I’ve never visited, but I am a life-long reader of National Geographic. Does that count for anything in terms of an education?
(Favorite anecdote: a group of Yanks are on a tour through Belgium. The train comes round a corner, and there is a meadow with cattle grazing. One Yank, in a California accent, cries out, “Oh my God! Cows!”)
“Thanks. And it’s all natural. Not like America that’s had some “work” done.”
They’re easy to spot around here… they’re the ones with a maple leaf sewn on their backpacks. Well, they’re either Canadian or Americans-in-disguise. 
“Thanks!”
Pretty much what I say 100% of the time. Let’s read what I SHOULD be saying instead…
I get “state” from people from away more than “country” but I just tell them thank you. And to watch out for the moose, who gun for motorists in a sort of sad pyrrhic victory*. Next time they tell me how pretty the trees are in autumn I’m going to point several out and claim I planted them as is our state duty.
As someone said, I expect people are just looking for something polite to say, and probably don’t have anything interesting to say ABOUT natural beauty. I’d say “thanks” and look for a polite way to continue the conversation. Throw out another conversation starter. Or ask if they’ve ever been there: at least that’ll start a conversation about travel, whcih may lead to something more interesting.
I’d like a good answer for, ‘You’re a fucking idiot for leaving New Zealand to live here’. Actual thing said to me by a British person.
I get this a lot, although it’s usually a bit less agressively worded.
Funnily enough, when I ask them how long they lived in New Zealand, none of them have actually so much as visited the country…
I was asked how could I leave Spain for Miami. My answer “lady, they paid me to come!”
Odd thing to say on a dating site. Seems she would ask a personal question about you whether than kissing ass about your country. Maybe she got her last boyfriend by bragging about his homeland, who knows.
What a beautiful country you live in… be a shame if somethin’ happened to it.