New Zealand Geography Olympiad

Every two years gifted and talented young geographers in New Zealand have the chance to participate in the International Geography Olympiad (IGEO). The event was set up in 1992 and is organised for the International Geographical Union by the IGEO based in the Netherlands.The format of the competition is enshrined in the Olympiad statutes; the formal tests include an extended writing assignment that explores geographical knowledge in depth, and a multimedia examination that requires the use of a wide range of geographical information in creative and innovative ways.

The most challenging aspect of the Olympiad competition is the field work and cartography activities. The field work requires three days of travel and observation through a variety of physical and cultural landscapes, followed by an activity that establishes the interpretive skills and cultural awareness of the participants. Even more challenging are the cartographic exercises, where the conventions of cartographic visualization and representation are tested within a very tight time frame.

Teams from New Zealand have participated in the Geography Olympiad with partial funding from the Government in events in Brisbane in 2006 and Tunisia in 2008. Twenty four teams (the maximum) met in Carthage. The New Zealand team performed with distinction, improving on our Brisbane medal performance by winning silver and two bronze medals. While the medal count was impressive, so was the ambassadorial role played by the team; while team members rode camels in the fringes of the Sahara, visited troglodyte houses, and viewed Roman mosaics in the Bardo Museum, they also introduced the international community to Maori culture, and represented the country with maturity.

The 2010 event is in Taiwan, and the New Zealand Olympiad team will be made up of four secondary school students between 16 and 19 on 30 June 2010. Students are selected through a national Geography competition, and the NZ Board of Geography Teachers organises this through the well-established national Maatangi Whenua event. Maatangi Whenua brings together the best school teams from six regions, with up to 200 teams nationally invited to compete in the regional rounds.