Society
Population
New Zealand has a population of over 4 million. The majority of the population lives on the northern island of which more than one million in Auckland. Auckland is the biggest city in the country. Wellington is the capital of New Zealand, approximately 206.000 people reside there. Christchurch is the largest city on the southern island and is even bigger than Wellington. Christchurch counts around the 332.000 citizens.
In the eighteenth century there were living more than 100.000 Maori in New Zealand. This population has decreased quite dramatically. Nowadays the Maori population is growing. The Maori represent 15% of New Zealand’s population. The bulk of the population, 80%, is of European heritage. The majority comes from Britain. Furthermore the Scandinavian, Dutch, German, French, Italian, Greek and Dalmatian Cultures are represented. The rest of the population consists mostly of Asians. In 1987 New Zealand immigration rules were relaxed. Since that time many Asians immigrated to Auckland.
Implications of immigrants from non western countries will be a question for the future. New Zealand has already coped with many immigration waves, but this one is different; the Culture of the immigrants is varied and exotic.
Languages
New Zealand has two official languages: Maori and English. The Maori Culture including the language is increasing in popularity among New Zealanders. Nowadays there are many Maori terms in everyday use. Maori are proud of their language.
Politics
New Zealand is political stable and has a modern welfare system; this within a sovereign state with a democratic parliamentary government. The judicial system is, like the governmental system, based on the British model.