Society

70% of people adhere to a religion; 59% of people are Christians; others include Ratana (Maori) 1.4%, Buddhists 1.2% and Hindus 1.1%. English and Maori are the official languages and many information documents are also translated into Polynesian.

The largest dailies are The New Zealand Herald (Auckland, the main national newspaper), The Dominion Post (Wellington), The Press (Christchurch) and Otago Daily Times (Dunedin). Around 30 daily papers – mostly evening editions – are published locally and regionally. The principal Sunday papers are Sunday Star Times and Sunday News.

State-owned Television New Zealand (TVNZ) operates TV1 and TV2, and the public Maori Television is aimed at promoting the Maori language and culture. TV3 and Prime TV are private networks, and Sky TV runs pay-to-view channels.

State-run Radio New Zealand operates three stations: National Radio, Concert FM and The AM Network. Riua Mai is a government-funded Maori-owned radio station and Tourist Information FM provides visitors with useful travel information 24 hours a day.

There are numerous colleges of education (Auckland, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin), and the University of Waikato has its own School of Education. There are also 8 government-funded universities (Auckland, Auckland University of Technology, Waikato, Massey, Victoria at Wellington, Canterbury, Lincoln and Otago) and 25 polytechnics. There is virtually no illiteracy among people aged 15–24.

Most public phones take cards purchased from bookstalls; some also accept credit cards, but very few still accept coins. Mobile phone coverage is good and there are roaming agreements with most international providers. Internet cafes are widely available and can be found in cities and smaller towns. Travelers may access the internet at many hotels and youth hostels.

Public holidays:
New Year (two days), Waitangi Day (anniversary of the 1840 treaty, 6 February), ANZAC Day (25 April), Queen’s Official Birthday (first Monday in June), Labour Day (fourth Monday in October), Christmas Day and Boxing Day. The anniversaries of the former provinces of New Zealand are observed locally as holidays. Religious and other festivals whose dates vary from year to year include Good Friday and Easter Monday.

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