Third of Four Installments - Facts About New Zealand

1. New Zealand is a small country. It has a population of about 4 million citizens, slightly more than the city of Los Angeles, CA. The combined North and South Islands land mass is about the size of the state of Colorado.  
2. The Kiwis love the water. The country has more than 6,000 miles of coastline, lakes and rivers making it one of the world’s most prolific water sporting countries. No place in New Zealand is more than 105 miles from the sea.  
3. In this year’s America’s Cup, Oracle Team USA pulled off a dramatic 8-1 come from behind victory over a dominant Emirates Team New Zealand to win 8-9. If you wondered why the New Zealand team was considered dominant, consider that Auckland has the largest number of boats per capita than any city in the world. Needless to say, the folks down under have a lot of sailing experience. But Larry Ellison takes no prisoners.
4. The Land of the Long White Cloud, as New Zealand was called by its original settlers, is a former British colony.  And where the British went, they took their golf. Today there are more golf courses in New Zealand per capita, than any other country in the world (over 400 golf courses).

5. In 1893 New Zealand became the first major nation to have universal suffrage when it gave the right to vote to all male and female citizens. Twenty seven years later, the United Stated finally gave women the right to vote.