Rhys Darby and Jacinda Ardern try to solve the mystery.

It is one of the greatest mysteries of our time - why is New Zealand always being left off world maps?

It has sparked social media groups like World Maps Without New Zealand as well as countless news articles, as institutions like the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington DC, the UN, and even a humble tablecloth from UK retailer John Lewis leave off Aotearoa.

Now Kiwi comedian Rhys Darby has the answer - it's all Australia's fault ... well partly.

SCREENGRAB Rhys Darby and Jacinda Ardern star in the Tourism New Zealand video.

The Jumanji star is in a new Tourism New Zealand video, starring alongside PM Jacinda Ardern, or as Darby calls her "your highness" and "your majesty".

READ MORE:

* New Zealand is being left off world maps

* New Zealand left off the map on John Lewis tablecloth

* We've been forgotten from world's maps

He says the conspiracy is "bigger than the moon landing and the Loch Ness combined".

SCREENGRAB Jacinda Ardern isn't too sure about the "conspiracy"...yet.

Darby surmises that Australia wants to steal the tourists, England wants to get rid of the All Blacks and the French are jealous of the Kiwi wine industry.

Although he does reveal another likely option.

"We are quite a fiddly-looking shaped country, a bit like a half-eaten lamb chop. Perhaps people are just leaving us off thinking we're a mistake."

SCREENGRAB "Bigger than the moon landing and the Loch Ness combined."

The video was made by Tourism NZ as part of a new promotion campaign, highlighting the hashtag #getNZonthemap.