We’re turning our attention to New Zealand; there are many weird and wonderful facts you never even knew about this stunning and unique country…

The native bird to New Zealand, the kea, is notorious for pulling windshield wipers off cars and consuming the rubber strips from windows.

New Zealand’s population is only 5% human – the rest are animals.

Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu is the name of an actual place in New Zealand in Hawkes Bay.

Despite being a similar size to the UK and Japan, its population is a tiny 4 million compared to a whopping 63 million in the United Kingdom.

New Zealand’s Royal Air Force logo is a flightless, round bird called the kiwi.

The South Island is home to a giant carnivorous snail called the Powelliphanta. Thankfully, it usually just eats earthworms.

Oddly, the country has Hobbit-related images on its currency – and is the only country with the right to do so.

Bats are the country’s only native land mammal – Maoris and Europeans introduced the rest.

New Zealand has two national anthems; God Defend New Zealand and God Save The Queen.

In Dunedin, a clock hasn’t stopped running since 1864 despite never being wound up since it was made.

For educational purposes, schools in the country are permitted to keep one pound of thorium or uranium. However, if it explodes, they will be fined $1 million.

The prime minister in 1990 was appointed a National Wizard.

Other than the US, New Zealand is the only other country that allows public advertisement from drug companies.

Same-sex marriage was legalised in the country back in 2013.

It’s home to the heaviest insect in the world, the giant weta – it resembles a giant cockroach and is heavier than a sparrow. Yikes.

In Auckland, one third of all households own a boat.

Nelson Lakes National Park is home to Blue Lake, which has the clearest water in the world.

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There are three official languages in the country; Māori, English, and New Zealand Sign Language.

The county has no land snakes, introduced or native.

There is no part of the country that is more than 79 miles from the coast.

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