Google Top Searches in New Zealand for 2014 [VIDEO]

People are silhouetted as they pose with laptops in front of a screen projected with a Google logo, in this picture illustration taken in Zenica October 29, 2014. Reuters/Dado Ruvic

For 2014, Kiwis have been curious to know a lot of things, including information about the FIFA World Cup, Robin Williams’ life and death, Ebola, Lorde, Charlotte Dawson, Jennifer Lawrence and pancake recipe. Google has released the most searched terms in New Zealand for the year.

Headlines such as the disappearance of flight MH370 in March, as well as the downing of MH17 in July, have occupied the Kiwis’ thoughts for the year. Malaysia Airlines is the fourth trending searches in the country, next to FIFA World Cup, Robin Williams and Commonwealth Games, which take the top spots respectively.

Williams, who took his own life in August, became a fascination to people around the world, including those in New Zealand. They wanted to know more about the beloved actor who was gone too soon. They wanted to relive his life through his movies and sitcoms, his guest appearances on television shows, his family life and his famous friends. Kiwis also search information relating to depression and mental health, which he apparently suffered from before his death.

Kiwi-Australian Charlotte Dawson was another famous personality who left the world too early in 2014. The former model’s death in February also shocked New Zealand, with more people searching for her name on Google to understand more about the fallen beauty.

Jennifer Lawrence wasn’t the only celebrity victimised by the massive nude photo hacking scandal in late August, but she unquestionably bore the brunt of the whole thing. And therefore, her name took number six on the trending searches in New Zealand.

Lorde is expectedly a trending topic for the Kiwis. She tops the Kiwis search for the year, followed by All Blacks player Aaron Smith and news presenter Rachel Smalley. Kim Dotcom’s wife Mona Dotcom, whom he is currently separated from, also made the list.

Apart from people and events, Kiwis also like to search for digital/Internet lingo, how-to instructions, places and even recipes. Pancake recipes top the most searched in the category, followed by banna cake and chicken. Kiwis have been curious to know how to draw, meditate, crochet and twerk. They also would like to know where Gallipoli is, or where Glasgow, Sochi and Tibet are. For Web lingos, Tinder became the most searched item, with goat simulator and Bitcoin coming up at second and third places.

Here are the top items Kiwis searched for on Google in 2014.