Portal:Oceania/Daily article/15
New Zealand is a country of two large islands and many smaller islands in the south-western Pacific Ocean. New Zealand is also known as Aotearoa in the Māori language, or the Land of the Long White Cloud. The country extends more than 1,600 kilometres (1,000 mi) along its main, north-north-east axis.
The population (total 4.4 million in 2011) is mostly of European descent, with Māori being the largest minority. Non-Māori Polynesian and Asian peoples are also significant minorities, especially in the nation's cities. The capital is Wellington, and the largest city is Auckland.