1990 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1990 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
temperate with sharp regional contrasts
Coastline
15,134 km
Comparative area
about the size of Colorado
Continental shelf
edge of continental margin or 200 nm;
Disputes
territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)
Environment
earthquakes are common, though usually not severe
Extended economic zone
200 nm;
Land boundaries
none
Land use
2% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 53% meadows and pastures; 38% forest and woodland; 7% other; includes 1% irrigated
Natural resources
natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone
Terrain
predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
268,680 km2; land area: 268,670 km2; includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
People and Society
Birth rate
16 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate
8 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Ethnic divisions
88% European, 8.9% Maori, 2.9% Pacific Islander, 0.2% other
Infant mortality rate
10 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Labor force
1,591,900; 67.4% services, 19.8% manufacturing, 9.3% primary production (1987)
Language
English (official), Maori
Life expectancy at birth
72 years male, 78 years female (1990)
Literacy
99%
Nationality
noun--New Zealander(s); adjective--New Zealand
Net migration rate
- 3 migrant/1,000 population (1990)
Organized labor
681,000 members; 43% of labor force (1986)
Population
3,295,866 (July 1990), growth rate 0.4% (1990)
Religion
81% Christian, 18% none or unspecified, 1% Hindu, Confucian, and other
Total fertility rate
2.0 children born/woman (1990)
Government
Administrative divisions
93 counties, 9 districts*, and 3 town districts**; Akaroa, Amuri, Ashburton, Bay of Islands, Bruce, Buller, Chatham Islands, Cheviot, Clifton, Clutha, Cook, Dannevirke, Egmont, Eketahuna, Ellesmere, Eltham, Eyre, Featherston, Franklin, Golden Bay, Great Barrier Island, Grey, Hauraki Plains, Hawera*, Hawke's Bay, Heathcote, Hikurangi**, Hobson, Hokianga, Horowhenua, Hurunui, Hutt, Inangahua, Inglewood, Kaikoura, Kairanga, Kiwitea, Lake, Mackenzie, Malvern, Manaia**, Manawatu, Mangonui, Maniototo, Marlborough, Masterton, Matamata, Mount Herbert, Ohinemuri, Opotiki, Oroua, Otamatea, Otorohanga*, Oxford, Pahiatua, Paparua, Patea, Piako, Pohangina, Raglan, Rangiora*, Rangitikei, Rodney, Rotorua*, Runanga, Saint Kilda, Silverpeaks, Southland, Stewart Island, Stratford, Strathallan, Taranaki, Taumarunui, Taupo, Tauranga, Thames-Coromandel*, Tuapeka, Vincent, Waiapu, Waiheke, Waihemo, Waikato, Waikohu, Waimairi, Waimarino, Waimate, Waimate West, Waimea, Waipa, Waipawa*, Waipukurau*, Wairarapa South, Wairewa, Wairoa, Waitaki, Waitomo*, Waitotara, Wallace, Wanganui, Waverley**, Westland, Whakatane*, Whangarei, Whangaroa, Woodville
Capital
Wellington
Communists
SUP about 140, other groups, about 200
Constitution
no formal, written constitution; consists of various documents, including certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments; Constitution Act 1986 was to have come into force 1 January 1987, but has not been enacted
Dependent areas
Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau
Diplomatic representation
Ambassador Harold Huyton FRANCIS; Chancery at 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 328-4800; there are New Zealand Consulates General in Los Angeles and New York; US--Ambassador Della NEWMAN; Embassy at 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington (mailing address is Private Bag, Wellington, or FPO San Francisco 96690-0001); telephone [64] (4) 722-068; there is a US Consulate General in Auckland
Elections
House of Representatives--last held on 15 August 1987 (next to be held by August 1990); results--LP 47%, NP 45%, DP 6%; seats--(97 total) LP 58, NP 39
Executive branch
British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet
Flag
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
Independence
26 September 1907 (from UK)
Judicial branch
High Court, Court of Appeal
Leaders
Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II ( since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General The Most Rev. Sir Paul REEVES (since 20 November 1985); Head of Government--Prime Minister Geoffrey PALMER (since 8 August 1989); Deputy Prime Minister Helen CLARK (since 8 August 1989)
Legal system
based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts for Maoris; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch
unicameral House of Representatives (commonly called Parliament)
Long-form name
none; abbreviated NZ
Member of
ADB, ANZUS, ASPAC, CCC, Colombo Plan, Commonwealth, DAC, ESCAP, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ISO, ITU, OECD, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WSG
National holiday
Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty), 6 February (1840)
Political parties and leaders
New Zealand Labor Party (NZLP; government), Geoffrey Palmer; National Party (NP; opposition), Jim Bolger; Democratic Party, Neil Morrison; Socialist Unity Party (SUP; pro-Soviet), Ken Douglas
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Type
parliamentary democracy
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for about 9% of GNP and 10% of the work force; livestock predominates--wool, meat, dairy products all export earners; crops--wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, and vegetables; surplus producer of farm products; fish catch reached a record 431,000 metric tons in 1987
Aid
donor--ODA and OOF commitments (1970-87), $448 million
Budget
revenues $18.6 billion; expenditures $19.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY90 est.)
Currency
New Zealand dollar (plural--dollars); 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Electricity
7,800,000 kW capacity; 27,600 million kWh produced, 8,190 kWh per capita (1989)
Exchange rates
New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1--1.6581 (January 1990), 1.6708 (1989), 1.5244 (1988), 1.6886 (1987), 1.9088 (1986), 2.0064 (1985)
Exports
$8.9 billion (f.o.b., FY89); commodities--wool, lamb, mutton, beef, fruit, fish, cheese, manufactures, chemicals, foresty products; partners--EC 18.3%, Japan 17.9%, Australia 17.5%, US 13.5%, China 3.6%, South Korea 3.1%
External debt
$17.0 billion (1989)
Fiscal year
1 July-30 June
GDP
$39.1 billion, per capita $11,600; real growth rate 2.4% (1989 est.)
Imports
$7.5 billion (c.i.f., FY89); commodities--petroleum, consumer goods, motor vehicles, industrial equipment; partners--Australia 19.7%, Japan 16.9%, EC 16.9%, US 15.3%, Taiwan 3.0%
Industrial production
growth rate - 1.6% (FY88)
Industries
food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
5% (1989)
Overview
Since 1984 the government has been reorienting an agrarian economy dependent on a guaranteed British market to an open free market economy that can compete on the global scene. The government has hoped that dynamic growth would boost real incomes, reduce inflationary pressures, and permit the expansion of welfare benefits. The results have been mixed: inflation is down from double-digit levels but growth has been sluggish and unemployment, always a highly sensitive issue, has been at a record high 7.4%. In 1988 GDP fell by 1% and in 1989 grew by a moderate 2.4%.
Unemployment rate
7.4% (1989)
Communications
Airports
157 total, 157 usable; 33 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 47 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
about 40 major transport aircraft
Highways
92,648 km total; 49,547 km paved, 43,101 km gravel or crushed stone
Inland waterways
1,609 km; of little importance to transportation
Merchant marine
18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 190,553 GRT/257,782 DWT; includes 1 cargo, 2 container, 4 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 railcar carrier, 4 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 liquefied gas, 5 bulk
Pipelines
1,000 km natural gas; 160 km refined products; 150 km condensate
Ports
Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington, Tauranga
Railroads
4,716 km total; all 1.067-meter gauge; 274 km double track; 113 km electrified; over 99% government owned
Telecommunications
excellent international and domestic systems; 2,110,000 telephones; stations 64 AM, 2 FM, 14 TV; submarine cables extend to Australia and Fiji; 2 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth stations
Military and Security
Branches
Royal New Zealand Navy, New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Air Force
Defense expenditures
2.1% of GDP, or $820 million (1989 est.)
Military manpower
males 15-49, 872,336; 740,207 fit for military service; 29,532 reach military age (20) annually