Facts About New Zealand Trivia Quiz

Answer: Henry Sewell

Henry Sewell held the title of Premier of New Zealand or Colonial Secretary, the term used for the head of government during that period prior to the use of Prime Minister. His tenure was short-lived due to strong centralist tendencies and was defeated by William Fox. Sewell was an MP for Christchurch and remained in politics until 1872.

Answer: Rugby Union

New Zealand's national rugby team is known as the All Blacks and they are considered to be among the best in the world. Prior to international matches they usually stage the 'haka', a Maori dance intended to get their mojo going. Rugby has been popular in New Zealand since the turn of the twentieth century reflecting its British colonial heritage.

Answer: Cook Strait

The Cook Strait was named after James Cook, a British explorer who reportedly was the first from Europe to pass through it. The width of the strait is about fourteen miles and is often prone to rough waters. The strait provides a link from the Tasman Sea to the South Pacific Ocean.

Answer: Lord of the Rings

The trilogy was filmed in excess of 150 locations throughout distant areas of New Zealand. The duration of the shoot was from late 1999 to the end of 2000 with some 2400 people involved in the production. Some filming was done 2001-2004 to edit some of the scenes. Some controversy arose as a result of conservation areas being disturbed by the crew.

Answer: Edmund Hillary

In !953, Edmund Hilary along with Sherpa climber Tenzing Norgay became the first men to get to the top of Mount Everest. Hillary was a teenager when he became interested in mountaineering and in 1948 also ascended Mount Cook/Aoraki, New Zealand's tallest mountain.

In addition to his conquest of Everest, he also reached both the South Pole and the North Pole, the first person to get to all three areas.

Answer: A.J. Hackett

Alan John Hackett is an entrepreneur who started the first permanent commercial bungee jumping site at Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge on the South Island in 1988. He was inspired by the rudimentary jumps of Vanuatu natives and strove for ways to make the activity safe. Modern bungee jumps started in the USA as publicity stunts prior to the emergence of Hackett's venture.

Answer: Royals

Lorde is from Auckland and has been on the music scene since 2009. She is also a songwriter and producer specializing in electropop and indie pop. 'Royals' is from her debut album 'The Love Club EP' released in 2013. Lorde was only sixteen years old when 'Royals' made it to number one on the US Billboard Charts, the youngest since Tiffany did it in 1987.

Answer: Auckland

The Sky Tower offers a panoramic view of the city and is also used for telecommunications purposes. It has a unique design, was built in 1994-1997 and is 1,076 feet tall. The tower has the distinction of being among the tallest independent buildings in the Southern Hemisphere.

Answer: Kiwiburger

Bryan Old came up with idea of the Kiwiburger to represent ingredients of local fare. The main distinguishing feature is the addition of beetroot and fried egg. The burger was first available on the McDonald's menu in 1991 and has been there on and off due to limited success. For a premium burger you can also buy the Kiwi Angus.

Answer: 1893

New Zealand was the first country to allow women to vote in parliamentary elections. The creation of the Electoral Act was a result of the women's suffrage movement led by Kate Sheppard. This change led to improved social morality, removal of barriers and a better quality of life.