2010 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

land

267,710 sq km

total

267,710 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

highest point

Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 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)

per capita

524 cu m/yr (2000)

total

2.11 cu km/yr (48%/9%/42%)

Geographic coordinates

41 00 S, 174 00 E

Geography - note

almost 90% 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%

other

87.54% (2005)

permanent crops

6.92%

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity

volcanism

New Zealand experiences significant volcanism on North Island; Ruapehu (elev. 2,797 m, 9,177 ft), which last erupted in 2007, has a history of large eruptions in the past century; Taranaki has the potential to produce dangerous avalanches and lahars; other historically active volcanoes include Okataina, Raoul Island, Tongariro, and White Island

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: 20.7% (male 447,174/female 424,522) 15-64 years: 66.5% (male 1,404,143/female 1,399,530) 65 years and over: 12.8% (male 244,986/female 293,063) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

13.81 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

7.1 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

6.2% of GDP (2007)

Ethnic groups

European 56.8%, Asian 8%, Maori 7.4%, Pacific islander 4.6%, mixed 9.7%, other 13.5% (2006 Census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

1,400 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

4.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

5.45 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.85 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English 91.2% (official), Maori 3.9% (official), Samoan 2.1%, French 1.3%, Hindi 1.1%, Yue 1.1%, Northern Chinese 1%, other 12.9%, New Zealand Sign Language (official) note: shares sum to 114.6% due to multiple responses on census (2006 Census)

Life expectancy at birth

female

82.53 years (2010 est.)

male

78.52 years

total population

80.48 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

99% (2003 est.)

male

99%

total population

99%

Median age

female

37.6 years (2010 est.)

male

36 years

total

36.8 years

Nationality

adjective

New Zealand

noun

New Zealander(s)

Net migration rate

2.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

4,252,277 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

0.901% (2010 est.)

Religions

Anglican 13.8%, Roman Catholic 12.6%, Presbyterian, Congregational, and Reformed 10%, Christian (no denomination specified) 4.6%, Methodist 3%, Pentecostal 2%, Baptist 1.4%, other Christian 3.8%, Maori Christian 1.6%, Hindu 1.6%, Buddhist 1.3%, other religions 2.2%, none 32.2%, other or unidentified 9.9% (2006 Census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

20 years (2008)

male

19 years

total

19 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.048 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.09 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

87% of total population (2008)

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

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April note: New Zealand is divided into two time zones - New Zealand standard time (12 hours in advance of UTC), and Chatham Islands time (45 minutes in advance of New Zealand standard time)

geographic coordinates

41 28 S, 174 51 E

name

Wellington

time difference

UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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

abbreviation

NZ

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

New Zealand

Dependent areas

Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador David HUEBNER

consulate(s) general

Auckland

embassy

29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington

FAX

[64] (4) 499-0490

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

chancery

37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Michael K. MOORE

consulate(s) general

New York, Santa Monica

FAX

[1] (202) 667-5227

telephone

[1] (202) 328-4800

Executive branch

cabinet

Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006)

elections

the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general

head of government

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

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 and a Commonwealth realm

Independence

26 September 1907 (from the 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, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), 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; 70 members elected by popular vote in single-member constituencies including 7 Maori constituencies, 50 proportional seats chosen from party lists; serve three-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - National Party 44.9%, Labor Party 34%, Green Party 6.7%, NZ First 4%, ACT Party 3.7%, Maori 2.4%, Progressive 0.9%, United Front 0.9%, other 6.6%; seats by party - National Party 58, Labor Party 43, Green Party 9, ACT Party 5, Maori 5, Progressive 1, United Front 1 note: results of 2008 election saw the total number of seats increase to 122

elections

last held on 8 November 2008 (next to be held not later than 27 November 2011)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Thomas BRACKEN [English], Thomas Henry SMITH [Maori]/John Joseph WOODS note: adopted 1940 as national song, adopted 1977 as co-national anthem; New Zealand has two national anthems with equal status; as a commonwealth realm, in addition to "God Defend New Zealand," "God Save the Queen" serves as a national anthem (see United Kingdom); "God Save the Queen" normally is played only when a member of the royal family or the governor-general is present; in all other cases, "God Defend New Zealand" is played

name

"God Defend New Zealand"

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 [Russel NORMAN and Metiria TUREI]; Maori Party [Tariana TURIA and Dr. Pita SHARPLES]; New Zealand National Party [John KEY]; New Zealand First Party or NZ First [Winston PETERS]; New Zealand Labor Party [Phil GOFF]; Jim Anderton's Progressive Party [James (Jim) ANDERTON]; United Future New Zealand [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

Central bank discount rate

2.5% (31 December 2009) 5% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

10.39% (31 December 2009 est.) 12.21% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

-$4.504 billion (2010 est.) -$3.693 billion (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$64.33 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $62.47 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

36.2 (1997)

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 some at the bottom of the ladder - and broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector. Per capita income rose for ten consecutive years until 2007 in purchasing power parity terms, but fell in 2008-09. Debt-driven consumer spending drove robust growth in the first half of the decade, helping fuel a large balance of payments deficit that posed a challenge for economic managers. Inflationary pressures caused the central bank to raise its key rate steadily from January 2004 until it was among the highest in the OECD in 2007-08; international capital inflows attracted to the high rates further strengthened the currency and housing market, however, aggravating the current account deficit. The economy fell into recession before the start of the global financial crisis and contracted for five consecutive quarters in 2008-09. In line with global peers, the central bank cut interest rates aggressively and the government developed fiscal stimulus measures. The economy posted a 1.7% decline in 2009, but pulled out of recession late in the year, and achieved 2.1% growth in 2010. Nevertheless, key trade sectors remain vulnerable to weak external demand. The government plans to raise productivity growth and develop infrastructure, while reining in government spending.

Electricity - consumption

39.24 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

42.4 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.4015 (2010), 1.6002 (2009), 1.4151 (2008), 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006)

Exports

$33.24 billion (2010 est.) $25.35 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Australia 23.36%, US 9.64%, China 9.21%, Japan 7.1%, UK 4.21% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

4.6%

industry

24%

services

71.4% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$28,000 (2010 est.) $27,700 (2009 est.) $28,500 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

2.1% (2010 est.) -1.7% (2009 est.) -0.2% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$138 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$119.2 billion (2010 est.) $116.8 billion (2009 est.) $118.8 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$30.24 billion (2010 est.) $23.95 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Australia 18.4%, China 15.09%, US 10.45%, Japan 7.24%, Germany 4.16%, Singapore 4.12% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

2% (2010 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.6% (2010 est.) 2.1% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

19.6% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

2.32 million (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

7%

industry

19%

services

74% (2006 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$67.06 billion (31 December 2009) $24.17 billion (31 December 2008) $47.45 billion (31 December 2007)

Natural gas - consumption

4.32 billion cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

NA (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

4.305 billion cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

33.98 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

154,100 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

54,560 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oil - imports

143,900 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oil - production

61,150 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

60 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

25.5% of GDP (2010 est.) 22.2% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$17.85 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $15.59 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$118.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $108.9 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA (31 December 2009) $59.08 billion (31 December 2008)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$67.18 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $66.63 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$206.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $180.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$24.15 billion (31 December 2010 est) $21.81 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Unemployment rate

6.5% (2010 est.) 6.2% (2009 est.)

Broadcast media

state-owned Television New Zealand operates multiple television networks while state-owned Radio New Zealand operates 3 radio networks and an external shortwave radio service to the South Pacific region; a small number of national commercial television and radio stations and a large number of regional commercial television and radio stations are available; cable and satellite TV systems are accessible (2008)

Internet country code

.nz

Internet hosts

2.47 million (2010)

Internet users

3.4 million (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 150 per 100 persons

general assessment

excellent domestic and international systems

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

1.87 million (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

4.7 million (2009)

Airports

122 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

40 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

82 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 32 under 914 m: 47 (2010)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 3, cargo 3, chemical tanker 1, container 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2

foreign-owned

7 (Australia 1, Germany 2, Hong Kong 1, South Africa 1, Switzerland 2)

registered in other countries

6 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Cook Islands 1, France 1, Samoa 1, UK 1) (2010)

total

14

Pipelines

condensate 331 km; gas 1,838 km; liquid petroleum gas 172 km; oil 288 km; refined products 198 km (2009)

Ports and terminals

Auckland, Lyttelton, Manukau Harbor, Marsden Point, Tauranga, Wellington

Railways

narrow gauge

4,128 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2008)

total

4,128 km

Roadways

paved

61,879 km (includes 172 km of expressways)

total

93,911 km

unpaved

32,032 km (2009)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 1,017,575 females age 16-49: 1,003,087 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 840,977 females age 16-49: 828,081 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

29,236 (2010 est.)

male

30,956

Military branches

New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF)

New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (Te Hokowhitu o Kahurangi, RNZAF) (2010)

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 (2010)

Disputes - international

asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)

Illicit drugs

significant consumer of amphetamines page last updated on January 20, 2011 ======================================================================