1992 Edition

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

Exclusive economic zone

200 nm

Land area

268,670 km2; includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands

Land boundaries

none

Land use

arable land 2%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 53%; forest and woodland 38%; other 7%; includes irrigated 1%

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

Birth rate

16 births/1,000 population (1992)

Death rate

8 deaths/1,000 population (1992)

Ethnic divisions

European 88%, Maori 8.9%, Pacific Islander 2.9%, other 0.2%

Infant mortality rate

9 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Labor force

1,603,500 (June 1991); services 67.4%, manufacturing 19.8%, primary production 9.3% (1987)

Languages

English (official), Maori

Life expectancy at birth

72 years male, 80 years female (1992)

Literacy

99% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1970)

Nationality

noun - New Zealander(s); adjective - New Zealand

Net migration rate

-2 migrants/1,000 population (1992)

Organized labor

681,000 members; 43% of labor force (1986)

Population

3,347,369 (July 1992), growth rate 0.7% (1992)

Religions

Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%, Methodist 5%, Baptist 2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none 9% (1986)

Total fertility rate

2.1 children born/woman (1992)

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

Chief of State

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dame Catherine TIZARD (since 12 December 1990)

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 - Denis Bazely Gordon McLEAN; 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 M. NEWMAN; Embassy at 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington (mailing address is P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, FPO AP 96531-1001); telephone [64] (4) 722-068; FAX [64] (4) 723-537; there is a US Consulate General in Auckland

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

Head of Government

Prime Minister James BOLGER (since 29 October 1990); Deputy Prime Minister Donald McKINNON (since 2 November 1990)

House of Representatives

last held on 27 October 1990 (next to be held October 1993); results - NP 49%, NZLP 35%, Green Party 7%, NLP 5%; seats - (97 total) NP 67, NZLP 29, NLP 1

Independence

26 September 1907 (from UK)

Judicial branch

High Court, Court of Appeal

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

ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986), APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, C, CCC, CP, COCOM, (cooperating country), EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, OECD, PCA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIIMOG, UNTSO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

National holiday

Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty), 6 February (1840)

Political parties and leaders

National Party (NP; government), James BOLGER; New Zealand Labor Party (NZLP; opposition), Michael MOORE; NewLabor Party (NLP), Jim ANDERTON; Democratic Party, Dick RYAN; New Zealand Liberal Party, Hanmish MACINTYRE and Gilbert MYLES; Green Party, no official leader; Mana Motuhake, Martin RATA; Socialist Unity Party (SUP; pro-Soviet), Kenneth DOUGLAS; note - the New Labor, Democratic, and Mana Motuhake parties formed a coalition in September 1991; the Green Party joined the coalition in May 1992

Suffrage

universal at age 18

Type

parliamentary democracy

Agriculture

accounts for about 9% of GDP 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 503,000 metric tons in 1988

Budget

revenues $17.6 billion; expenditures $18.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY91 est.)

Currency

New Zealand dollar (plural - dollars); 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents

Economic aid

donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $526 million

Electricity

7,800,000 kW capacity; 28,000 million kWh produced, 8,500 kWh per capita (1990)

Exchange rates

New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.8245 (March 1992), 1.7265 (1991), 1.6750 (1990), 1.6711 (1989), 1.5244 (1988), 1.6886 (1987)

Exports

$9.4 billion (f.o.b., FY91) commodities: wool, lamb, mutton, beef, fruit, fish, cheese, manufactures, chemicals, forestry products partners: EC 18.3%, Japan 17.9%, Australia 17.5%, US 13.5%, China 3.6%, South Korea 3.1%

External debt

$17.4 billion (1989)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

purchasing power equivalent - $46.2 billion, per capita $14,000; real growth rate - 0.4% (1991 est.)

Imports

$8.4 billion (f.o.b., FY91) 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 1.9% (1990); accounts for about 20% of GDP

Industries

food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.0% (1991)

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

down from double-digit levels, but growth has been sluggish and unemployment, always a highly sensitive issue, has exceeded 10% since May 1991. In 1988, GDP fell by 1%, in 1989 grew by a moderate 2.4%, and was flat in 1990-91.

expansion of welfare benefits. The results have been mixed

inflation is

Unemployment rate

10.7% (September 1991)

Airports

118 total, 118 usable; 34 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 43 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 182,206 GRT/246,446 DWT; includes 2 cargo, 5 roll-on/roll-off, 1 railcar carrier, 4 oil tanker, 1 liquefied gas, 5 bulk

Pipelines

natural gas 1,000 km; petroleum products 160 km; condensate 150 km

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; broadcast stations - 64 AM, 2 FM, 14 TV; submarine cables extend to Australia and Fiji; 2 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

Branches

New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $792 million, 2% of GDP (FY92)

Manpower availability

males 15-49, 874,703; 739,923 fit for military service; 30,297 reach military age (20) annually