New Zealand also recently got ATMs which can process checks.

I can assure you that checks are basically dead in New Zealand. I'm 30 and I've never owned a checkbook. The only checks I ever see are birthday money from my grandparents.

Most shops haven't accepted checks for years.

Almost everything these days is done with direct bank transfers.

Eh, cheques have been on their way out here for many years now. They are pretty rare these days.

In some circles maybe. My girlfriend is a pet behaviorist, some of her clients pay by cheques, she sees at least 2 every week.

cheques are gone in the UK. You don't get a cheque book with accounts by default anymore, I guess those ATM's are leftover from when cheques where cool.

They where due to be phased out entirely by 2018, but it seems like that's been extended a bit.

They are not gone. My girlfriend is a pet behaviorist, some of her clients pay by cheques, she sees at least 2 every week.

My surprise came from living in Denmark for 25 years, and I had only ever seen a cheque on american television.

I guess old habits die hard :)