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Weirdest Things in New Zealand - Photo: megastudy

We backpackers can't help but adore New Zealand, the home of the hobbits, the place where wellies were invented, and the land of the long white cloud. New Zealand is a fantastic travel destination due to its beautiful scenery, friendly locals, and abundance of exciting activities.

Here are some of New Zealand's most unusual and extraordinary tourist destinations.

1. Longest Name in Any English Speaking Country

Photo: Globotreks

The longest place name in any English-speaking nation and one that has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the longest place name in the world is the 85-character Maori name for a hill in Hawke's Bay. According to a rough translation, it is Taumatawhakatangihangaoauauotameteaturipukakapikimaungah-oronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu, or "the place where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, who slid, climbed, and swallowed mountains, known as the land-eater, played his nose flute to his loved ones."

2. Get Wet in Wellington

Photo: gapyear.com

In the Wellington Cuba Mall, there is a structure made of water-filled buckets. The water spills down to the fountain, splashing people in the process and earning some notoriety. When bubbles are added to the fountain and the mall is filled with them on the weekends, you know it's party time.

3. There is a Big Obsession for Big Things

Photo: atlasobscura.com

It's not as shady as it sounds, but New Zealand towns love to make a statement by putting up massive sculptures that advertise what they are known for. Giant kiwifruits, kiwi birds, soft drink bottles, and even a giant noodle sculpture can be found in Te Puke, Otorohanga, Paeroa, and Auckland, respectively. These enormous sculptures are so numerous that we created an entire list just for them.

4. No Snakes!

There are no land snakes in New Zealand, but the yellow-bellied sea snake (Pelamis platurus) and the banded sea krait (Laticauda colubrina) occasionally pass through. These snakes migrate over great distances to the shores of New Zealand from places like the South Pacific Islands, New Guinea, Australia, and Southeast Asia where they live in salt water.

Both, despite their diminutive size, are poisonous and may be dangerous to both local wildlife and people. In New Zealand, there is a better chance of seeing a sea snake than a land snake due to 35 confirmed sightings since 1930, but chances are that you won't come across either.

5. Only One Bative Mammal

Photo: dangerous-business.com

There was only one mammal in the country prior to the arrival of settlers—a thumb-sized bat. The majority of the native fauna of the country takes the form of birds, many of which are flightless in New Zealand (such as the kiwi, takahe, weka, and kakapo) due to the absence of large land predators in the past.

However, invasive species brought by European settlers like possums, stoats, and rabbits put many native birds in danger, leading to the current plight of many of them.

6. Very High Sheep-to-Human Ratio

Photo: dangerous-business.com

New Zealand has the highest ratio of sheep to people in the world at 9 per person. Therefore, New Zealand has more than 30 million sheep despite having just a little over 4 million people living there. There are sheep farms all over the country, including sizable sheep stations on the South Island where thousands of sheep are farmed.

Due to the abundance of sheep, lamb and mutton can be found on nearly every menu in New Zealand, including the Subway menu.

7. Official Sign Language

There are 3 official languages in New Zealand. Although English is the primary language used in New Zealand, Maori is also recognized as an official tongue in recognition of the indigenous people who first inhabited the islands.The two languages are widely spoken despite the fact that only about 3% of the population actually speaks Maori. In New Zealand, the majority of place names have both a Maori and an English name, with many of them only having the Maori name. The third official language of the nation as of 2006 is NZ Sign Language. Congratulations on being one of the first nations to do this, NZ.

Isn't New Zealand so exceptional and lovely? What other information do you have about the nation? Leave a comment with them! If This Article Satisfied You,You'll most likely enjoy the following articles:

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