2019 Edition

Background

The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand sometime between A.D. 1250 and 1300. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Great Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. 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

264,537 sq km

Total

268,838 sq km

Water

4,301 sq km

Area Comparative

almost twice the size of North Carolina; about the size of Colorado

Climate

temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Coastline

15,134 km

Elevation

Highest Point

Aoraki/Mount Cook 3,724 m; note - the mountain's height was 3,764 m until 14 December 1991 when it lost about 10 m in an avalanche of rock and ice; erosion of the ice cap since then has brought the height down another 30 m

Lowest Point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Mean Elevation

388 m

Environment Current Issues

water quality and availability; rapid urbanisation; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation; native flora and fauna hard-hit by invasive species; negative effects of climate change

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

Geographic Coordinates

41 00 S, 174 00 E

Geography Note

note 1: consists of two main islands and a number of smaller islands; South Island, the larger main island, is the 12th largest island in the world and is divided along its length by the Southern Alps; North Island is the 14th largest island in the world and is not as mountainous, but it is marked by volcanism note 2: New Zealand lies along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire note 3: almost 90% of the population lives in cities and over three-quarters on North Island; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world

Irrigated Land

7,210 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

0 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land

43.2% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

1.8% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

0.3% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

41.1% (2011 est.)

Forest

31.4% (2011 est.)

Other

25.4% (2011 est.)

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 activityvolcanism: significant volcanism on North Island; Ruapehu (2,797 m), 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; see note 2 under "Geography - note"

Natural Resources

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

Population Distribution

over three-quarters of New Zealanders, including the indigenous Maori, live on the North Island, primarily in urban areas

Terrain

predominately mountainous with large coastal plains

Age Structure

0 14 Years

19.62% (male 457,071 /female 434,789)

15 24 Years

13.16% (male 307,574 /female 290,771)

25 54 Years

39.58% (male 902,909 /female 896,398)

55 64 Years

12.06% (male 266,855 /female 281,507)

65 Years And Over

15.57% (male 327,052 /female 380,701) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

13.1 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Current Health Expenditure

9.2% (2016)

Death Rate

7.6 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio

22.4 (2015 est.)

Potential Support Ratio

4.5 (2015 est.)

Total Dependency Ratio

52.9 (2015 est.)

Youth Dependency Ratio

30.5 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural

100% of population

Improved Total

100% of population

Improved Urban

100% of population

Unimproved Rural

0% of population

Unimproved Total

0% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

0% of population

Education Expenditures

6.4% of GDP (2016)

Ethnic Groups

European 64.1%, Maori 16.5%, Chinese 4.9%, Indian 4.7%, Samoan 3.9%, Tongan 1.8%, Cook Islands Maori 1.7%, English 1.5%, Filipino 1.5%, New Zealander 1%, other 13.7% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate

0.1% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS Deaths

<100 (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS People Living With HIV/AIDS

3,600 (2018 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

2.8 beds/1,000 population (2013)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

3.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

4.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

4.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

English (de facto official) 95.4%, Maori (de jure official) 4%, Samoan 2.2%, Northern Chinese 2%, Hindi 1.5%, French 1.2%, Yue 1.1%, New Zealand Sign Language (de jure official) .5%, other or not stated 17.2% (2018 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

83.6 years

Male

79.2 years

Total Population

81.4 years (2018 est.)

Major Urban Areas Population

1.582 million Auckland, 413,000 WELLINGTON (capital) (2019)

Maternal Mortality Rate

9 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female

39 years

Male

37.2 years

Total

38.1 years (2018 est.)

Mother's Mean Age at First Birth

27.8 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

New Zealand

Noun

New Zealander(s)

Net Migration Rate

2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

30.8% (2016)

Physicians Density

3.03 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

Population

4,545,627 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.77% (2018 est.)

Religions

Christian 37.3% (Catholic 10.1%, Anglican 6.8%, Presbyterian and Congregational 5.2%, Pentecostal 1.8%, Methodist 1.6%, Mormon 1.2%, other 10.7%), Hindu 2.7%, Maori 1.3%, Muslim, 1.3%, Buddhist 1.1%, other religion 1.6% (includes Judaism, Spiritualism and New Age religions, Baha'i, Asian religions other than Buddhism), no religion 48.6%, objected to answering 6.7% (2018 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

Female

20 years (2016)

Male

18 years

Total

19 years

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years

1.05 male(s)/female

15 24 Years

1.06 male(s)/female

25 54 Years

1.01 male(s)/female

55 64 Years

0.95 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

0.86 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Total Population

0.99 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

2.01 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

Female

13% (2017 est.)

Male

12.4%

Total

12.7%

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

1.01% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

86.6% of total population (2019)

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

Geographic Coordinates

41 18 S, 174 47 E

Name

Wellington

Time Difference

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

Citizenship

Citizenship By Birth

no

Citizenship By Descent Only

at least one parent must be a citizen of New Zealand

Dual Citizenship Recognized

yes

Residency Requirement For Naturalization

3 years

Constitution

Amendments

proposed as bill by Parliament or by referendum called either by the government or by citizens; passage of a bill as an act normally requires two separate readings with committee reviews in between to make changes and corrections, a third reading approved by the House of Representatives membership or by the majority of votes in a referendum, and assent of the governor-general; passage of amendments to reserved constitutional provisions affecting the term of Parliament, electoral districts, and voting restrictions requires approval by 75% of the House membership or the majority of votes in a referendum; amended many times, last in 2014 (2018)

History

New Zealand has no single constitution document; the Constitution Act 1986, effective 1 January 1987, includes only part of the uncodified constitution; others include a collection of statutes or "acts of Parliament," the Treaty of Waitangi, Orders in Council, letters patent, court decisions, and unwritten conventions

Country Name

Abbreviation

NZ

Conventional Long Form

none

Conventional Short Form

New Zealand

Etymology

Dutch explorer Abel TASMAN was the first European to reach New Zealand in 1642; he named it Staten Landt, but Dutch cartographers renamed it Nova Zeelandia in 1645 after the Dutch province of Zeeland; British explorer Captain James COOK subsequently anglicized the name to New Zealand when he mapped the islands in 1769

Dependent Areas

Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Scott P. BROWN (since 27 June 2017) note - also accredited to Samoa

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 Timothy John GROSER (since 28 January 2016)

Consulate's General

Honolulu (HI), Los Angeles, New York

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

Chief Of State

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor-General Dame Patricia Lee REDDY (since 28 September 2016)

Elections Appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; governor-general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor-general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor-general; note - Prime Minister ARDERN heads up a minority coalition government consisting of the Labor and New Zealand First parties with confidence and supply support from the Green Party

Head Of Government

Prime Minister Jacinda ARDERN (since 26 October 2017); Deputy Prime Minister Winston PETERS (since 26 October 2017)

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 Type

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Independence

26 September 1907 (from the UK)

International Law Organization Participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International Organization Participation

ADB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CD, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF, SICA (observer), Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial Branch

Highest Courts

Supreme Court (consists of 5 justices, including the chief justice); note - the Supreme Court in 2004 replaced the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) as the final appeals court

Judge Selection And Term Of Office

justices appointed by the governor-general upon the recommendation of the attorney- general; justices appointed until compulsory retirement at age 70

Subordinate Courts

Court of Appeal; High Court; tribunals and authorities; district courts; specialized courts for issues related to employment, environment, family, Maori lands, youth, military; tribunals

Legal System

common law system, based on English model, with special legislation and land courts for the Maori

Legislative Branch

Description

unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament (usually 120 seats; 71 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies, including 7 Maori constituencies, by simple majority vote and 49 directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 3-year terms)

Election Results

percent of vote by party - National Party 44.5%, Labor Party 36.9%, NZ First 7.2%, Green Party 6.3%, ACT Party 0.5%; seats by party - National Party 56, Labor Party 46, NZ First 9, Green Party 8, ACT Party 1; composition - men 74, women 46, percent of women 38.3%

Elections

last held on 23 September 2017 (next to be held by November 2020)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music

Thomas BRACKEN [English], Thomas Henry SMITH [Maori]/John Joseph WOODS

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)

National Symbol S

Southern Cross constellation (four, five-pointed stars), kiwi (bird), silver fern; national colors: black, white, red (ochre)

Political Parties And Leaders

ACT New Zealand [David SEYMOUR] Green Party [James SHAW] Mana Movement [Hone HARAWIRA] (formerly Mana Party) Maori Party [Che WILSON and Kaapua SMITH] New Zealand First Party or NZ First [Winston PETERS] New Zealand Labor Party [Jacinda ARDERN] New Zealand National Party [Simon BRIDGES] United Future New Zealand [Damian LIGHT]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

dairy products, sheep, beef, poultry, fruit, vegetables, wine, seafood, wheat and barley

Budget

Expenditures

70.97 billion (2017 est.)

Revenues

74.11 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

1.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

31 December 2016

1.75%

31 December 2017

1.75%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016

5.02%

31 December 2017

5.1%

Current Account Balance

2016

-$4.171 billion

2017

-$5.471 billion

Debt External

31 December 2016

$84.03 billion

31 December 2017

$91.62 billion

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

1997

36.2

Economy Overview

Over the past 40 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 10 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, fueling a large balance of payments deficit that posed a challenge for policymakers. 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 and 2008. The higher rate attracted international capital inflows, which strengthened the currency and housing market while aggravating the current account deficit. Rising house prices, especially in Auckland, have become a political issue in recent years, as well as a policy challenge in 2016 and 2017, as the ability to afford housing has declined for many.Expanding New Zealand’s network of free trade agreements remains a top foreign policy priority. New Zealand was an early promoter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and was the second country to ratify the agreement in May 2017. Following the United States’ withdrawal from the TPP in January 2017, on 10 November 2017 the remaining 11 countries agreed on the core elements of a modified agreement, which they renamed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). In November 2016, New Zealand opened negotiations to upgrade its FTA with China; China is one of New Zealand’s most important trading partners.

Exchange Rates

2013

1.2039

2014

1.4279

2015

1.4341

2016

1.4341

2017

1.416

Currency

New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar -

Exports

2016

$33.61 billion

2017

$37.35 billion

Exports Commodities

dairy products, meat and edible offal, logs and wood articles, fruit, crude oil, wine

Exports Partners

China 22.4%, Australia 16.4%, US 9.9%, Japan 6.1% (2017)

Fiscal Year

1 April - 31 March

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services

27% (2017 est.)

Government Consumption

18.2% (2017 est.)

Household Consumption

57.2% (2017 est.)

Imports Of Goods And Services

-26.1% (2017 est.)

Investment In Fixed Capital

23.4% (2017 est.)

Investment In Inventories

0.3% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture

5.7% (2017 est.)

Industry

21.5% (2017 est.)

Services

72.8% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$201.4 billion (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015

$37,900

2016

$38,600

2017

$39,000

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015

$176.1 billion

2016

$183.4 billion

2017

$189 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015

4.2%

2016

4.1%

2017

3%

Gross National Saving

2015

20.2% of GDP

2016

21.5% of GDP

2017

21% of GDP

Imports

2016

$35.53 billion

2017

$39.74 billion

Imports Commodities

petroleum and products, mechanical machinery, vehicles and parts, electrical machinery, textiles

Imports Partners

China 19%, Australia 12.1%, US 10.5%, Japan 7.3%, Germany 5.3%, Thailand 4.6% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

1.8% (2017 est.)

Industries

agriculture, forestry, fishing, logs and wood articles, manufacturing, mining, construction, financial services, real estate services, tourism

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016

0.6%

2017

1.9%

Labor Force

2.655 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture

6.6%

Industry

20.7%

Services

72.7% (2017 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

31 December 2014

$74.42 billion

31 December 2015

$74.35 billion

Public Debt

2016

33.5% of GDP

2017

31.7% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2016

$17.81 billion

31 December 2017

$20.68 billion

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016

$42.01 billion

31 December 2017

$46.52 billion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

31 December 2015

$18.03 billion

31 December 2016

$16.74 billion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment at Home

31 December 2016

$70.4 billion

31 December 2017

$84.19 billion

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016

$284.7 billion

31 December 2017

$304.2 billion

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016

$42.01 billion

31 December 2017

$46.52 billion

Taxes And Other Revenues

36.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2016

5.1%

2017

4.7%

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

37.75 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

26,440 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

108,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Production

24,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

51.8 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

100% (2016)

Electricity Consumption

39.5 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

23% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

58% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

20% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

9.301 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

42.53 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

5.182 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

5.097 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

33.7 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

169,100 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

1,782 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

56,000 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

115,100 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

35 (2017 est.)

Total

1.582 million

Broadcast Media

state-owned Television New Zealand operates multiple TV networks and 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 TV and radio stations and many regional commercial television and radio stations are available; cable and satellite TV systems are available, as are a range of streaming services (2019)

Internet Country Code

.nz

Internet Users

Percent Of Population

88.5% (July 2016 est.)

Total

3,958,642

Telephone System

Domestic

fixed-line 30 per 100 and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership 142 per 100 persons (2018)

General Assessment

excellent domestic and international systems; mobile and P2P services soar; LTE rates some of the fastest in the world; investment and development of infrastructure enable network capabilities to propel the digital economy, digital media sector along with e-government, e-commerce across the country (2018)

International

country code - 64; landing points for the Southern Cross NEXT, Aqualink, Nelson-Levin, SCCN and Hawaiki submarine cable system providing links to Australia, Fiji, American Samoa, Kiribati, Samo, Tokelau, US and around New Zealand; satellite earth stations - 8 (1 Inmarsat - Pacific Ocean, 7 other) (2019)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

30 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

1.368 million

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

142 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

6.4 million

Airports

123 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

12 (2017)

2 438 To 3 047 M

1 (2017)

914 To 1 523 M

23 (2017)

Over 3 047 M

2 (2017)

Total

39 (2017)

Under 914 M

1 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

3 (2013)

914 To 1 523 M

33 (2013)

Total

84 (2013)

Under 914 M

48 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

ZK (2016)

Merchant Marine

By Type

general cargo 15, oil tanker 6, other 90 (2018)

Total

111

National Air Transport System

Annual Freight Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

999,384,961 mt-km (2015)

Annual Passenger Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

15,304,409 (2015)

Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers

123 (2015)

Number Of Registered Air Carriers

6 (2015)

Pipelines

331 km condensate, 2500 km gas, 172 km liquid petroleum gas, 288 km oil, 198 km refined products (2018)

Ports And Terminals

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

Railways

Narrow Gauge

4,128 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2018)

Total

4,128 km (2018)

Roadways

Paved

61,600 km (includes 199 km of expressways) (2017)

Total

94,000 km (2017)

Unpaved

32,400 km (2017)

Military And Security Forces

New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (2019)

Military Expenditures

2014

1.18% of GDP

2015

1.15% of GDP

2016

1.18% of GDP

2017

1.21% of GDP

2018

1.16% of GDP

Military Service Age And Obligation

17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18; no conscription (2019)

Disputes International

asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)

Illicit Drugs

significant consumer of amphetamines