text:
Johnson Alive Inter
A really cool world
Sunday, 4 February 2018
Paul Rudd awarded 'Man of the Year' by Harvard University
The 48-year-old Clueless and 'Ant-Man' star Paul Rudd has been awarded 2018 'Man of the Year' by Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Theatricals group. - - - - - - - - - - - -New Zealand Listeni/njuːˈziːlənd/ (Māori: Aotearoa [aɔˈtɛaɾɔa]) is an island nation in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main landmasses – that of the North Island, or Te Ika-a-Māui, and the South Island, or Te Waipounamu – and numerous smaller islands. New Zealand is situated some 1,500 kilometres (900 mi) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilometres (600 mi) south of the Pacific island areas of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. Because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans. During its long period of isolation, New Zealand developed a distinctive biodiversity of animal, fungal and plant life. The country's varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks, such as the Southern Alps, owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions. New Zealand's capital city is Wellington, while its most populous city is Auckland. Sometime between 1250 and 1300 CE, Polynesians settled in the islands that would later become New Zealand, and developed a distinctive Māori culture. In 1642, Abel Tasman, a Dutch explorer, became the first European to sight New Zealand.[11] In 1840, representatives of the British Crown and Māori Chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, making New Zealand a British colony. Today, the majority of New Zealand's population of 4.7 million is of European descent; the indigenous Māori are the largest minority, followed by Asians and Pacific Islanders. Reflecting this, New Zealand's culture is mainly derived from Māori and early British settlers, with recent broadening arising from increased immigration. The official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language, with English predominant. New Zealand is a developed country with a market economy. New Zealand is a World Bank high-income economy and ranks highly in international comparisons of national performance, such as health, education, economic freedom and quality of life. Nationally, legislative authority is vested in an elected, unicameral Parliament, while executive political power is exercised by the Cabinet, led by the Prime Minister, who is currently John Key. Queen Elizabeth II is the country's head of state and is represented by a Governor-General. In addition, New Zealand is organised into 11 regional councils and 67 territorial authorities for local government purposes. The Realm of New Zealand also includes Tokelau (a dependent territory); the Cook Islands and Niue (self-governing states in free association with New Zealand); and the Ross Dependency, which is New Zealand's territorial claim in Antarctica. New Zealand is a member of the United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, ANZUS, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Pacific Islands Forum, and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 3 Politics 3.1 Government 3.2 Foreign relations and the military 3.3 Local government and external territories 4 Environment 4.1 Geography 4.2 Climate 4.3 Biodiversity 5 Economy 5.1 Trade 5.2 Infrastructure 6 Demography 6.1 Ethnicity and immigration 6.2 Language 6.3 Education 6.4 Religion 6.5 Culture 6.6 Art 6.7 Literature 6.8 Media and entertainment 6.9 Sports 6.10 Cuisine 7 See also 8 Notes 8.1 Footnotes 8.2 Citations 9 References 10 Further reading 11 External links Etymology See also: New Zealand place names brown square paper with Dutch writing and a thick red, curved line Detail from a 1657 map showing the western coastline of "Nova Zeelandia" Dutch explorer Abel Tasman sighted New Zealand in 1642 and called it Staten Landt, supposing it was connected to a landmass of the same name at the southern tip of South America.[12] In 1645, Dutch cartographers renamed the land Nova Zeelandia after the Dutch province of Zeeland.[13][14] British explorer James Cook subsequently anglicised the name to New Zealand.[n 6] Aotearoa (often translated as "land of the long white cloud")[15] is the current Māori name for New Zealand. It is unknown whether Māori had a name for the whole country before the arrival of Europeans, with Aotearoa originally referring to just the North Island.[16] Māori had several traditional names for the two main islands, including Te Ika-a-Māui (the fish of Māui) for the North Island and Te Waipounamu (the waters of greenstone) or Te Waka o Aoraki (the canoe of Aoraki) for the South Island.[17] Early European maps labelled the islands North (North Island), Middle (South Island) and South (Stewart Island / Rakiura).[18] In 1830, maps began to use North and South to distinguish the two largest islands and by 1907, this was the accepted norm.[19] The New Zealand Geographic Board discovered in 2009 that the names of the North Island and South Island had never been formalised, and names and alternative names were formalised in 2013. This set the names as North Island or Te Ika-a-Māui, and South Island or Te Waipounamu.[20] Note that for each island, either its English or Māori name can be used, or both can be used together. History Main article: History of New Zealand One set of arrows point from Taiwan to Melanesia to Fiji/Samoa and then to the Marquesas Islands. The population then spread, some going south to New Zealand and others going north to Hawai'i. A second set start in southern Asia and end in Melanesia. The Māori people are most likely descended from people who emigrated from Taiwan to Melanesia and then travelled east through to the Society Islands. After a pause of 70 to 265 years, a new wave of exploration led to the discovery and settlement of New Zealand.[21] New Zealand was one of the last major landmasses settled by humans. Radiocarbon dating, evidence of deforestation[22] and mitochondrial DNA variability within Māori populations[23] suggest New Zealand was first settled by Eastern Polynesians between 1250 and 1300,[17][24] concluding a long series of voyages through the southern Pacific islands.[25] Over the centuries that followed, these settlers developed a distinct culture now known as Māori. The population was divided into iwi (tribes) and hapū (subtribes) who would sometimes cooperate, sometimes compete and sometimes fight against each other. At some point, a group of Māori migrated to the Chatham Islands (which they named Rēkohu) where they developed their distinct Moriori culture.[26][27] The Moriori population was all but wiped out between 1835 and 1862, largely because of Taranaki Māori invasion and enslavement in the 1830s, although European diseases also contributed. In 1862, only 101 survived and the last known full-blooded Moriori died in 1933.[28] The first Europeans known to have reached New Zealand were Dutch explorer Abel Tasman and his crew in 1642.[29] In a hostile encounter, four crew members were killed and at least one Māori was hit by canister shot.[30] Europeans did not revisit New Zealand until 1769 when British explorer James Cook mapped almost the entire coastline.[29] Following Cook, New Zealand was visited by numerous European and North American whaling, sealing and trading ships. They traded European food, metal tools, weapons and other goods for timber, Māori food, artifacts and water.[31] The introduction of the potato and the musket transformed Māori agriculture and warfare. Potatoes provided a reliable food surplus, which enabled longer and more sustained military campaigns.[32] The resulting intertribal Musket Wars encompassed over 600 battles between 1801 and 1840, killing 30,000–40,000 Māori.[33] From the early 19th century, Christian missionaries began to settle New Zealand, eventually converting most of the Māori population.[34] The Māori population declined to around 40 percent of its pre-contact level during the 19th century; introduced diseases were the major factor.[35] A torn sheet of paper The Waitangi sheet from the Treaty of Waitangi In 1788 Captain Arthur Phillip assumed the position of Governor of the new British colony of New South Wales which according to his commission included New Zealand.[36] The British Government appointed James Busby as British Resident to New Zealand in 1832 following a petition from northern Māori.[37] In 1835, following an announcement of impending French settlement by Charles de Thierry, the nebulous United Tribes of New Zealand sent a Declaration of the Independence to King William IV of the United Kingdom asking for protection.[37] Ongoing unrest, the proposed settlement of New Zealand by the New Zealand Company (which had already sent its first ship of surveyors to buy land from Māori) and the dubious legal standing of the Declaration of Independence prompted the Colonial Office to send Captain William Hobson to claim sovereignty for Great Britain and negotiate a treaty with the Māori.[38] The Treaty of Waitangi was first signed in the Bay of Islands on 6 February 1840.[39] In response to the New Zealand Company's attempts to establish an independent settlement in Wellington[40] and French settlers purchasing land in Akaroa,[41] Hobson declared British sovereignty over all of New Zealand on 21 May 1840, even though copies of the Treaty were still circulating throughout the country for Māori to sign.[42] With the signing of the Treaty and declaration of sovereignty the number of immigrants, particularly from the United Kingdom, began to increase.[43] Painting of Mount Earnslaw by John Turnbull Thomson, oil on canvas, 1888 New Zealand, still part of the colony of New South Wales, became a separate Colony of New Zealand on 1 July 1841.[44] The colony gained a representative government in 1852 and the first Parliament met in 1854.[45] In 1856 the colony effectively became self-governing, gaining responsibility over all domestic matters other than native policy. (Control over native policy was granted in the mid-1860s.)[45] Following concerns that the South Island might form a separate colony, premier Alfred Domett moved a resolution to transfer the capital from Auckland to a locality near the Cook Strait.[46] Wellington was chosen for its harbour and central location, with parliament officially sitting there for the first time in 1865. As immigrant numbers increased, conflicts over land led to the New Zealand Wars of the 1860s and 1870s, resulting in the loss and confiscation of much Māori land.[47] In 1891 the Liberal Party led by John Ballance came to power as the first organised political party. The Liberal Government, later led by Richard Seddon, passed many important social and economic measures. In 1893 New Zealand was the first nation in the world to grant all women the right to vote[48] and in 1894 pioneered the adoption of compulsory arbitration between employers and unions.[49] In 1898 Seddon's government passed the Old-age Pensions Act of 1898, the first general pensions scheme in the British Empire. In 1907, at the request of the New Zealand Parliament, King Edward VII proclaimed New Zealand a dominion within the British Empire, reflecting its self-governing status. Accordingly, the title "Dominion of New Zealand" dates from 1907.[50][51] In 1947 the country adopted the Statute of Westminster, confirming that the British parliament could no longer legislate for New Zealand without the consent of New Zealand.[45] New Zealand was involved in world affairs, fighting, as part of the British Empire, in the First and Second World Wars[52] and suffering through the Great Depression.[53] The depression led to the election of the first Labour government and the establishment of a comprehensive welfare state and a protectionist economy.[54] New Zealand experienced increasing prosperity following World War II[55] and Māori began to leave their traditional rural life and move to the cities in search of work.[56] A Māori protest movement developed, which criticised Eurocentrism and worked for greater recognition of Māori culture and the Treaty of Waitangi.[57] In 1975, a Waitangi Tribunal was set up to investigate alleged breaches of the Treaty, and it was enabled to investigate historic grievances in 1985.[39] The government has negotiated settlements of these grievances with many iwi, although Māori claims to the foreshore and seabed have proved controversial in the 2000s. Politics Main article: Politics of New Zealand Government A smiling man wearing a white shirt with a green tie and black jacket John Key, Prime Minister of New Zealand since 2008 New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy,[58] although its constitution is not codified.[59] Elizabeth II is the Queen of New Zealand and the head of state.[60] The Queen is represented by the Governor-General, whom she appoints on the advice of the Prime Minister.[61][62] The Governor-General can exercise the Crown's prerogative powers, such as reviewing cases of injustice and making appointments of ministers, ambassadors and other key public officials,[63] and in rare situations, the reserve powers (e.g. the power to dissolve Parliament or refuse the Royal Assent of a bill into law).[64] The powers of the Queen and the Governor-General are limited by constitutional constraints and they cannot normally be exercised without the advice of Cabinet.[64][65] refer to caption Elizabeth II refer to caption Sir Jerry Mateparae The Queen of New Zealand and her vice-regal representative, the Governor-General. The New Zealand Parliament holds legislative power and consists of the Queen and the House of Representatives.[65] It also included an upper house, the Legislative Council, until this was abolished in 1950.[65] The supremacy of Parliament, over the Crown and other government institutions, was established in England by the Bill of Rights 1689 and has been ratified as law in New Zealand.[65] The House of Representatives is democratically elected and a Government is formed from the party or coalition with the majority of seats.[65] If no majority is formed a minority government can be formed if support from other parties during confidence and supply votes is assured. The Governor-General appoints ministers under advice from the Prime Minister,[66] who is by convention the Parliamentary leader of the governing party or coalition. Cabinet, formed by ministers and led by the Prime Minister, is the highest policy-making body in government and responsible for deciding significant government actions.[67] By convention, members of cabinet are bound by collective responsibility to decisions made by cabinet.[68] A block of buildings fronted by a large statue A statue of Richard Seddon, the "Beehive" (Executive Wing), and Parliament House (right), in Parliament Grounds, Wellington. Almost all parliamentary general elections between 1853 and 1993 were held under the first-past-the-post voting system.[69] The elections since 1930 have been dominated by two political parties, National and Labour.[69] Since the 1996 election, a form of proportional representation called Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) has been used.[59] Under the MMP system each person has two votes; one is for electoral seats (including some reserved for Māori),[70] and the other is for a party. Since the 2014 election, there have been 71 electorate seats (which includes 7 Māori electorates), and the remaining 49 seats are assigned so that representation in parliament reflects the party vote, although a party has to win one electoral seat or 5 percent of the total party vote before it is eligible for these seats.[71] Between March 2005 and August 2006 New Zealand became the only country in the world in which all the highest offices in the land (Head of State, Governor-General, Prime Minister, Speaker and Chief Justice) were occupied simultaneously by women.[72] Judges and judicial officers are appointed non-politically and under strict rules regarding tenure to help maintain constitutional independence from the government.[59] This theoretically allows the judiciary to interpret the law based solely on the legislation enacted by Parliament without other influences on their decisions.[73] The Privy Council in London was the country's final court of appeal until 2004, when it was replaced with the newly established Supreme Court of New Zealand. The judiciary, headed by the Chief Justice,[74] includes the Court of Appeal, the High Court, and subordinate courts.[59] New Zealand is identified as one of the world's most stable and well-governed nations.[75] As of 2011, the country was ranked fifth in the strength of its democratic institutions[76] and first in government transparency and lack of corruption.[77] New Zealand has a high level of civic participation, with 79% voter turnout during the most recent elections, compared to an OECD average of 72%. Furthermore, 67% of New Zealanders say they trust their political institutions, far higher than the OECD average of 56%.[78] See also: International rankings of New Zealand Foreign relations and the military Main articles: Foreign relations of New Zealand and New Zealand Defence Force Anzac Day service at the National War Memorial Early colonial New Zealand allowed the British Government to determine external trade and be responsible for foreign policy.[79] The 1923 and 1926 Imperial Conferences decided that New Zealand should be allowed to negotiate their own political treaties and the first commercial treaty was ratified in 1928 with Japan. On 3 September 1939 New Zealand allied itself with Britain and declared war on Germany with Prime Minister Michael Savage proclaiming, "Where she goes, we go; where she stands, we stand."[80] A squad of men kneel in the desert sand while performing a war dance Māori Battalion haka in Egypt, 1941 In 1951 the United Kingdom became increasingly focused on its European interests,[81] while New Zealand joined Australia and the United States in the ANZUS security treaty.[82] The influence of the United States on New Zealand weakened following protests over the Vietnam War,[83] the refusal of the United States to admonish France after the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior,[84] disagreements over environmental and agricultural trade issues and New Zealand's nuclear-free policy.[85][86] Despite the US's suspension of ANZUS obligations the treaty remained in effect between New Zealand and Australia, whose foreign policy has followed a similar historical trend.[87] Close political contact is maintained between the two countries, with free trade agreements and travel arrangements that allow citizens to visit, live and work in both countries without restrictions.[88] In 2013, there are about 650,000 New Zealand citizens living in Australia, which is about 15 percent of the population of New Zealand.[89] 65,000 Australians live in New Zealand.[88] New Zealand has a strong presence among the Pacific Island countries. A large proportion of New Zealand's aid goes to these countries and many Pacific people migrate to New Zealand for employment.[90] Permanent migration is regulated under the 1970 Samoan Quota Scheme and the 2002 Pacific Access Category, which allow up to 1,100 Samoan nationals and up to 750 other Pacific Islanders respectively to become permanent New Zealand residents each year. A seasonal workers scheme for temporary migration was introduced in 2007 and in 2009 about 8,000 Pacific Islanders were employed under it.[91] New Zealand is involved in the Pacific Islands Forum, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum (including the East Asia Summit).[88] New Zealand is also a member of the United Nations,[92] the Commonwealth of Nations,[93] the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development[94] and the Five Power Defence Arrangements.[95] Infantry from the 2nd Battalion, Auckland Regiment in the Battle of the Somme, September 1916 The New Zealand Defence Force has three branches: the Royal New Zealand Navy, the New Zealand Army and the Royal New Zealand Air Force.[96] New Zealand's national defence needs are modest because of the unlikelihood of direct attack,[97] although it does have a global presence. The country fought in both world wars, with notable campaigns in Gallipoli, Crete,[98] El Alamein[99] and Cassino.[100] The Gallipoli campaign played an important part in fostering New Zealand's national identity[101][102] and strengthened the ANZAC tradition it shares with Australia.[103] According to Mary Edmond-Paul, "World War I had left scars on New Zealand society, with nearly 18,500 in total dying as a result of the war, more than 41,000 wounded, and others affected emotionally, out of an overseas fighting force of about 103,000 and a population of just over a million."[104] New Zealand also played key parts in the naval Battle of the River Plate[105] and the Battle of Britain air campaign.[106][107] During World War II, the United States had more than 400,000 American military personnel stationed in New Zealand.[108] In addition to Vietnam and the two world wars, New Zealand fought in the Korean War, the Second Boer War,[109] the Malayan Emergency,[110] the Gulf War and the Afghanistan War. It has contributed forces to several regional and global peacekeeping missions, such as those in Cyprus, Somalia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Sinai, Angola, Cambodia, the Iran–Iraq border, Bougainville, East Timor, and the Solomon Islands.[111] New Zealand also sent a unit of army engineers to help rebuild Iraqi infrastructure for one year during the Iraq War. New Zealand ranks 8th in the Center for Global Development's 2012 Commitment to Development Index, which ranks the world's most developed countries on their dedication to policies that benefit poorer nations.[112] New Zealand is considered the fourth most peaceful country in the world according to the 2014 Global Peace Index.[113] Local government and external territories Main articles: Local government in New Zealand and Realm of New Zealand Realm of New Zealand Officially, New Zealand is divided into 16 regions. The early European settlers divided New Zealand into provinces, which had a degree of autonomy.[114] Because of financial pressures and the desire to consolidate railways, education, land sales and other policies, government was centralised and the provinces were abolished in 1876.[115] As a result, New Zealand now has no separately represented subnational entities. The provinces are remembered in regional public holidays[116] and sporting rivalries.[117] Since 1876, various councils have administered local areas under legislation determined by the central government.[114][118] In 1989, the government reorganised local government into the current two-tier structure of regional councils and territorial authorities.[119] The 249 municipalities[119] that existed in 1975 have now been consolidated into 67 territorial authorities and 11 regional councils.[120] The regional councils' role is to regulate "the natural environment with particular emphasis on resource management",[119] while territorial authorities are responsible for sewage, water, local roads, building consents and other local matters.[121] Five of the territorial councils are unitary authorities and also act as regional councils.[122] The territorial authorities consist of 13 city councils, 53 district councils, and the Chatham Islands Council. While officially the Chatham Islands Council is not a unitary authority, it undertakes many functions of a regional council.[123] New Zealand is one of 16 realms within the Commonwealth.[124][125] The Realm of New Zealand is the territory over which the Queen of New Zealand is sovereign and comprises New Zealand, Tokelau, the Ross Dependency, the Cook Islands and Niue.[125] The Cook Islands and Niue are self-governing states in free association with New Zealand.[126][127] The New Zealand Parliament cannot pass legislation for these countries, but with their consent can act on behalf of them in foreign affairs and defence. Tokelau is a non-self-governing territory that uses the New Zealand flag and anthem, but is administered by a council of three elders (one from each Tokelauan atoll).[128][129] The Ross Dependency is New Zealand's territorial claim in Antarctica, where it operates the Scott Base research facility.[130] New Zealand citizenship law treats all parts of the realm equally, so most people born in New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau and the Ross Dependency before 2006 are New Zealand citizens. Further conditions apply for those born from 2006 onwards.[131] [show] v t e Administrative divisions of the Realm of New Zealand Environment Main article: Environment of New Zealand Geography Main article: Geography of New Zealand See also: Atlas of New Zealand at Wikimedia Commons Photo of New Zealand from space. The snow-capped Southern Alps dominate the South Island, while the North Island's Northland Peninsula stretches towards the subtropics. Aoraki / Mount Cook is the highest point of New Zealand, at 3,754 metres. The Southern Alps stretch for 500 kilometres down the South Island. Queenstown from Crown Pass New Zealand is located near the centre of the water hemisphere and is made up of two main islands and a number of smaller islands. The two main islands (the North Island, or Te Ika-a-Māui, and the South Island, or Te Waipounamu) are separated by the Cook Strait, 22 kilometres (14 mi) wide at its narrowest point.[132] Besides the North and South Islands, the five largest inhabited islands are Stewart Island, the Chatham Islands, Great Barrier Island (in the Hauraki Gulf),[133] d'Urville Island (in the Marlborough Sounds)[134] and Waiheke Island (about 22 km (14 mi) from central Auckland).[135] The country's islands lie between latitudes 29° and 53°S, and longitudes 165° and 179°E. New Zealand is long and narrow (over 1,600 kilometres (990 mi) along its north-north-east axis with a maximum width of 400 kilometres (250 mi)),[136] with about 15,000 km (9,300 mi) of coastline[137] and a total land area of 268,000 square kilometres (103,500 sq mi).[138] Because of its far-flung outlying islands and long coastline, the country has extensive marine resources. Its Exclusive Economic Zone is one of the largest in the world, covering more than 15 times its land area.[139] The South Island is the largest landmass of New Zealand, and is divided along its length by the Southern Alps.[140] There are 18 peaks over 3,000 metres (9,800 ft), the highest of which is Aoraki / Mount Cook at 3,754 metres (12,316 ft).[141] Fiordland's steep mountains and deep fiords record the extensive ice age glaciation of this south-western corner of the South Island.[142] The North Island is less mountainous but is marked by volcanism.[143] The highly active Taupo Volcanic Zone has formed a large volcanic plateau, punctuated by the North Island's highest mountain, Mount Ruapehu (2,797 metres (9,177 ft)). The plateau also hosts the country's largest lake, Lake Taupo,[144] nestled in the caldera of one of the world's most active supervolcanoes.[145] The country owes its varied topography, and perhaps even its emergence above the waves, to the dynamic boundary it straddles between the Pacific and Indo-Australian Plates.[146] New Zealand is part of Zealandia, a microcontinent nearly half the size of Australia that gradually submerged after breaking away from the Gondwanan supercontinent.[147] About 25 million years ago, a shift in plate tectonic movements began to contort and crumple the region. This is now most evident in the Southern Alps, formed by compression of the crust beside the Alpine Fault. Elsewhere the plate boundary involves the subduction of one plate under the other, producing the Puysegur Trench to the south, the Hikurangi Trench east of the North Island, and the Kermadec and Tonga Trenches[148] further north.[146] New Zealand and Australia are both part of the wider regions known as Australasia and Oceania. The term Oceania is often used to denote the region encompassing the Australian continent, New Zealand and various islands in the Pacific Ocean that are not included in the seven-continent model. Landscapes of New Zealand Rural scene The Emerald Lakes, Mt Tongariro. Lake Gunn Pencarrow Head, Wellington Climate Main article: Climate of New Zealand New Zealand has a mild and temperate maritime climate (Köppen: Cfb) with mean annual temperatures ranging from 10 °C (50 °F) in the south to 16 °C (61 °F) in the north.[149] Historical maxima and minima are 42.4 °C (108.32 °F) in Rangiora, Canterbury and −25.6 °C (−14.08 °F) in Ranfurly, Otago.[150] Conditions vary sharply across regions from extremely wet on the West Coast of the South Island to almost semi-arid in Central Otago and the Mackenzie Basin of inland Canterbury and subtropical in Northland.[151] Of the seven largest cities, Christchurch is the driest, receiving on average only 640 millimetres (25 in) of rain per year and Wellington the wettest, receiving almost twice that amount.[152] Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch all receive a yearly average of more than 2,000 hours of sunshine. The southern and south-western parts of the South Island have a cooler and cloudier climate, with around 1,400–1,600 hours; the northern and north-eastern parts of the South Island are the sunniest areas of the country and receive about 2,400–2,500 hours.[153] The general snow season is about early June until early October in the South Island. Snowfall is less common on the North Island, although it does occur. Climates of New Zealand Autumn in Wellington Central Plateau in winter. Much of this region has a cool continental climate with regular snowfall. Scorching Bay beach in summer The table below lists climate normals for the warmest and coldest month in the six largest cities of New Zealand. The North Island cities are generally slightly warmer in February, but the South Island cities are warmest in January. Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for the six largest cities of New Zealand[154] Location Jan/Feb (°C) Jan/Feb (°F) July (°C) July (°F) Auckland 23/16 74/60 14/7 58/45 Wellington 20/13 68/56 11/6 52/42 Christchurch 22/12 72/53 10/0 51/33 Hamilton 24/13 75/56 14/4 57/39 Tauranga 24/15 75/59 14/6 58/42 Dunedin 19/11 66/53 10/3 50/37 Biodiversity Main article: Biodiversity of New Zealand Kiwi amongst sticks The endemic flightless kiwi is a national icon. New Zealand's geographic isolation for 80 million years[155] and island biogeography has influenced evolution of the country's species of animals, fungi and plants. Physical isolation has not caused biological isolation, and this has resulted in a dynamic evolutionary ecology with examples of very distinctive plants and animals as well as populations of widespread species.[156][157] About 82 percent of New Zealand's indigenous vascular plants are endemic, covering 1,944 species across 65 genera and includes a single endemic family.[158][159] The number of fungi recorded from New Zealand, including lichen-forming species, is not known, nor is the proportion of those fungi which are endemic, but one estimate suggests there are about 2,300 species of lichen-forming fungi in New Zealand[158] and 40 percent of these are endemic.[160] The two main types of forest are those dominated by broadleaf trees with emergent podocarps, or by southern beech in cooler climates.[161] The remaining vegetation types consist of grasslands, the majority of which are tussock.[162] Before the arrival of humans an estimated 80 percent of the land was covered in forest, with only high alpine, wet, infertile and volcanic areas without trees.[163] Massive deforestation occurred after humans arrived, with around half the forest cover lost to fire after Polynesian settlement.[164] Much of the remaining forest fell after European settlement, being logged or cleared to make room for pastoral farming, leaving forest occupying only 23 percent of the land.[165] The forests were dominated by birds, and the lack of mammalian predators led to some like the kiwi, kakapo, weka and takahē evolving flightlessness.[166] The arrival of humans, associated changes to habitat, and the introduction of rats, ferrets and other mammals led to the extinction of many bird species, including large birds like the moa and Haast's eagle.[167][168] Megalapteryx didinus The extinct moa. Other indigenous animals are represented by reptiles (tuataras, skinks and geckos),[169] frogs, spiders (katipo), insects (weta) and snails.[170][171] Some, such as the wrens and tuatara, are so unique that they have been called living fossils. Three species of bats (one since extinct) were the only sign of native land mammals in New Zealand until the 2006 discovery of bones from a unique, mouse-sized land mammal at least 16 million years old.[172][173] Marine mammals however are abundant, with almost half the world's cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) and large numbers of fur seals reported in New Zealand waters.[174] Many seabirds breed in New Zealand, a third of them unique to the country.[175] More penguin species are found in New Zealand than in any other country.[176] Since human arrival almost half of the country's vertebrate species have become extinct, including at least fifty-one birds, three frogs, three lizards, one freshwater fish, and one bat. Others are endangered or have had their range severely reduced.[167] However, New Zealand conservationists have pioneered several methods to help threatened wildlife recover, including island sanctuaries, pest control, wildlife translocation, fostering, and ecological restoration of islands and other selected areas.[177][178][179][180] According to the 2012 Environmental Performance Index, New Zealand is considered a "strong performer" in environmental protection, ranking 14th out of 132 assessed countries.[181] Economy Main article: Economy of New Zealand See also: List of companies of New Zealand and Transport in New Zealand New Zealand has a modern, prosperous and developed market economy with an estimated gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita of roughly NZ$47,784.[182] The currency is the New Zealand dollar, informally known as the "Kiwi dollar"; it also circulates in the Cook Islands (see Cook Islands dollar), Niue, Tokelau, and the Pitcairn Islands.[183] New Zealand was ranked sixth in the 2013 Human Development Index,[184] fourth in The Heritage Foundation's 2012 Index of Economic Freedom,[185] and 13th in INSEAD's 2012 Global Innovation Index.[186] Blue water against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains Milford Sound is one of New Zealand's most famous tourist destinations.[187] Historically, extractive industries have contributed strongly to New Zealand's economy, focussing at different times on sealing, whaling, flax, gold, kauri gum, and native timber.[188] With the development of refrigerated shipping in the 1880s meat and dairy products were exported to Britain, a trade which provided the basis for strong economic growth in New Zealand.[189] High demand for agricultural products from the United Kingdom and the United States helped New Zealanders achieve higher living standards than both Australia and Western Europe in the 1950s and 1960s.[190] In 1973, New Zealand's export market was reduced when the United Kingdom joined the European Community[191] and other compounding factors, such as the 1973 oil and 1979 energy crisis, led to a severe economic depression.[192] Living standards in New Zealand fell behind those of Australia and Western Europe, and by 1982 New Zealand had the lowest per-capita income of all the developed nations surveyed by the World Bank.[193] Since 1984, successive governments engaged in major macroeconomic restructuring (known first as Rogernomics and then Ruthanasia), rapidly transforming New Zealand from a highly protectionist economy to a liberalised free-trade economy.[194][195] Unemployment peaked above 10 percent in 1991 and 1992,[196] following the 1987 share market crash, but eventually fell to a record low of 3.4 percent in 2007 (ranking fifth from twenty-seven comparable OECD nations).[197] However, the global financial crisis that followed had a major impact on New Zealand, with the GDP shrinking for five consecutive quarters, the longest recession in over thirty years,[198][199] and unemployment rising back to 7 percent in late 2009.[200] At May 2012, the general unemployment rate was around 6.7 percent, while the unemployment rate for youth aged 15 to 21 was 13.6 percent.[201] In the September 2014 quarter, unemployment was 5.4%.[202] New Zealand has experienced a series of "brain drains" since the 1970s[203] that still continue today.[204] Nearly one quarter of highly skilled workers live overseas, mostly in Australia and Britain, which is the largest proportion from any developed nation.[205] In recent years, however, a "brain gain" has brought in educated professionals from Europe and less developed countries.[206][207] Trade New Zealand is heavily dependent on international trade,[208] particularly in agricultural products.[209] Exports account for 24 percent of its output,[137] making New Zealand vulnerable to international commodity prices and global economic slowdowns. Food products made up 55% of the value of all the country's exports in 2014; wood was the second largest earner (7%).[210] Its major export partners are Australia, United States, Japan, China, and the United Kingdom.[137] On 7 April 2008, New Zealand and China signed the New Zealand–China Free Trade Agreement, the first such agreement China has signed with a developed country.[211][212] The service sector is the largest sector in the economy, followed by manufacturing and construction and then farming and raw material extraction.[137] Tourism plays a significant role in New Zealand's economy, contributing $15.0 billion to New Zealand's total GDP and supporting 9.6 percent of the total workforce in 2010.[213] International visitors to New Zealand increased by 3.1 percent in the year to October 2010[214] and are expected to increase at a rate of 2.5 percent annually up to 2015.[213] In 1984 New Zealand eliminated agricultural subsidies.[215][216][217] A Romney ewe with her two lambs Wool has historically been one of New Zealand's major exports. Wool was New Zealand's major agricultural export during the late 19th century.[188] Even as late as the 1960s it made up over a third of all export revenues,[188] but since then its price has steadily dropped relative to other commodities[218] and wool is no longer profitable for many farmers.[219] In contrast dairy farming increased, with the number of dairy cows doubling between 1990 and 2007,[220] to become New Zealand's largest export earner.[221] In the year to June 2009, dairy products accounted for 21 percent ($9.1 billion) of total merchandise exports,[222] and the country's largest company, Fonterra, controls almost one-third of the international dairy trade.[223] Other agricultural exports in 2009 were meat 13.2 percent, wool 6.3 percent, fruit 3.5 percent and fishing 3.3 percent. New Zealand's wine industry has followed a similar trend to dairy, the number of vineyards doubling over the same period,[224] overtaking wool exports for the first time in 2007.[225][226] Infrastructure In 2014, renewable energy generated 39.5 percent of New Zealand's gross energy supply, primarily hydroelectric power and geothermal power.[227] New Zealand's transport network comprises 93,805 kilometres (58,288 mi) of roads, including 199 kilometres (124 mi) of motorways,[228] and 4,128 kilometres (2,565 mi) of railway lines.[137] Most major cities and towns are linked by bus services, although the private car is the predominant mode of transport.[229] The railways were privatised in 1993, but were re-nationalised by the government in stages between 2004 and 2008. The state-owned enterprise KiwiRail now operates the railways, with the exception of Auckland commuter services which are operated by Transdev.[230] Railways run the length of the country, although most lines now carry freight rather than passengers.[231] Most international visitors arrive via air[232] and New Zealand has six international airports, but currently only the Auckland and Christchurch airports connect directly with countries other than Australia or Fiji.[233] The New Zealand Post Office had a monopoly over telecommunications until 1987 when Telecom New Zealand was formed, initially as a state-owned enterprise and then privatised in 1990.[234] Telecom was rebranded as Spark New Zealand in 2014. Chorus, which was split from Telecom in 2011, still owns the majority of the telecommunications infrastructure, but competition from other providers has increased. The United Nations International Telecommunication Union ranks New Zealand 12th in the development of information and communications infrastructure, having moved up four places between 2008 and 2010.[235] Water supply and sanitation Main article: Water supply and sanitation in New Zealand Water supply and sanitation in New Zealand is universal and of good quality in urban areas. It is provided by local government called Territorial Authorities in New Zealand. Territorial Authorities consist of 14 city councils in urban areas and 53 district councils in rural areas. The legal framework includes the Health Act 1956 amended in 2007, the Local Government Act 2002 and the Resource Management Act 1991. Demography Main article: Demographics of New Zealand Graph with a New Zealand population scale ranging from 0 to almost 7 million on the y axis and the years from 1850 to around 2070 on the x axis. A black line starts at about 100,000 in 1858 and increases steadily to about 4.1 million in 2006. Seven separate red lines then project out from the black line ending in values ranging from roughly 4.5 to 6.5 million in the year 2061; two lines are slightly thicker than the rest. New Zealand's historical population (black) and projected growth (red) New Zealand population pyramid at the 2013 Census As of June 2015, the population of New Zealand is estimated at 4.597 million.[236] New Zealand is a predominantly urban country, with 72 percent of the population living in 16 main urban areas and 53 percent living in the four largest cities of Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, and Hamilton.[237] New Zealand cities generally rank highly on international livability measures. For instance, in 2010 Auckland was ranked the world's 4th most liveable city and Wellington the 12th by the Mercer Quality of Life Survey.[238] Life expectancy for New Zealanders in 2012 was 84 years for females, and 80.2 years for males.[239] Life expectancy at birth is forecast to increase from 80 years to 85 years in 2050 and infant mortality is expected to decline.[240] New Zealand's fertility rate of 2.1 is relatively high for a developed country, and natural births account for a significant proportion of population growth. Consequently, the country has a young population compared to most industrialized nations, with 20 percent of New Zealanders being 14 years old or younger.[137] By 2050 the population is forecast to reach 5.3 million, the median age to rise from 36 years to 43 years and the percentage of people 60 years of age and older to rise from 18 percent to 29 percent.[240] Despite the high life expectancy, mortality from heart disease is higher in New Zealand than it is in various other developed Western countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada.[241] v t e Largest urban areas in New Zealand Statistics New Zealand June 2015 estimate[242] Rank Name Region Pop. Rank Name Region Pop. Auckland Auckland Wellington Wellington 1 Auckland Auckland 1,454,300 11 New Plymouth Taranaki 56,300 Christchurch Christchurch Hamilton Hamilton 2 Wellington Wellington 398,300 12 Whangarei Northland 55,400 3 Christchurch Canterbury 381,800 13 Invercargill Southland 50,300 4 Hamilton Waikato 224,000 14 Kapiti Wellington 41,300 5 Tauranga Bay of Plenty 130,800 15 Whanganui Manawatu-Wanganui 39,400 6 Napier-Hastings Hawke's Bay 129,700 16 Gisborne Gisborne 35,700 7 Dunedin Otago 117,400 17 Blenheim Marlborough 30,600 8 Palmerston North Manawatu-Wanganui 83,500 18 Pukekohe Auckland 29,000 9 Nelson Nelson 64,800 19 Timaru Canterbury 28,500 10 Rotorua Bay of Plenty 56,800 20 Taupo Waikato 23,700 Ethnicity and immigration Main articles: New Zealanders and Immigration to New Zealand Acquisition of New Zealand residency by citizenship, 2004/05 (fy). Source: New Zealand Department of Labour[243] In the 2013 census, 74.0% of New Zealand residents identified ethnically as European, and 14.9% as Māori. Other major ethnic groups include Asian (11.8%) and Pacific peoples (7.4%), of which two-thirds live in the Auckland region.[244][n 7] The population has become more diverse in recent decades: in 1961, the census reported that the population of New Zealand was 92 percent European and 7 percent Māori, with Asian and Pacific minorities sharing the remaining 1 percent.[245] While the demonym for a New Zealand citizen is New Zealander, the informal "Kiwi" is commonly used both internationally[246] and by locals.[247] The Māori loanword Pākehā has been used to refer to New Zealanders of European descent, although others reject this appellation.[248][249] The word Pākehā today is increasingly used to refer to all non-Polynesian New Zealanders.[250] The Māori were the first people to reach New Zealand, followed by the early European settlers. Following colonisation, immigrants were predominantly from Britain, Ireland and Australia because of restrictive policies similar to the white Australian policies.[251] There was also significant Dutch, Dalmatian,[252] Italian, and German immigration, together with indirect European immigration through Australia, North America, South America and South Africa.[253] Following the Great Depression policies were relaxed and migrant diversity increased. In 2009–10, an annual target of 45,000–50,000 permanent residence approvals was set by the New Zealand Immigration Service—more than one new migrant for every 100 New Zealand residents.[254] Just over 25% of New Zealand's population was born overseas, with the majority (52%) living in the Auckland region. The United Kingdom remains the largest source of New Zealand's overseas population, with a quarter of all overseas-born New Zealanders born there; other major sources of New Zealand's overseas-born population are China, India, Australia, South Africa, Fiji and Samoa.[255] The number of fee-paying international students increased sharply in the late 1990s, with more than 20,000 studying in public tertiary institutions in 2002.[256] Language Main article: Languages of New Zealand Speakers of Māori according to the 2013 census. Less than 5% More than 5% More than 10% More than 20% More than 30% More than 40% More than 50% English is the predominant language in New Zealand, spoken by 98 percent of the population.[4] New Zealand English is similar to Australian English and many speakers from the Northern Hemisphere are unable to tell the accents apart.[257] The most prominent differences between the New Zealand English dialect and other English dialects are the shifts in the short front vowels: the short-"i" sound (as in "kit") has centralised towards the schwa sound (the "a" in "comma" and "about"); the short-"e" sound (as in "dress") has moved towards the short-"i" sound; and the short-"a" sound (as in "trap") has moved to the short-"e" sound.[258] Hence, the New Zealand pronunciation of words such as "bad", "dead", "fish" and "chips" sound like "bed", "did", "fush" and "chups" to non-New Zealanders. After the Second World War, Māori were discouraged from speaking their own language (te reo Māori) in schools and workplaces and it existed as a community language only in a few remote areas.[259] It has recently undergone a process of revitalisation,[260][261] being declared one of New Zealand's official languages in 1987,[262] and is spoken by 4.1 percent of the population.[4] There are now Māori language immersion schools and two Māori Television channels, the only nationwide television channels to have the majority of their prime-time content delivered in Māori.[263] Many places have both their Māori and English names officially recognised. Samoan is the most widely spoken non-official language in New Zealand (2.3 percent),[n 8] followed by Hindi, Mandarin Chinese, French, and Yue Chinese (Cantonese).[4][264][n 9] New Zealand Sign Language is used by about 28,000 people. It was declared one of New Zealand's official languages in 2006.[265] Education Main articles: Education in New Zealand and List of universities in New Zealand Primary and secondary schooling is compulsory for children aged 6 to 16, with the majority attending from the age of 5.[266] There are 13 school years and attending state (public) schools is free to New Zealand citizens and permanent residents from a person's 5th birthday to the end of the calendar year following their 19th birthday.[267] New Zealand has an adult literacy rate of 99 percent,[137] and over half of the population aged 15 to 29 hold a tertiary qualification.[266][n 10] There are five types of government-owned tertiary institutions: universities, colleges of education, polytechnics, specialist colleges, and wānanga,[268] in addition to private training establishments.[269] In the adult population 14.2 percent have a bachelor's degree or higher, 30.4 percent have some form of secondary qualification as their highest qualification and 22.4 percent have no formal qualification.[270] The OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment ranks New Zealand's education system as the 7th best in the world, with students performing exceptionally well in reading, mathematics and science.[271] Simple white building with two red domed towers A Rātana church Religion Main article: Religion in New Zealand Christianity is the predominant religion in New Zealand, although its society is among the most secular in the world.[272] In the 2013 Census, 55.0 percent of the population identified with one or more religions, including 49.0 percent identifying as Christians. Another 41.9 percent indicated that they had no religion.[n 11][273] The main Christian denominations are Roman Catholicism (12.6 percent), Anglicanism (11.8 percent), Presbyterianism (8.5 percent) and "Christian not further defined" (i.e. people identifying as Christian but not stating the denomination, 5.5 percent).[273] The Māori-based Ringatū and Rātana religions (1.4 percent) are also Christian.[274] Other significant minority religions include Hinduism (2.3 percent), Buddhism (1.5 percent) and Islam (1.2 percent). The indigenous Māori Christians tend to be associated with the Anglican and Catholic churches, while Pacific people tend to be Presbyterian, Methodist, Catholic and Latter-day Saint adherents.[273] Culture Main article: Culture of New Zealand Tall wooden carving showing Kupe above two tentacled sea creatures Late twentieth-century house-post depicting the navigator Kupe fighting two sea creatures Early Māori adapted the tropically based east Polynesian culture in line with the challenges associated with a larger and more diverse environment, eventually developing their own distinctive culture. Social organisation was largely communal with families (whanau), sub-tribes (hapu) and tribes (iwi) ruled by a chief (rangatira) whose position was subject to the community's approval.[275] The British and Irish immigrants brought aspects of their own culture to New Zealand and also influenced Māori culture,[276][277] particularly with the introduction of Christianity.[278] However, Māori still regard their allegiance to tribal groups as a vital part of their identity, and Māori kinship roles resemble those of other Polynesian peoples.[279] More recently American, Australian, Asian and other European cultures have exerted influence on New Zealand. Non-Māori Polynesian cultures are also apparent, with Pasifika, the world's largest Polynesian festival, now an annual event in Auckland. Niuean dancers at Auckland's Pasifika festival The largely rural life in early New Zealand led to the image of New Zealanders being rugged, industrious problem solvers.[280] Modesty was expected and enforced through the "tall poppy syndrome", where high achievers received harsh criticism.[281] At the time New Zealand was not known as an intellectual country.[282] From the early 20th century until the late 1960s Māori culture was suppressed by the attempted assimilation of Māori into British New Zealanders.[259] In the 1960s, as higher education became more available and cities expanded[283] urban culture began to dominate.[284] Even though the majority of the population now lives in cities, much of New Zealand's art, literature, film and humour has rural themes. From around the middle of the 20th century, many cultural icons called Kiwiana, started to emerge that now help to define what it means to be a New Zealander; such as the silver fern and the paua shell. Art Main article: New Zealand art As part of the resurgence of Māori culture, the traditional crafts of carving and weaving are now more widely practised and Māori artists are increasing in number and influence.[285] Most Māori carvings feature human figures, generally with three fingers and either a natural-looking, detailed head or a grotesque head.[286] Surface patterns consisting of spirals, ridges, notches and fish scales decorate most carvings.[287] The pre-eminent Māori architecture consisted of carved meeting houses (wharenui) decorated with symbolic carvings and illustrations. These buildings were originally designed to be constantly rebuilt, changing and adapting to different whims or needs.[288] Māori decorated the white wood of buildings, canoes and cenotaphs using red (a mixture of red ochre and shark fat) and black (made from soot) paint and painted pictures of birds, reptiles and other designs on cave walls.[289] Māori tattoos (moko) consisting of coloured soot mixed with gum were cut into the flesh with a bone chisel.[290] Since European arrival paintings and photographs have been dominated by landscapes, originally not as works of art but as factual portrayals of New Zealand.[291] Portraits of Māori were also common, with early painters often portraying them as "noble savages", exotic beauties or friendly natives.[291] The country's isolation delayed the influence of European artistic trends allowing local artists to developed their own distinctive style of regionalism.[292] During the 1960s and 70s many artists combined traditional Māori and Western techniques, creating unique art forms.[293] New Zealand art and craft has gradually achieved an international audience, with exhibitions in the Venice Biennale in 2001 and the "Paradise Now" exhibition in New York in 2004.[285][294] Refer to caption Portrait of Hinepare of Ngāti Kahungunu by Gottfried Lindauer, showing chin moko, pounamu hei-tiki and woven cloak Māori cloaks are made of fine flax fibre and patterned with black, red and white triangles, diamonds and other geometric shapes.[295] Greenstone was fashioned into earrings and necklaces, with the most well-known design being the hei-tiki, a distorted human figure sitting cross-legged with its head tilted to the side.[296] Europeans brought English fashion etiquette to New Zealand, and until the 1950s most people dressed up for social occasions.[297] Standards have since relaxed and New Zealand fashion has received a reputation for being casual, practical and lacklustre.[298][299] However, the local fashion industry has grown significantly since 2000, doubling exports and increasing from a handful to about 50 established labels, with some labels gaining international recognition.[299] Literature Main article: New Zealand literature Māori quickly adopted writing as a means of sharing ideas, and many of their oral stories and poems were converted to the written form.[300] Most early English literature was obtained from Britain and it was not until the 1950s when local publishing outlets increased that New Zealand literature started to become widely known.[301] Although still largely influenced by global trends (modernism) and events (the Great Depression), writers in the 1930s began to develop stories increasingly focused on their experiences in New Zealand. During this period literature changed from a journalistic activity to a more academic pursuit.[302] Participation in the world wars gave some New Zealand writers a new perspective on New Zealand culture and with the post-war expansion of universities local literature flourished.[303] Dunedin is a UNESCO City of Literature.[304] Media and entertainment Main articles: Music of New Zealand, Cinema of New Zealand, and Media of New Zealand Bungee jumping in the popular resort town of Queenstown. New Zealand music has been influenced by blues, jazz, country, rock and roll and hip hop, with many of these genres given a unique New Zealand interpretation.[305] Māori developed traditional chants and songs from their ancient South-East Asian origins, and after centuries of isolation created a unique "monotonous" and "doleful" sound.[306] Flutes and trumpets were used as musical instruments[307] or as signalling devices during war or special occasions.[308] Early settlers brought over their ethnic music, with brass bands and choral music being popular, and musicians began touring New Zealand in the 1860s.[309][310] Pipe bands became widespread during the early 20th century.[311] The New Zealand recording industry began to develop from 1940 onwards and many New Zealand musicians have obtained success in Britain and the United States.[305] Some artists release Māori language songs and the Māori tradition-based art of kapa haka (song and dance) has made a resurgence.[312] The New Zealand Music Awards are held annually by Recorded Music NZ; the awards were first held in 1965 by Reckitt & Colman as the Loxene Golden Disc awards.[313] Recorded Music NZ also publishes the country's official weekly record charts.[314] Radio first arrived in New Zealand in 1922 and television in 1960.[315] The number of New Zealand films significantly increased during the 1970s.[316] In 1978 the New Zealand Film Commission started assisting local film-makers and many films attained a world audience, some receiving international acknowledgement. The highest grossing New Zealand movies include: Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Boy, The World's Fastest Indian, Once Were Warriors, and Whale Rider.[317] Deregulation in the 1980s saw a sudden increase in the numbers of radio and television stations.[316] New Zealand television primarily broadcasts American and British programming, along with a large number of Australian and local shows. The country's diverse scenery and compact size, plus government incentives,[318] have encouraged some producers to film big budget movies in New Zealand, including Avatar, The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, The Chronicles of Narnia, King Kong and The Last Samurai.[319] The New Zealand media industry is dominated by a small number of companies, most of which are foreign-owned, although the state retains ownership of some television and radio stations. Between 2003 and 2008, Reporters Without Borders consistently ranked New Zealand's press freedom in the top twenty.[320] As of 2011, New Zealand was ranked 13th worldwide in press freedom by Freedom House, with the 2nd freest media in the Asia-Pacific region after Palau.[321] Sports Main article: Sport in New Zealand A haka performed by the New Zealand national rugby league team before a game. A haka is a war cry by the Māori people with vigorous movements and stamping of the feet. Most of the major sporting codes played in New Zealand have British origins.[322] Rugby union is considered the national sport[323] and attracts the most spectators.[324] Golf, netball, tennis and cricket have the highest rates of adult participation, while netball, rugby union and football (soccer) is popular among young people.[324][325] Around 54 percent of New Zealand adolescents participate in sports for their school.[325] Victorious rugby tours to Australia and the United Kingdom in the late 1880s and the early 1900s played an early role in instilling a national identity.[326] Horseracing was also a popular spectator sport and became part of the "Rugby, Racing and Beer" culture during the 1960s.[327] Māori participation in European sports was particularly evident in rugby and the country's team performs a haka, a traditional Māori challenge, before international matches.[328] New Zealand has competitive international teams in rugby union, netball, cricket, rugby league, and softball and has traditionally done well in triathlons, rowing, yachting and cycling. New Zealand participated at the Summer Olympics in 1908 and 1912 as a joint team with Australia, before first participating on its own in 1920. The country has ranked highly on a medals-to-population ratio at recent Games.[324][329][330] The All Blacks, the national men's rugby union team, are the most successful in the history of international rugby[331] and the reigning World Cup champions.[332] New Zealand is known for its extreme sports, adventure tourism[333] and strong mountaineering tradition, as seen in the success of notable New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary.[334] Other outdoor pursuits such as cycling, fishing, swimming, running, tramping, canoeing, hunting, snowsports and surfing are also popular.[335] The Polynesian sport of waka ama racing has increased in popularity and is now an international sport involving teams from all over the Pacific.[336] Cuisine Main article: New Zealand cuisine Hāngi ingredients New Zealand's cuisine has been described as Pacific Rim, drawing inspiration from Europe, Asia and Polynesia.[337] For dishes that have a distinctly New Zealand style, there's lamb, pork and cervena (venison), salmon, crayfish (lobster), Bluff oysters, whitebait, paua (abalone), mussels, scallops, pipis and tuatua (both are types of New Zealand shellfish), kumara (sweet potato), kiwifruit, tamarillo and pavlova, the national dessert. A Hāngi is a traditional New Zealand Māori method of cooking food using heated rocks buried in a pit oven. New Zealand food's distinctiveness is more in the way New Zealanders eat, generally preferring as relaxed and unaffected as possible, in keeping with the laidback Kiwi psyche. New Zealand's climate is ideal for fine wine growing, wineries and vineyards.
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The Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible, Volume 5: Revised Full-Color Edition / New edition - eBook
Have questions about eBooks? Check out our eBook FAQs.
Product Information▼▲
|Format: DRM Protected ePub
Vendor: Zondervan
Publication Date: 2010
Publisher's Description▼▲
Revised edition. Volume 5 of 5. The Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible has been a classic Bible study resource for more than thirty years. Now thoroughly revised, this new five-volume edition provides up-to-date entries based on the latest scholarship. Beautiful full-color pictures supplement the text, which includes new articles in addition to thorough updates and improvements of existing topics. Different viewpoints of scholarship permit a wellrounded perspective on significant issues relating to doctrines, themes, and biblical interpretation. The goal remains the same: to provide pastors, teachers, students, and devoted Bible readers a comprehensive and reliable library of information. More than 5,000 pages of vital information on Bible lands and people More than 7,500 articles alphabetically arranged for easy reference Hundreds of full-color and black-and-white illustrations, charts, and graphs 32 pages of full-color maps and hundreds of black-and-white outline maps for ready reference Scholarly articles ranging across the entire spectrum of theological and biblical topics, backed by the most current body of archaeological research 238 contributors from around the world
Author Bio▼▲
Merrill C. Tenney was professor of theological studies and dean of the Graduate school of Theology at Wheaton College, where he taught from 1944 to 1982. In addition to teaching New Testament and Greek, he was the general editor of the Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary, served on the original translation team for the New American Standard Bible, and wrote several books. Tenney was an advocate of fundamentalism and a second president of the Evangelical Theological Society. He was born in Massachusetts and received his education from Nyack Missionary Training Institute, Gordon College of Theology and Missions, Boston University, and Harvard University. He and his wife Helen and two sons.
Moisés Silva taught biblical studies at Westmont College, Westminster Theological Seminary, and Gordon-Conwell Seminary. He is the author or coauthor of eight books and the revising editor of the Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible.

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It was a 100 degrees, but that didn't stop Wahoo's from celebrating 20 years of fish taco's and the opening of the new location in Chino Hills.
This restaurant is the 4th location in the inland empire says Wing Lam co-founder of Wahoo's.
Signal snowboards showed up with the "Dream it, Built it, Ride it" ramp. Kyle Grant trucked down the snow courtesy of Mt High.
Beachworks passed out trucker hats to keep the heat down and Wahoo's supplied lots of fish taco's and drinks.
A few thousand people showed up throughout the day loading up on taco's and other goodies.
The Signal team threw down a demo on snow that was melting super fast.
Congratulations Wahoo's!!


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Redskins officially bring back CB Hall
Ashburn, VA (SportsNetwork.com) - The Washington Redskins and pending unrestricted free agent cornerback DeAngelo Hall agreed Wednesday to terms on a new contract.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. However, according to NFL.com on Tuesday, Hall will receive an average of nearly $5 million per season over the life of the four-year deal.
Hall posted 78 tackles and four interceptions -- two of which were returned for touchdowns -- over 16 games last season for Washington, his fifth full campaign with the franchise.
A Virginia Tech product heading into his 11th pro season, Hall has recorded 717 tackles, 43 interceptions (five for TDs) and two sacks in 149 appearances for the Falcons, Raiders and Redskins. The 30-year-old has been named to the Pro Bowl three times (2005, 2006, 2010) over the course of his career.


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"Texas is the largest purchaser of public school textbooks. Because publishers do not want to publish different textbooks around the US, they look toward Texas for what they will be including in the new books each year. As goes Texas, goes the nation.
"This can be bad news if special interest groups such as the misleadingly named group, Educational Research Analysts (ERA), get their way. ERA is a creationist lobbying group that stood firmly against the 2013 decision to introduce evolution into Texas classrooms."
Can you imagine adults standing "firmly against the 2013 decision to introduce evolution into Texas classrooms"?
These folks aren't playing around, they mean business. The consequences are children raised on Creationist principles and Intelligent Design who come into adulthood unprepared for the world of the 21st century. Bronze Age principles for the age of nuclear weapons just does not make any sense. Having a feel-good religion does not trump having a know-what-is-happening mentality.
Non-believers just simply have to speak up and stand up on principle.
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I agree fully, and especially like your next to last paragraph. We cannot raise children on creationist principals in the world of the 21st century. It makes no sense at all, and gets much worse when you understand that this is what they want for our public schools. If you belong to the Church of the Left Handed Dinosaur teach these things privately. You have no right to subject me or my family to your warped beliefs. Government also has no right to step in and enforce any of this just because the fundies cried foul. I'm seeing patterns here in which extreme fundamentalist groups are taking measures to step in and their envolvement exceeds that of the 50's and 60's. Politicians seem to go along just to get the vote.
Oh yes! Do you post on Facebook? This statement needs to be read by my family and friends who are not atheists. I assume you have the same desire to get this message to a wider audience.
Our families may object to our atheism, and if all they hear are our single voice, they will think the atheists are a small, unfocused, powerless lot. As atheism grows, more will doubt, question, take a peek into the scary idea of no god and discover a beautiful way to live a life.
Thanks for your comment!
I have nothing to do with Facebook at all, but (as usual) you can post of quote all or any part of what I have said here. Only in being open this way will we get our message out.
Thanks Michael, I posted your comment on Facebook.
What would they actually teach? Don't they have to draft a curriculum with supporting references, etc?
It seems so bizarre that something which quite obviously will be without foundation can even be considered in education. Guess that they aren't in the least bit interested in education and it is just indoctrination.
Observing with a morbid curiosity from South African although I believe that some of the people preaching ID have invaded here from the US. I guess I hope it doesn't succeed there because then we will have the same threat here in due course.
What is taught has little to do with real education, and very much to do with indoctrination. I once saw a picture in an American text book of general Eisenhour and the United Nations troops invading on D-day. While it may be true that the nations had united in a war effort as allies, there was no United Nations then as we know it today. The caption under the picture was totally wrong. Not only does the picture decieve in a mistaken idea of a fully formed United Nations, it also decieves in the idea that general Eisenhour was the head of this elite multi-national defense force.
This is the same deception that the christians will cause in the classrooms with ID being introduced, or in bringing god into biology classes. Bronze age myths do not need to be taught as education, and especially in public education. Watch carefully because they are crafty and will be bringing this into South Africa as well. The stategy is simple. Once the myths are accepted in any part of the world they can use this to explain why they should be accepted in other countries. Eventually you have these myths in school systems all over the world. This is the real reason why religion and politics should never mix.
Michael, I posted this on Facebook as well.
Thanks, Joan. Good work.
This sounds absolutely scary! part of the problem is stupid politicians. Check this video out to see what i mean.
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Rachel D'Avino, 29
A close friend from college said Rachel D'Avino was a recent hire at Sandy Hook Elementary. D'Avino specialized in special education and formerly worked as a therapist for autistic children. "She was one of the funniest, loudest, happiest people ever," said the friend, who asked that her name not be used out of respect for the family. "She was willing to do absolutely anything for the kids she worked with." D'Avino was known to dress up in costume and sing songs during activities to help connect with and entertain the children she worked with, the friend said. The friend, who first met D'Avino six years ago while they were both students, said she remembered belting out Disney and "High School Musical" lyrics with D'Avino.
Family photo
Copyright © 2018, Chicago Tribune


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Collection Items
Map[Mapa del Golfo y costa de la Nueva España : desde el Río de Panuco hasta el cabo de Santa Elena ...]. Relief shown pictorially. Shows the coast from the vicinity of the Cape Fear River in North Carolina of the United States, location of Indian settlements, and lakes and rivers in the region to the Pánuco River in Mexico; the interior is as far north as the latitude of the Tennessee River. Available also through the Library of Congress Web site as a raster image....
- Contributor: Santa Cruz, Alonso De - Archivo General De Indias
- Date: 1572


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Parts of Minnesota could receive up to 7 inches of snow by Wednesday
ST. PAUL – The season's first significant snowfall for most Minnesotans could bring more than a half-foot in places by Wednesday morning.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm advisory for a broad swath of the state, from the southwest to east central.
The weather service predicts moderate to heavy snow will move into southwestern Minnesota this afternoon, on the heels of a cool rain, and make a beeline to the northeast, reaching western Wisconsin by 6 p.m.
"We're thinking there's a chance we could see a stripe of 3 to 5 inches from the Twin Cities area into northwestern Wisconsin," said Kevin Huyck, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Duluth.
However, forecasters said some locations could receive 6 to 7 inches of snow.
Predictions are not firm because how much snow falls depends on several factors, including just where the moist southern air meets drier air coming down from the north.
Snow was expected to miss the northwestern part of the state, but much of the state likely will be covered with white by daybreak Wednesday.
Minnesota counties in the winter storm advisory are Anoka, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Faribault, Goodhue, Hennepin, Isanti, Le Sueur, Martin, McLeod, Nicollet, Ramsey, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, Steele, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan and Wright. Wisconsin areas west and northwest of the Twin Cities also are under the storm advisory.
Nearby areas may get snow, but less of it.
There is a chance for rain and snow late in the week for many of the areas under the today-Wednesday winter storm advisory.
Appropriately, the storm advisory comes during Winter Hazard Awareness Week.
"Simple steps can prevent injury and provide peace of mind," said Director Kris Eide of the Minnesota Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. "Now is the time to be ready yourself and talk to your neighbors to see if they may need help when the weather creates challenges."
The weather service says the biggest problems expected from the snowstorm are hazardous driving conditions.
In 2012, 17 people died and there were 5,945 crashes on snow- and ice-covered Minnesota roads.
"It pays to review winter driving skills," State Patrol Lt. Eric Roeske said. "Road conditions can change very quickly. One poor decision can impact many people on the road."
State emergency management officials suggest motorists carry a winter survival kit that includes a blanket, hat, boots, gloves, flashlight, snacks, matches, a tin cup to melt snow for drinking water and a bright ribbon to tie on the vehicle's antenna to alert authorities help is needed.
If this week's snow becomes a problem, Commissioner Charlie Zelle of the Minnesota Department of Transportation said motorists can help his plow drivers.
"We count on motorists to do their part in helping us keep the roads as safe as they can be by giving our plows room to work," Zelle said.
Snow plows were involved in 21 crashes last year. Zelle said such wrecks usually are caused by inattentive motorists, motorists driving too close to the plow or by driving too fast for conditions.


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Kronos Aims to Bring Green Energy to All
July 12, 2013 by Jeff
Filed under Green Energy News
EMPHASIS Green
By Michael Waddell
Updated 12:47PM
Kronos Energy Solutions is hard at work on a new hybrid charging system for electric cars, which it hopes to debut in the next six to nine months, and the company is also making plans for possible expansion of its headquarters in Cordova by early next year.
Kronos founder and owner John Bogensberger cites his six grandchildren as constant motivators for working to provide a better world for the future.
"When I formed Kronos in July 2009, I wanted to put my money where my mouth was and offer something better for my grandkids," said Bogensberger, who started his company with the belief that sustainable, renewable energy should be available and affordable to everyone.
He wants to see people get more involved and more educated.
Kronos Energy Solutions develops the hybrid wind- and solar-powered T.R.I.P.S. (Totally Renewable Integrated Power System) tower for electric cars. (Kronos Energy Solutions)
"Everybody is talking green, but few people are walking green," Bogensberger said. "Everything we do is about being green. Even when I am making equipment purchases, I look for products that have zero environmental impact."
Kronos products include residential, agricultural and marine-application wind turbines, satellite tractor-trailer fairings, and 70 percent of the sub-framing components for electric cars.
"We come up with new and innovative applications for old technologies and figure out how we can make them work better for people. We are not creating anything new," said Bogensberger, who cites the fact that vertical axis wind turbine technology dates back to 600 B.C.
"We are a community-involved and faith-based organization that takes care of its employees," said Bogensberger, a disabled U.S. veteran who served for 12 years in the U.S. Navy. "We even recycle people. Everyone that works here has never worked in this industry before."
As part of its community commitment, Kronos and its transitional department work to hire or help find work for other military veterans and the formerly unemployed and homeless.
Last fall, Bogensberger bought out his initial financial backer's stake in the company, which now has 15 employees. By early next year, he hopes to be able to enlarge the company's current 15,000-square foot space in Cordova by as much as 80,000 square feet.
Next up, Kronos is developing a hybrid charging system for electric cars that it plans to debut by the first quarter of next year.
"The program is called ALGA, and it's part of a solar- and wind-powered hybrid charging station with zero carbon footprint," said Bogensberger, who remains tight-lipped about specifics until closer to its release date.
T.R.I.P.S. (Totally Renewable Integrated Power System) stations or towers offer citizens the opportunity to join ALGA. Users are issued swipeable cards that are then used to access electric cars that can be driven anywhere within a metro area. When finished, the cars are simply dropped off and plugged back into the nearest charging station.
The flower-shaped T.R.I.P.S. stations are designed to be visually inert and blend in with surroundings, much like cell phone towers.
Locally Kronos hopes to deliver five T.R.I.P.S. poles to Agricenter International in the fall.
Overall the company does the majority of its business outside the U.S.
"It's an uphill battle for renewables in the U.S. because we (as a community) think the petroleum bucket has no bottom," said Bogensberger, who established strong international connections while handling global business for KONE, Wittur North America and Mid-America Door.
Bogensberger is currently working to establish a joint venture in the United Kingdom with power control company Lifteknic, and it just signed a manufacturing agreement in Tartistan in southern Russia for five of the T.R.I.P.S. solar- and wind-powered hybrid charging systems.
Bogensberger points out that many people are not aware that electric cars can have a larger carbon footprint than a standard "smoke burning" car.
"And they are taxing an already taxed electrical grid," he said. "What will they do with the lithium ion cells afterwards?"
Kronos is also in the process of trying to establish a foothold in the local semi-tractor trailer fairings industry.
"In the past two years, the number of all trucks on the road with fairings has grown from only 7.5 percent to between 40 percent and 45 percent, and the forecast is that in the next five years you won't buy a trailer without them on it," he said.
Fairings made by Kronos show 16 percent diesel fuel savings versus other brands, according to Bogensberger, and they boast a life expectancy of 84 months.
"Everyone who has tested them so far has said they are a superior product," he said. "We are offering a top quality product for about $1,000 under our lowest competitor."


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By JustbyJulie
Dragonflies design with multi colored dragonfly slippers. You can choose your binding color from the menu. The slippers are available in six sizes XXS/Kids age 7-8 years, XS/Kids 9-10 years, small adult women size 1.5-2.5 men size 2-3, medium adult women size 3-4.5 men size 3.5-5, large adult women size 5-8.5 men size 5.5-9 and extra large adult women size 9-11 men size 9.5-11.5.
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A year in fashion has its highs, lows, knockouts and blunders and 2013 was no exception. As always, the red carpet, award shows, various fashion weeks around the globe and a variety of other events showcased the best and worst that fashion had to offer this year. Here we spotlight some of fashion's best moments from 2013.
Roaring Twenties
Baz Luhrmann's films always have a style all their own and the release of his "The Great Gatsby" this spring inspired many to play around with fashions from the Jazz Age. Flapper-style dresses, cloche hats, decorative headbands and many other pieces influenced by the time period were prevalent in retail locations, ranging from high-end designer boutiques to run-of-the-mill department stores. Blinged out, Art Deco themed jewelry hit the scene since the musically-charged, cinematic retelling of the F. Scott Fitzgerald classic put a huge emphasis on the glitz and glamour of the 1920s. The perfect look for New Year's Eve celebrations will embrace the Roaring Twenties as fashionistas prepare to ring in 2014.
The Pixie Returns
Since hitting the scene with her Academy Award nomination for "Winter's Bone" in 2011, Jennifer Lawrence has been making fashion headlines, never failing to wow us. In November when "The Hunger Games" star chopped off her hair to sport a pixie cut, other celebrities and many fans followed suit. Jennifer Aniston, Pamela Anderson and Kristin Chenoweth have all sheered their long locks for the easy, breezy, Twiggy-inspired short 'do. We wonder how the final movie in "The Hunger Games" series will fare without Katniss wearing her hair plaited, as is characteristic of the Mockingjay.
Not Your Grandma's Florals
We're not talking about the horrible flower patterns that cover your great aunt's couch. Celebrities ranging from Lucy Liu at the 2013 Golden Globes to Adele at the 2013 Grammys tried fresh, updated versions of floral patterns in new silhouettes and shapes. No doubt we'll see these two ladies, among many others, top 2013 best dressed lists with their incredible floral formal wear. For his first ready-to-wear line for Christian Dior, Raf Simons brought florals to New York Fashion Week's runway and critics and fashion bloggers could not stop singing the praises of the collection.
Grungy and Fabulous
The early 1990s are a distant memory for most, making it the time to revive trends from that period. Flannel, torn tights and Doc Martens signify the restoration of the grunge look in 2013 fashion trends. While some celebrities, such as Ke$sha, have attempted the grunge style only to look like a bad Courtney Love Halloween costume, iconic labels such as Yves Saint Laurent and Versace walked beautiful grunge-inspired looks down the runway. For the perfect look for the cold winter months, layer on cozy flannels, big sweaters and fleece tights to nail this look on the head.
Not too much longer until 2014 begins and a whole new year of fashion mesmerizes us with its daring statements, understated elegance and horribly funny gaffes. We can imagine only the great heights (and embarrassing pits) that fashion will rise to in the coming year.
Alli Sands is a freelance writer. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.


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Kia just unveiled its new hybrid Kia Cross GT concept at the 2013 Chicago Auto Show. Kia says that the overall design of the vehicle draws inspiration from the original GT concept and combines it with a luxury crossover layout.
"The debut of the GT in 2011 heralded a new frontier for Kia, both from a design and a business perspective," noted Peter Schreyer, Kia Motors Corporation president and global chief of design. "It beautifully illustrated to the world that the brand was ready to explore the possibility of perhaps one day offering a full-size rear-drive luxury saloon. The Cross GT, with its raised stance and large cargo area, allows us to envision the GT in the form of a full-size luxury crossover."
The Cross GT concept is based on the same chassis as the GT concept with similar proportions, which gives it short overhangs, a long wheelbase and aggressively wide posture. The concept is also powered by a hybrid powertrain that seeks to reduce the vehicle's carbon footprint while providing the uncompromising performance that's expected of a large, luxury crossover.
The Cross GT concept is powered by a 3.8L V6 hybrid powertrain, an 8-speed automatic and torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive. Backing the V6 is an evolution of Kia's parallel hybrid system, a pancake-shaped electric motor sandwiched between the V6 and transmission. The electric motor is rests under the rear floor. Combined, the V6 and electric motor produce 400 horsepower and 500 lb.-ft. of torque with an all-electric range of 20-miles.
Inside the concept features seats that are inspired by fine equestrian saddles. The seats feature contrasting stitching and are tanned with vegetable oil using natural dyes and no chemicals. Use of re-harvested American Walnut across the sweeping instrument panel and 100 percent eco-friendly renewable wool felt throughout the vehicle also add to the Cross GT's environmentally friendly appeal.


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Federal Courts Sound The Alarm Against RECAP; Worried About PACER Profits
from the and-that's-how-it-goes dept
The court would like to make CM/ECF filers aware of certain security concerns relating to a software application or "plug-in" called RECAP, which was designed to enable the sharing of court documents on the Internet.I especially like the "scare quotes" around "open-source." Of course, I'm not quite sure why the fact that the extension is open source makes it any more vulnerable to being "modified for benign or malicious purposes." Either way, looks like the Federal Courts don't like competition eating away at their PACER profits.
Once a user loads RECAP, documents that he or she subsequently accesses via PACER are automatically sent to a public Internet repository. Other RECAP/PACER users are then able to see whether documents are available from the Internet repository. At this time, RECAP does not appear to provide users with access to restricted or sealed documents.
Please be aware that RECAP is "open-source" software, which means it can be freely obtained by anyone with Internet access and could possibly be modified for benign or malicious purposes. This raises the possibility that the software could be used for facilitating unauthorized access to restricted or sealed documents. Accordingly, CM/ECF filers are reminded to be diligent about their computer security and document redaction practices to ensure that documents and sensitive information are not inadvertently shared or compromised.
The court and the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts will continue to analyze the implications of RECAP or related-software and advise you of any ongoing or further concerns.


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Style # 215783
Exude effortless cool in one of summer's hottest denim trends. This pair of bebe cuffed boyfriend jeans feature distressed detail at thigh and love-worn fading. Try yours with a silk cami and your highest pair of heels to dress it up.
- 42% lyocell, 26% cotton, 14% rayon, 12% polyester, 1% spandex
- Rise: 8" (20 cm)
- Inseam: 27" (69 cm)
- Leg opening: 10" (25 cm)
- Machine wash according to care label
- Made in USA with imported materials
- Model is 5'9" and is wearing a US size 27
Distressed Skinny Boyfriend Jeans is rated out of 5 by 1.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Sexywear222 from Comfy These jeans are soft and stretchy, ones you can stay in all day. They do stretch out a little as you wear them so I would get a size smaller than you normally wear. I'm going to order another pair but one size smaller so they are a little tighter.
Date published: 2013-06-02


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Shahid Afridi and Glenn Maxwell have both been named in Hampshire's 15-man Royals squad for the ICC Champions League Twenty20 in South Africa next month.
The pair replace Neil McKenzie and Simon Katich from the side that won the English t20 in Cardiff last month, as the pair had already qualified with South African outfit Highveld Lions and Australian Big Bash League side Perth Scorchers respectively.
Otherwise, the squad includes the other nine players who beat Yorkshire Carnegie by 10 runs to lift the Friends Life t20 trophy at the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff last month as well as members of the squad who have represented Hampshire in other competitions this season.
Manager, Giles White said: "We're absolutely delighted that Shahid and Glenn have elected to join us for the ICC Champions League Twenty20 competition.
"Glenn had the opportunity to go with the Delhi Daredevils having played for them in the Indian Premier League but has chosen to play for us so we're very happy about that.
"Both he and Shahid have proven themselves to be valuable additions to the squad in recent years and will be more than able replacements, albeit fulfilling slightly different roles, for Neil McKenzie and Simon Katich.
"Apart from them, the squad will include a lot of the talented young players that have come up through the club's Academy and helped us win the domestic Twenty20 trophy twice in the last three years.
"I know the squad are very excited by the opportunity to play in the Champions League and are looking forward to the challenge of playing in South Africa. This is the biggest stage an English County can play on and we hope to do our fans proud."
The team will travel to South Africa on Friday 5 October. The group stages begin on Tuesday 9 October with Hampshire's qualifying matches against New Zealand's Auckland Aces (the team Hampshire batsman, Jimmy Adams played for two winters ago) and Sialkot Stallions of Pakistan scheduled for Wednesday 10 October (12:30 UK time) at Centurion and Thursday 11 October (16:30 UK time) at Johannesburg respectively. All matches will be shown live on British Eurosport.
One team from each of the groups will qualify for the competition proper, beginning on Saturday October 13 at Centurion.
Eight sides have already qualified directly for the main rounds of the CLT20. They include defending champions Mumbai Indians, current IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Daredevils (all India) as well as Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers (from Australia's Big Bash League) and Titans and Lions (South Africa).
Cape Town, Johannesburg, Centurion and Durban have been named as venues for the tournament.
Royals squad: Shahid Afridi, Jimmy Adams, Sean Ervine, Liam Dawson, James Vince, Michael Carberry , Michael Bates, Dimi Mascarenhas , David Griffiths, Danny Briggs, Chris Wood, Glenn Maxwell, Kabir Ali, Hamza Riazuddin, Bilal Shafayat


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Armed Robbery at Missoula Motel [AUDIO]
A Missoula motel, the Quality Inns and Suites at 4445 North Reserve Street, was robbed at knife point last night, November 10.
Sergeant James Caton with the Missoula Police Department said the robbery took place at about 10 p.m.
"Two unidentified persons wearing black ski masks over their faces robbed the Quality Inns and Suites," Caton said. "The two made off with an undisclosed amount of cash after brandishing a knife at the clerk. Another employee came to work to start her shift and discovered her co-worker tied up in a closet."
Caton provided a brief description of the two suspects.
"One individual is describe as being large and wearing a black shirt and jeans," Caton said. "The other was smaller than the male, possibly a female, and also wearing a black shirt and jeans."
Caton said the female clerk was not seriously injured in the robbery.
Caton asks anyone with information about the robbery to call Missoula Crimestoppers at 721-44-44, or detective Sergeant Scott Pastian at the Missoula Police Department at 552-6300.
Sergeant James Caton