Napier (more)
High: 20 Low: 7 English and Maori are the official languages of New Zealand. Maori became an official language in 1987.
In April 2006, New Zealand became the first country to declare sign language ad an official language, alongside Maori and English.
New Zealand Sign Language or NZSL is the main language of the deaf community in New Zealand.
Maori is only used in New Zealand and nowhere else in the world. Despite its official status, the language continues to struggle against being lost.
In the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, Queen Victoria promised the Maori that their language would be protected. It was only recently that the Maori language has gathered widespread support. In the present, the Maori language is commonly used in the media and at school.
When Maori people moved to the cities in the 1940's, they felt pressured to speak English and children were raised without the Maori language. By the 1970's, the Maori language was close to being irrevocably lost.
A recent survey by the New Zealand government shows about 130,000 people speak some Maori.
View more key facts and information about New Zealand.
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