642, Abel Tasman led the Dutch East India Company to the …show more content…

New Zealand’s troops fought on the side of the UK in both world wars, serving in Europe in both and in the Pacific in World War Two. In 1951, the ANZUS Pact was signed regarding military matters with the US and Australia. New Zealand was also a founding member of SEATO, or the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization in 1954. In May of 2006, troops were sent to join the intervention force, which includes Australia, Portugal, and Malaysia. The fighting was in Timor-Leste, or East Timor. The goal was to end the violence that had begun, due to the discrimination in the military. In August of 2006, the Maori queen Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu died at age 75. This queen reigned for forty years, and her death prompted a week of mourning. In October of 2007, police arrested seventeen people in anti-terror raids. The arrested people were Maori activists that were accused of planning violence against the white majority. The history of New Zealand is diverse in some areas, and similar to other countries in others. New Zealand’s government is a parliamentary democracy. Similar to Great Britain, there is no written constitution. In 1993, the legislature was expanded to 120 members. These members serve terms of three years, and are elected by a mixed system which is based on proportional representation, not universal suffrage. The Queen of New Zealand is the British monarch, and the

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