2008 Edition

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.

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

Climate

temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Coastline

15,134 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 2.11 cu km/yr (48%/9%/42%) per capita: 524 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

41 00 S, 174 00 E

Geography - note

about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world

Irrigated land

2,850 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 5.54% permanent crops: 6.92% other: 87.54% (2005)

Location

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia

Map references

Oceania

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

Natural hazards

earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity

Natural resources

natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone

Terrain

predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains

Total renewable water resources

397 cu km (1995)

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.)

Birth rate

14.09 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

7 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

6.2% of GDP (2006)

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)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

1,400 (2003 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.)

Languages

English (official), Maori (official), Sign Language (official)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 80.24 years male: 78.33 years female: 82.25 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 36.3 years male: 35.6 years female: 37.1 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: New Zealander(s) adjective: New Zealand

Net migration rate

2.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Population

4,173,460 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

0.971% (2008 est.)

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)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 19 years male: 19 years female: 20 years (2006)

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.)

Total fertility rate

2.11 children born/woman (2008 est.)

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

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

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

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: New Zealand abbreviation: NZ

Dependent areas

Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

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

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

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 John KEY (since 19 November 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Bill ENGLISH (since 19 November 2008) 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

FAX

[1] (202) 667-5227 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

[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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

26 September 1907 (from UK)

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, IDA, 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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; High Court; note - judges appointed by the Governor-General

Legal system

based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts for the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Legislative branch

unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament (usually 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 8 November 2008 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - NP 45.5%, NZLP 33.8%, Green Party 6.4%, ACT New Zealand 3.7%, Maori 2.2%, Progressive 0.9%, UF 0.9%, other 6.6%; seats by party - NP 59, NZLP 43, Green Party 8, ACT New Zealand 5, Maori 5, Progressive 1, UF 1 note: results of 2008 election saw the total number of seats increase to 122

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)

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 [Phil GOFF]; Progressive Party [James (Jim) ANDERTON]; United Future or UF [Peter DUNNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Women's Electoral Lobby or WEL other: apartheid groups; civil rights groups; farmers groups; Maori; nuclear weapons groups; women's rights groups

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

dairy products, lamb and mutton; wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, beef; fish

Budget

revenues: $58.31 billion expenditures: $53.5 billion (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate

8.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

12.83% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code

NZD

Current account balance

-$10.23 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$51.44 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

36.2 (1997)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $259 million (2006)

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.

Electricity - consumption

38.93 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

42.41 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 31.6% hydro: 57.8% nuclear: 0% other: 10.7% (2001)

Exchange rates

New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003)

Exports

$27.35 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish, machinery

Exports - partners

Australia 22%, US 11.5%, Japan 9.2%, China 5.3%, UK 4.6% (2007)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March note: this is the fiscal year for tax purposes

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 4.5% industry: 26.2% services: 69.3% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$27,200 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.1% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$128.1 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$112.4 billion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: %NA highest 10%: %NA

Imports

$29.06 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum, electronics, textiles, plastics

Imports - partners

Australia 20.7%, China 13.4%, US 9.7%, Japan 9.5%, Singapore 4.9%, Germany 4.7% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

1.5% (2007 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.4% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

23.3% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force

2.236 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 7% industry: 19% services: 74% (2006 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$40.62 billion (2005)

Natural gas - consumption

4.572 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

4.573 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

29.67 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Oil - consumption

158,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - exports

14,570 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

137,300 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

47,850 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

55 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

20.7% of GDP (2007 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$17.25 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$71.31 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$200.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$24.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$117.8 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

3.6% (2007 est.)

Internet country code

.nz

Internet hosts

1.72 million (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

36 (2000)

Internet users

3.36 million (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios

3.75 million (1997)

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)

Telephones - main lines in use

1.706 million (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular

4.245 million (2007)

Television broadcast stations

41 (plus about 700 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

1.926 million (1997)

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)

Merchant marine

total: 13 by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 3 (Australia 1, Germany 1, South Africa 1) registered in other countries: 5 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Cook Islands 1, France 1, UK 1) (2008)

Pipelines

condensate 331 km; gas 1,896 km; liquid petroleum gas 172 km; oil 288 km; refined products 260 km (2007)

Ports and terminals

Auckland, Lyttelton, Marsden Point, Tauranga, Wellington, Whangarei

Railways

total: 4,128 km narrow gauge: 4,128 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2006)

Roadways

total: 93,576 km paved: 61,564 km (includes 172 km of expressways) unpaved: 32,012 km (2006)

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

male: 31,834 female: 30,243 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures

1% of GDP (2005 est.)

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)

New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF)

New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (2008)

Disputes - international

asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)

Illicit drugs

significant consumer of amphetamines This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008