2020 Edition

Background

Polynesians settled New Zealand between the late 1200s and the mid-1300s. They called the land Aotearoa, which legend holds is the name of the canoe that Kupe, the first Polynesian in New Zealand, used to sail to the country; the name Aotearoa is now in widespread use as the local Maori name for the country. By the 1500s, competition for land and resources led to intermittent fighting between different Maori tribes as large game became extinct. Dutch explorer Abel TASMAN was the first European to see the islands in 1642 but left after an encounter with local Maori. British sea captain James COOK arrived in 1769, followed by whalers, sealers, and traders. The UK only nominally claimed New Zealand and included it as part of New South Wales in Australia. Concerns about increasing lawlessness led the UK to appoint its first British Resident in New Zealand in 1832, although the position had few legal powers. In 1835, some Maori tribes from the North Island declared independence. Fearing an impending French settlement and takeover, the majority of Maori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi with the British in 1840. Land tenure issues stemming from the treaty are still being actively negotiated in New Zealand. The UK declared New Zealand a separate colony in 1841 and granted limited self-government in 1852. Different traditions of authority and land use led to a series of wars between Europeans and various Maori tribes from the 1840s to the 1870s. Along with disease, these conflicts halved the Maori population. In the 1890s, New Zealand initially expressed interest in joining independence talks with Australia but ultimately opted against it and changed its status to an independent dominion in 1907. New Zealand provided more than 100,000 troops during each World War, many of whom fought as part of the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). New Zealand reaffirmed its independence in 1947 and signed the Australia, New Zealand, and US (ANZUS) Treaty in 1951. Beginning in 1984, New Zealand began to adopt nuclear-free policies, contributing to a dispute with the US over naval ship visits that led the US to suspend its defense obligations to New Zealand in 1986, but bilateral relations and military ties have been revitalized since the 2010s with new security agreements. A key challenge for Auckland that has emerged over the past decade is balancing concerns over China’s growing influence in the Pacific region with its role as New Zealand's largest export destination. New Zealand has close ties with Australia based to a large extent on the two nations’ common origins as British colonies and their shared military history.

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

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, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes 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

7,000 sq km (2014)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

36.9% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 34.6% (2023 est.)

forest

38.6% (2023 est.)

other

24.5% (2023 est.)

Location

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

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lake Taupo - 610 sq km

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: significant volcanism on North Island; Ruapehu (2,797 m) 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 Maori, live on the North Island, primarily in urban areas

Terrain

predominately mountainous with large coastal plains

Age structure

0-14 years

19% (male 503,120/female 475,490)

15-64 years

64.2% (male 1,674,407/female 1,638,276)

65 years and over

16.9% (2024 est.) (male 407,080/female 462,838)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

3.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

1.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

1.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

9.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

2.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

12.4 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

57.7% (2018 est.)

Death rate

6.93 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

26.3 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio

3.8 (2024 est.)

total dependency ratio

55.8 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio

29.5 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

5.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

12.7% national budget (2023 est.)

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.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.9 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

10% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

19.8% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

3.1 deaths/1,000 live births

male

3.5 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 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) 0.5%, other or not stated 17.2% (2018 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

female

84.8 years

male

81.2 years

total population

82.9 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

1.673 million Auckland, 422,000 WELLINGTON (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

7 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

38.6 years

male

37.2 years

total

38.1 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

27.8 years

Nationality

adjective

New Zealand

noun

New Zealander(s)

Net migration rate

2.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

30.8% (2016)

Physician density

3.61 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Population

female

2,576,604

male

2,584,607

total

5,161,211 (2024 est.)

Population growth rate

0.83% (2025 est.)

Religions

Christian 37.3% (Catholic 10.1%, Anglican 6.8%, Presbyterian and Congregational 5.2%, Pentecostal 1.8%, Methodist 1.6%, Church of Jesus Christ 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.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

20 years (2023 est.)

male

19 years (2023 est.)

total

19 years (2023 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.88 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

8.9% (2025 est.)

male

11.2% (2025 est.)

total

10% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.84 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

87% of total population (2023)

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

etymology

named in 1840 after Arthur WELLESLEY, the first Duke of Wellington, who was famous for his victory at Waterloo in 1815 and was a benefactor of the New Zealand Company that settled North Island

geographic coordinates

41 18 S, 174 47 E

name

Wellington

time difference

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

time zone note

New Zealand has two time zones: New Zealand standard time (UTC+12) and Chatham Islands time (45 minutes in advance of New Zealand standard time; UTC+12:45)

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

amendment process

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

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

the name is an anglicized form of the Dutch name Nieuw Zeeland, or "New Sea Land," which was first used in 1643 in honor of the Dutch province of Zeeland

former

Nieuw Zeeland

Dependent areas

Tokelau (1)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires David GEHRENBECK (since January 2025); note - also accredited to Samoa

consulate(s) general

Auckland

email address and website

AucklandACS@state.gov https://nz.usembassy.gov/

embassy

29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington 6011

FAX

[64] (4) 499-0490

mailing address

4370 Auckland Place, Washington DC 20521-4370

telephone

[64] (4) 462-6000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Rosemary BANKS (since 17 June 2024)

consulate(s) general

Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York

email address and website

wshinfo@mfat.govt.nz https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/countries-and-regions/americas/united-states-of-america/

FAX

[1] (202) 667-5277

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

King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General Dame Cindy KIRO (since 21 October 2021)

election/appointment process

the monarchy is hereditary; governor-general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the governor-general appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; deputy prime minister also appointed by the governor-general

head of government

Prime Minister Christopher LUXON (since 27 November 2023)

Flag

description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant, with four five-pointed red stars edged in white centered in the right half of the flag meaning: 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, UNOOSA, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of 5 justices, including the chief justice)

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

electoral system

mixed system

expected date of next election

September 2026

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

House of Representatives

most recent election date

10/14/2023

number of seats

120 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

National Party (49); Labour Party (34); Green Party (14); ACT New Zealand (11); New Zealand First (8); Te Pāti Māori (4); Others (2)

percentage of women in chamber

45.1%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

3 years

National anthem(s)

history

royal anthem and one of two official national anthems; usually played only when a member of the royal family or a representative is present or when allegiance to the crown is demonstrated

lyrics/music

unknown

title

"God Save the King"

National coat of arms

the first quarter of the shield shows four stars that represent the Southern Cross constellation and three ships that symbolize New Zealand's sea trade; in the second quarter, a fleece represents the sheep farming industry; the wheat sheaf in the third quarter represents the agricultural industry; the crossed hammers in the fourth quarter represent mining; the Māori chieftain holds a taiaha (a Māori war weapon) and a European woman holds the New Zealand flag; St. Edward's crown, shown above the shield, symbolizes the British monarch

National color(s)

black, white, red (ochre)

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Te Wahipounamu – South West New Zealand (n); Tongariro National Park (m); New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands (n)

total World Heritage Sites

3 (2 natural, 1 mixed)

National holiday

Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840); Anzac Day, 25 April (1915)

National symbol(s)

Southern Cross constellation (four five-pointed stars), kiwi (bird), silver fern

Political parties

ACT New Zealand  Green Party  New Zealand First Party or NZ First  Labor Party  National Party  Te Pāti Māori

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, beef, kiwifruit, apples, grapes, lamb/mutton, potatoes, wheat, barley, chicken (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

4.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

12.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$91.782 billion (2022 est.)

revenues

$83.167 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

-$21.627 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$17.065 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

-$15.978 billion (2024 est.)

Economic overview

high-income, globally integrated Pacific island economy; strong agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism sectors; reliant on Chinese market for exports; recovery trajectory following deep post-pandemic recession; challenges of fiscal deficits, below-average productivity, cost of living, and drop in net migration

Exchange rates

Currency

New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

1.542 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1.414 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

1.577 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

1.628 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

1.652 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$57.485 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$59.029 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$61.799 billion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

milk, wood, beef, butter, sheep and goat meat (2023)

Exports - partners

China 28%, USA 12%, Australia 12%, Japan 6%, S. Korea 3% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

24% (2022 est.)

government consumption

20.9% (2022 est.)

household consumption

57.5% (2022 est.)

imports of goods and services

-29.4% (2022 est.)

investment in fixed capital

25.4% (2022 est.)

investment in inventories

0.9% (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

4.6% (2022 est.)

industry

19.6% (2022 est.)

services

67.4% (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$260.236 billion (2024 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$71.35 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$68.412 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$67.998 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, gas turbines, broadcasting equipment, trucks (2023)

Imports - partners

China 20%, Australia 11%, USA 9%, S. Korea 7%, Japan 7% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

-1% (2023 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

7.2% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

5.7% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

2.9% (2024 est.)

Labor force

3.124 million (2024 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2022

54% of GDP (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$253.903 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$257.443 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$257.117 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

3.5% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

1.4% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

-0.1% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$49,600 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$49,100 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$48,200 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

0.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$14.4 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$15.487 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$22.065 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

29.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

3.3% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3.8% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

4.9% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

14% (2024 est.)

male

14.6% (2024 est.)

total

14.3% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

2.696 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

906,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

283,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

production

3.011 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves

6.75 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

40.794 billion kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

10.643 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

3.058 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

1.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

12.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

geothermal

17.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

59.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

121.647 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

3.891 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

production

3.97 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves

31.149 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

40.993 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

154,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)

total petroleum production

12,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

37 (2023 est.)

total

1.93 million (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

state-owned Television New Zealand operates multiple TV networks; 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 TV and radio stations are available; cable and satellite TV systems are available (2019)

Internet country code

.nz

Internet users

percent of population

96% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

13 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

660,000 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

115 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

6.56 million (2023 est.)

Airports

206 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

ZK

Heliports

62 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

container ship 2, general cargo 12, oil tanker 3, other 100

total

117 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Auckland, Bluff Harbor, Gisborne, Manukau Harbor, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Otago Harbor, Picton, Tauranga, Timaru, Wellington, Whangarei

large

2

medium

1

ports with oil terminals

14

small

10

total ports

22 (2024)

very small

9

Railways

narrow gauge

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

total

4,128 km (2018)

Military - note

the NZDF is responsible for protecting New Zealand’s sovereignty, promoting its interests, safeguarding peace and security, and conducting peacekeeping, humanitarian, and other international missions New Zealand is a member of the Five Powers Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a series of mutual assistance agreements reached in 1971 embracing Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK; the FPDA commits the members to consult with one another in the event or threat of an armed attack on any of the members and to mutually decide what measures should be taken, jointly or separately; there is no specific obligation to intervene militarily New Zealand has been part of the Australia, New Zealand, and US Security (ANZUS) Treaty since 1951; however, the US suspended its ANZUS security obligations to New Zealand in 1986 after Auckland implemented a policy barring nuclear-armed and nuclear-powered warships from its ports; the US and New Zealand signed the Wellington Declaration in 2010, which reaffirmed close ties between the two countries, and in 2012 signed the Washington Declaration, which provided a framework for future security cooperation and defense dialogues; in 2016, a US naval ship conducted the first bilateral warship visit to New Zealand since the 1980s; New Zealand has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2025)

Military and security forces

New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 8,800 active (Regular Force) New Zealand Defense Forces (4,300 Army; 2,100 Navy; 2,400 Air Force) (2025)

Military deployments

small numbers of NZ military personnel are deployed on a variety of international missions in Africa, Antarctica, the Asia-Pacific region, and the Middle East (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the NZDF's inventory is comprised of domestically produced and Western-supplied weapons and equipment, including from Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

1.2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

17 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18; no conscription (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

26 (2024 est.)

refugees

5,622 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

29 (2024 est.)

Key space-program milestones

2009 - launched a 2-stage suborbital sounding rocket (Atea-1) 2018 - placed satellite in orbit on rocket built by a New Zealand-US commercial company and launched from a privately owned domestic launch site 2019 - began operations of the Kiwi Space Radar, which is designed to track debris in low Earth orbit 2021 - signed the US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration 2024 - first domestically made science payload sent to International Space Station on US rocket

Space agency/agencies

New Zealand Space Agency (NZSA; established 2016 under the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment) (2025)

Space launch site(s)

Mahia Peninsula Launch Complex (Hawke's Bay) (2025)

Space program overview

has a national space program focused largely on the development of a commercial space sector, particularly in the field of satellites and satellite launch vehicles (SLV); manufactures and launches commercial satellites and SLVs; researches and develops a range of other space-related technologies, including propulsion systems; participates in international programs and partners with a range of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Australia, Canada, the EU, the ESA, individual European countries, South Africa, and the US; has a growing commercial space sector (2025)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

4.24 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

7.43 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

21.836 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

33.506 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

water quality and availability; rapid urbanization; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation; native flora and fauna hard-hit by invasive species

International environmental agreements

party to

Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation

Methane emissions

agriculture

1,105.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)

energy

95.4 kt (2022-2024 est.)

other

6.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

158.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

8.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

327 billion cubic meters (2022)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

3.207 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

1.184 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

547 million cubic meters (2022)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

3.405 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

22% (2022 est.)