New Zealand is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. Because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans.

#1: Santa Clause’s reindeer have a hard time delivering presents in New Zealand because it’s summertime during Christmas. A very odd thing to imagine for people living in the Northern Hemisphere.

#2: The Mickey Mouse look-alike in the animal kingdom is found only in New Zealand. The Hector Dolphin, native to the southern island has two protruding ears, giving it a funny look.

#3: Captain James Cook, the real-life captain Jack Sparrow, was a captain of the Royal Navy of Britain who discovered New Zealand for the West. The lack of fresh citrus fruits in his adventurous voyage led him to discover a cure for scurvy, the simple vitamin C.

#4: The Great Barrier Islands in northern New Zealand, extensively used pigeon posts. During the early 20th century, it had two companies that “hired” healthy pigeons to deliver crucial information. It remains an important cultural symbol of the region.

#5: The Auckland Volcanic Field is a hotspot for volcanic activity and geologists use the area to study global seismology. It has 50 volcanoes with a relatively young one of 650 years