Maps without New Zealand: The worst offenders revealed

Thanks to Rhys Darby and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, today we've been made aware of a very important conspiracy: New Zealand is being left off world maps.

It's a pressing enough concern to have its own dedicated subreddit, MapsWithoutNZ. With more than 40,000 readers, a number of examples have been posted. Here are ten of the most shocking:

1. At the Smithsonian Museum

If there's any institution that should know better, it's the prestigious Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington DC. AliceatLast1227 pointed out that New Zealand is missing on its world population map. Disappointing.

2. An A-level geography text book

. An image posted of a British A-level geography textbook features a stylised map of the world cut into a leaf. And ironically, considering the subject matter, New Zealand is nowhere to be seen.

3. A sorority t-shirt

New Zealand was also missing on a sorority t-shirt belonging to the girlfriend of user _Holy_cannoli_. "Education is the most powerful weapon", the shirt reads. Again, how ironic.

4. A temporary tattoo

Thankfully this tattoo, posted by user prav10194, is only temporary – unlike some of the others featured on the subreddit. What could be more embarrassing than having an incomplete map etched into your skin for eternity?

5. On the wall of Ikea

. Which is true – we are still sadly lacking the Swedish homewear giant. But that's no excuse for them to leave us off the map.

6. Pandemic board game

At least we can rest assured that if a global pandemic ever occurs, it won't be coming our way. TemperateHoosier posted this image of the Pandemic board game, writing "at least you won't be getting infected!"

7. On the flat earth

While the flat earth conspiracy theory appears to be spreading – even among celebrities – we don't even get to be part of it. In this image of the flat earth, posted by LoganBlade13, New Zealand is conspicuously absent. Perhaps we fell off the edge?

8. In North Korea

It seems North Korea only recognises the North Island of Aotearoa. It8bit pointed to a YouTube video by Steve Wilde that captured this shocking image.

9. In a child's drawing of Putin spreading love to all nations except NZ

According to this child's drawing posted by OrvilleSchnauble, New Zealand is getting none of Vladamir Putin's love. However, Iamtheseo commented that it's "probably for the best that NZ doesn't receive Putin's 'love'".

10. On the 404 error page of the New Zealand Government's website

Perhaps the most common example, this is posted on the MapsWithoutNZ subreddit at least once a week, to the disdain of regular users. But it's true – we don't appear on the map featured on the 404 page of our own government. However, if you look a little closer, the omission is actually intentional - "something's missing", indeed.