New Zealand

Actually true

• Māori culture is a living, official part of national identity

  Te Reo Māori is an official language, the haka is performed at national events, and the Treaty of Waitangi remains central to politics.

• There are more sheep than people

  New Zealand has roughly five sheep for every person, though the ratio has fallen sharply from historic highs.

• It was the last major landmass settled by humans

  Polynesian voyagers arrived around 1300 CE, making New Zealand one of the most recently settled places on Earth.

• The country is genuinely geologically active

  Rotorua's geysers, boiling mud pools and the volcanic Tongariro crossing reflect the country's position on the Pacific Ring of Fire.

Commonly believed, wrong

• "It's basically a smaller version of Australia"

  Distinct history, Māori culture, geography and even accent set New Zealand clearly apart from its larger neighbour.

• "It's all Lord of the Rings scenery everywhere"

  While filming locations are widespread, much of the country is ordinary farmland, suburbs and working towns.

• "The North and South Islands are basically the same"

  The South Island is mountainous and sparsely populated with dramatic fjords; the North Island is more populous, volcanic and subtropical.

• "Everyone speaks with an Australian accent"

  New Zealand English has its own distinct vowel sounds and vocabulary that locals are quick to distinguish from Australian speech.