FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!
Quiz about Aotearoa
Quiz about Aotearoa

Aotearoa Trivia Quiz


New Zealand is a popular tourist destination for all manner of people from all kinds of places. What information did you pick up while you were travelling around Aotearoa?

A multiple-choice quiz by Capfka. Estimated time: 5 mins.
  1. Home
  2. »
  3. Quizzes
  4. »
  5. Geography Trivia
  6. »
  7. Pacific Islands
  8. »
  9. New Zealand

Author
Capfka
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
242,140
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
15
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
12 / 15
Plays
4404
Awards
Top 10% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Matilda22 (7/15), Guest 27 (15/15), Guest 103 (15/15).
- -
Question 1 of 15
1. The Maori name for New Zealand is Aotearoa. What does this mean in English? Hint


Question 2 of 15
2. What is the name of the modernistic spire in central Auckland? Hint


Question 3 of 15
3. Most people know the name of the harbour on which central Auckland is set - the Waitemata. But what is the name of the harbour which Auckland International Airport was built beside? Hint


Question 4 of 15
4. The stink of rotten eggs pervades the air of this tourist city. To the north of the CBD you can see geysers and hot pools. It's set on a lake. What is its name? Hint


Question 5 of 15
5. This city is the Art Deco capital of New Zealand. It's reputed to have the best weather in New Zealand, although the citizens of Hastings might choose to disagree. It's on the east coast of the North Island. What city am I talking about? Hint


Question 6 of 15
6. Inland, we come to a large lake (the largest lake in the country) which is actually the caldera of a volcano which exploded thousands of years ago. It is near the centre of geothermal power production in New Zealand and, in fact, has hot springs rising under the lake near the shore! What is its name? Hint


Question 7 of 15
7. Wellington is the capital of the country. Parliament occupies pride of place in the city. What is the nickname of the unusually-shaped building beside Parliament where the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers have their offices? Hint


Question 8 of 15
8. What is the name of the stretch of water which separates the South Island from the North Island? Hint


Question 9 of 15
9. When you sail on the ferry from Wellington to Picton, nearly half of the trip is spent threading the way through what natural feature the name of which begins with "Marlborough"? Hint


Question 10 of 15
10. The hot, dry summers in Marlborough mean that it has become the largest area in New Zealand for growing _______ ? Hint


Question 11 of 15
11. Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island. What is it also known as? Hint


Question 12 of 15
12. Queenstown is set on which southern lake? Hint


Question 13 of 15
13. What's the name of a famous walking track that begins at a lodge called Glade House and ends at the mouth of the Arthur River? Hint


Question 14 of 15
14. Dunedin used to be the richest and largest city in New Zealand. What was the economic basis for this? Hint


Question 15 of 15
15. Foveaux Strait, between Stewart Island and the South Island, is the source of a seafood which many New Zealanders would claim is only worth eating if it comes from the strait. What is it? Hint



(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

arrow Select a User ID:
arrow Choose a Password:
arrow Your Email:




Most Recent Scores
Mar 25 2024 : Matilda22: 7/15
Mar 25 2024 : Guest 27: 15/15
Mar 23 2024 : Guest 103: 15/15
Mar 14 2024 : Guest 31: 14/15
Mar 13 2024 : Guest 147: 12/15
Mar 10 2024 : Guest 222: 6/15
Mar 03 2024 : Guest 219: 9/15
Mar 01 2024 : Pterry99: 13/15
Feb 29 2024 : ptc123: 9/15

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The Maori name for New Zealand is Aotearoa. What does this mean in English?

Answer: (Land of) the Long White Cloud

Aotearoa is New Zealand's "other" official name.
2. What is the name of the modernistic spire in central Auckland?

Answer: The Sky Tower

Did you know that people have done base-jumping stunts off the tower? The tower sways in the wind quite a bit and has been evacuated because of that.
3. Most people know the name of the harbour on which central Auckland is set - the Waitemata. But what is the name of the harbour which Auckland International Airport was built beside?

Answer: Manukau

Although it was used as a real harbour in the 19th century, it's too silted up to be really useful except to windsurfers and small boat sailors at high tide these days.
4. The stink of rotten eggs pervades the air of this tourist city. To the north of the CBD you can see geysers and hot pools. It's set on a lake. What is its name?

Answer: Rotorua

It may seem odd but you do stop noticing the smell after a while. Whakarewarewa is where the hot pools are south of the central business district. Rotorua is the centre of New Zealand's main geothermal area. Waiotapu and Waimaungu lie south of the town and Mt Tarawera is to the south-east.
5. This city is the Art Deco capital of New Zealand. It's reputed to have the best weather in New Zealand, although the citizens of Hastings might choose to disagree. It's on the east coast of the North Island. What city am I talking about?

Answer: Napier

Napier is New Zealand's San Francisco. In the 1930s, a massive earthquake levelled the place. Many people were killed during the quake and the subsequent fire. The land to the north of the city rose several feet. In fact, Napier's airport now stands on what used to be seabed.
6. Inland, we come to a large lake (the largest lake in the country) which is actually the caldera of a volcano which exploded thousands of years ago. It is near the centre of geothermal power production in New Zealand and, in fact, has hot springs rising under the lake near the shore! What is its name?

Answer: Taupo

It's hard to believe that Lake Taupo was a volcano. Until you find that the bottom of the lake is warm when you go paddling.
7. Wellington is the capital of the country. Parliament occupies pride of place in the city. What is the nickname of the unusually-shaped building beside Parliament where the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers have their offices?

Answer: Beehive

The design of the building caused traditionalists much offence when it was first unveiled. But most people rather like it now ... Wellington has a habit of giving its unusual buildings quirky names. The BNZ building at the corner of Featherston Street and Lambton Quay was a rusting skeleton for many years when the BNZ decided it couldn't afford to finish it.

It was known as the Rusting Tower of Visa. When it was finally completed decades later, sheathed in black reflective glass, it became known as The Black Hole...
8. What is the name of the stretch of water which separates the South Island from the North Island?

Answer: Cook Strait

Cook Strait is famed for Force 8 gales which frequently stop all ferry sailings and see the closure of Wellington Airport, which is right on the coast at the southern edge of Wellington.
9. When you sail on the ferry from Wellington to Picton, nearly half of the trip is spent threading the way through what natural feature the name of which begins with "Marlborough"?

Answer: Sounds

Actually, you don't see very much of the Sounds on the ferry sailing, but the scenery is striking and the exit/entrance from Tory Channel into Cook Strait can be ... interesting.
10. The hot, dry summers in Marlborough mean that it has become the largest area in New Zealand for growing _______ ?

Answer: grapes

What used to be rather arid pastureland is now covered with large vineyards and small boutique wineries. There are various tours and self-drive wine trails which are a good, if rather unsober, way to spend a day or two.
11. Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island. What is it also known as?

Answer: The Garden City

Christchurch quite justly regards itself as the prettiest city in New Zealand (and I say that as a Dunedinite). The garden displays in summer are unbeatable.
12. Queenstown is set on which southern lake?

Answer: Wakatipu

Wakatipu has a slight tide, running north to south. The Maoris believed that a giant lay sleeping at the bottom of the lake, causing it to rise and fall.
13. What's the name of a famous walking track that begins at a lodge called Glade House and ends at the mouth of the Arthur River?

Answer: Milford Track

Milford Track begins on Lake Te Anau at the mouth of the Clinton River and ends at Sandfly Point on Milford Sound. It's a nice walk for people of moderate fitness. The highest waterfall in New Zealand, the Sutherland Falls, can be seen on a short side-trip on the Milford side of the McKinnon Pass.
14. Dunedin used to be the richest and largest city in New Zealand. What was the economic basis for this?

Answer: Gold

For a (very) short while, Dunedin was the largest city in New Zealand. It was the wealthiest city for many years, too, and it has a lot of amenities which other cities of its size are envious of because of that. A nice place, and my home town. Yay Dunedin!
15. Foveaux Strait, between Stewart Island and the South Island, is the source of a seafood which many New Zealanders would claim is only worth eating if it comes from the strait. What is it?

Answer: Bluff Oysters

Bluff oysters are a succulent variety of Pacific oysters and ... well, they're the best. They're also horribly expensive, because the season for catching them and the allowed size of the catch is so small. But - IMHO, of course - there is simply NO substitute.
Source: Author Capfka

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
3/28/2024, Copyright 2024 FunTrivia, Inc. - Report an Error / Contact Us