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This page was last updated on 19 June 2008
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| Introduction | New Zealand | Top of Page

Background: | The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars. New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances.

| Geography | New Zealand | Top of Page

Location: | Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
Geographic coordinates: | 41 00 S, 174 00 E
Map references: | Oceania
Area: | total: 268,680 sq km land: 268,021 sq km water: NA note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
Area - comparative: | about the size of Colorado
Land boundaries: | 0 km
Coastline: | 15,134 km
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate: | temperate with sharp regional contrasts
Terrain: | predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m
Natural resources: | natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone
Land use: | arable land: 5.54% permanent crops: 6.92% other: 87.54% (2005)
Irrigated land: | 2,850 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources: | 397 cu km (1995)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): | total: 2.11 cu km/yr (48%/9%/42%) per capita: 524 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards: | earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity
Environment - current issues: | deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by invasive species
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note: | about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world

| People | New Zealand | Top of Page

Population: | 4,173,460 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 20.9% (male 446,883/female 424,240) 15-64 years: 66.5% (male 1,390,669/female 1,385,686) 65 years and over: 12.6% (male 238,560/female 287,422) (2008 est.)
Median age: | total: 36.3 years male: 35.6 years female: 37.1 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate: | 0.971% (2008 est.)
Birth rate: | 14.09 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate: | 7 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate: | 2.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 4.99 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.62 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 80.24 years male: 78.33 years female: 82.25 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 2.11 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 1,400 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality: | noun: New Zealander(s) adjective: New Zealand
Ethnic groups: | European 69.8%, Maori 7.9%, Asian 5.7%, Pacific islander 4.4%, other 0.5%, mixed 7.8%, unspecified 3.8% (2001 census)
Religions: | Anglican 14.9%, Roman Catholic 12.4%, Presbyterian 10.9%, Methodist 2.9%, Pentecostal 1.7%, Baptist 1.3%, other Christian 9.4%, other 3.3%, unspecified 17.2%, none 26% (2001 census)
Languages: | English (official), Maori (official), Sign Language (official)
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)

| Government | New Zealand | Top of Page

Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: New Zealand abbreviation: NZ
Government type: | parliamentary democracy
Capital: | name: Wellington geographic coordinates: 41 28 S, 174 51 E time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends third Sunday in March note: New Zealand is divided into two time zones, including Chatham Island
Administrative divisions: | 16 regions and 1 territory*; Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Chatham Islands*, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato, Wellington, West Coast
Dependent areas: | Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau
Independence: | 26 September 1907 (from UK)
National holiday: | Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840); ANZAC Day (commemorated as the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April (1915)
Constitution: | consists of a series of legal documents, including certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments, as well as The Constitution Act 1986, which is the principal formal charter; adopted 1 January 1987, effective 1 January 1987
Legal system: | based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts for the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Helen CLARK (since 10 December 1999); Deputy Prime Minister Michael CULLEN (since July 2002) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
Legislative branch: | unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament (120 seats; 69 members elected by popular vote in single-member constituencies including 7 Maori constituencies, and 51 proportional seats chosen from party lists; to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 17 September 2005 (next to be held not later than 15 November 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NZLP 41.1%, NP 39.1%, NZFP 5.7%, Green Party 5.3%, Maori 2.1%, UF 2.7%, ACT New Zealand 1.5%, Progressive 1.2%, other 1.3%; seats by party - NZLP 50, NP 48, NZFP 7, Green Party 6, Maori 4, UF 3, ACT New Zealand 2, Progressive 1 note: results of 2005 election saw the total number of seats increase to 121 because the Maori Party won one more electorate seat than its entitlement under the party vote
Judicial branch: | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; High Court; note - judges appointed by the Governor-General
Political parties and leaders: | ACT New Zealand [Rodney HIDE]; Green Party [Jeanette FITZSIMONS]; Maori Party [Whatarangi WINIATA]; National Party or NP [John KEY]; New Zealand First Party or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New Zealand Labor Party or NZLP [Helen CLARK]; Progressive Party [James (Jim) ANDERTON]; United Future or UF [Peter DUNNE]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
International organization participation: | ADB, ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986), APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Roy N. FERGUSON chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800 FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador William P. McCORMICK embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP 96531-1034 telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000 FAX: [64] (4) 499-0490 consulate(s) general: Auckland
Flag description: | blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross constellation
Government - note: | while not an official symbol, the Kiwi, a small native flightless bird, represents New Zealand

| Economy | New Zealand | Top of Page

Economy - overview: | Over the past 20 years the government has transformed New Zealand from an agrarian economy dependent on concessionary British market access to a more industrialized, free market economy that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes - but left behind many at the bottom of the ladder - and broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector. Per capita income has risen for eight consecutive years and reached $27,300 in 2007 in purchasing power parity terms. Consumer and government spending have driven growth in recent years, and exports picked up in 2006 after struggling for several years. Exports were equal to about 22% of GDP in 2007, down from 33% of GDP in 2001. Thus far the economy has been resilient, and the Labor Government promises that expenditures on health, education, and pensions will increase proportionately to output. Inflationary pressures have built in recent years and the central bank raised its key rate 13 times since January 2004 to finish 2007 at 8.25%. A large balance of payments deficit poses another challenge in managing the economy.
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $111.7 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | $128.1 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $26,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 4.8% industry: 26% services: 69.3% (2007 est.)
Labor force: | 2.233 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 7% industry: 19% services: 74% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate: | 3.6% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line: | NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: %NA highest 10%: %NA
Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 36.2 (1997)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 2.4% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): | 23.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $57.84 billion expenditures: $53.7 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt: | 20.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products: | dairy products, lamb and mutton; wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, beef; fish
Industries: | food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining
Industrial production growth rate: | 0.3% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production: | 42.06 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption: | 37.39 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production: | 25,880 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 156,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports: | 15,720 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports: | 140,900 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves: | 55.5 million bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production: | 3.9 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 3.7 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves: | 29.67 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance: | -$10.38 billion (2007 est.)
Exports: | $27.26 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities: | dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish, machinery
Exports - partners: | Australia 20.5%, US 13.1%, Japan 10.3%, China 5.4%, UK 4.9% (2006)
Imports: | $28.97 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum, electronics, textiles, plastics
Imports - partners: | Australia 20.5%, China 12.3%, US 11.8%, Japan 9.2%, Germany 4.4%, Singapore 4.4% (2006)
Economic aid - donor: | ODA, $259 million (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $17.25 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external: | $50.07 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $66.92 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $NA
Market value of publicly traded shares: | $40.62 billion (2005)
Currency (code): | New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Exchange rates: | New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003)
Fiscal year: | 1 April - 31 March note: this is the fiscal year for tax purposes

| Communications | New Zealand | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 1.729 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 3.53 million (2005)
Telephone system: | general assessment: excellent domestic and international systems domestic: NA international: country code - 64; the Southern Cross submarine cable system provides links to Australia, Fiji, and the US; satellite earth stations - 8 (1 Inmarsat - Pacific Ocean, 7 other)
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998)
Television broadcast stations: | 41 (plus about 700 repeaters) (1997)
Internet country code: | .nz
Internet hosts: | 1.433 million (2007)
Internet users: | 3.2 million (2006)

| Transportation | New Zealand | Top of Page

Airports: | 121 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 41 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 26 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 80 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 46 (2007)
Pipelines: | condensate 331 km; gas 1,896 km; liquid petroleum gas 172 km; oil 288 km; refined products 260 km (2007)
Railways: | total: 4,128 km narrow gauge: 4,128 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways: | total: 93,460 km paved: 60,303 km (includes 171 km of expressways) unpaved: 33,157 km (2005)
Merchant marine: | total: 11 ships (1000 GRT or over) 108,667 GRT/89,458 DWT by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 1 (Germany 1) registered in other countries: 8 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Cook Islands 1, Dominica 3, France 1, UK 1) (2007)
Ports and terminals: | Auckland, Lyttelton, Marsden Point, Tauranga, Wellington, Whangarei

| Military | New Zealand | Top of Page

Military branches: | New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (2008)
Military service age and obligation: | 17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 1,009,298 females age 16-49: 997,134 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 833,073 females age 16-49: 822,807 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: | males age 16-49: 31,834 females age 16-49: 30,243 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1% (2005 est.)

| Transnational Issues | New Zealand | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)
Illicit drugs: | significant consumer of amphetamines

This page was last updated on 19 June 2008