Map of New Zealand | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

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Background: The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars. New Zealand withdrew from a number of defense alliances during the 1970s and 1980s. In recent years the government has sought to address longstanding native Maori grievances.


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Location: Southwestern Oceania, southeast of Australia in the South Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total area total: 268,680 km²
Land: 268,670 km²

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 15,134 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200 nm or the edge of continental margin
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Terrain: predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains

Elevation

Natural resources: natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone

Land use
Arable land: 2%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 53%
Forest and woodland: 38%
Other: 7%

Irrigated land: 2,800 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: earthquakes are common, though usually not severe

Geography
Note: about 80% of the population lives in cities


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Population: 3,388,737 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 0.57% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun:New Zealander(s)

Ethnic groups

Languages: English (official), Maori

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

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.57% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 15.52 births/1000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 8.06 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.78 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by species introduced from outside

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 8.9 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.38 years
Male: 72.76 years
Female: 80.18 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.03 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
Total population: 99%
Male: NA%
Female: NA%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Abbreviation:NZ

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Wellington

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

Dependent areas: (3) Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

Independence: 26 September 1907 (from UK)

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

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

Legal system: based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts for Maoris; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dame Catherine TIZARD (since 12 December 1990)
Head of government: Prime Minister James BOLGER (since 29 October 1990); Deputy Prime Minister Donald McKINNON (since 2 November 1990)

Legislative branch: New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force
House of Representatives: (commonly called Parliament) elections last held on 6 November 1993 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - NP 35.2%, NZLP 34.7%, Alliance 18.3%, New Zealand First 8.3%; seats - (99 total) NP 50, NZLP 45, Alliance 2, New Zealand First Party 2

Judicial branch: High Court, Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986), APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, C, CCC, CP, COCOM (cooperating), 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, NAM (guest), OECD, PCA, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Josiah BEEMAN
From the us chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20,008
From the us telephone: [64] (4) 472-2,068
From the us consulates general: Auckland
From the us embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, FPO AP 96,531-1001
From the us FAX: [64] (4) 472-3,537

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Since 1984 the government has been reorienting an agrarian economy dependent on a guaranteed British market to a more industrialized, open free market economy that can compete on the global scene. The government has hoped that dynamic growth would boost real incomes, broaden and deepen the technological capabilities of the industrial sector, reduce inflationary pressures, and permit the expansion of welfare benefits. The results have been mixed:inflation is down from double-digit levels, but growth was sluggish in 1988-91. In 1992-93, growth picked up to 3% annually, a sign that the new economic approach is beginning to pay off. Business confidence has strengthened, and the inflation remains among the lowest in the industrial world. Unemployment, down from 11% in 1991, remains unacceptably high at 9%.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 3% (1993)

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: accounts for about 9% of GDP and about 10% of the work force; livestock predominates - wool, meat, dairy products all export earners; crops - wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; surplus producer of farm products; fish catch reached a record 503,000 metric tons in 1988

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

Industrial production growth rate: 1.9% (1990; accounts for about 20% of GDP

Labor force: 1,603,500 (June 1991)
By occupation services: 67.4%
By occupation manufacturing: 19.8%
By occupation primaryproduction: 9.3% (1987)

Unemployment rate: 9.1% (September 1993)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues:$NA

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $10.3 billion (FY93)
Commodities: wool, lamb, mutton, beef, fruit, fish, cheese, manufactures, chemicals, forestry products
Partners: Australia 18.9%, Japan 15.1%, US 12.5%, South Korea 4.1%

Imports: $9.4 billion (FY93)
Commodities: petroleum, consumer goods, motor vehicles, industrial equipment
Partners: Australia 21.1%, US 19.6%, Japan 14.7%, UK 6.3%, Germany 4.2%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $35.3 billion (March 1993)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.7771 (January 1994), 1.8495 (1993), 1.8584 (1992), 1.7265 (1991), 1.6750 (1990), 1.6711 (1989)


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Electricity access

Electricity production: 31 billion kWh

Electricity consumption
Per capita: 9,250 kWh (1992)

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: exchange rate conversion - $792 million, 2% of GDP (FY90/91)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 108
Usable: 108
With permanentsurface runways: 39
With runways over 3659 m: 1
With runways 2440-3659 m: 2
With runways 1220-2439 m: 39

Airports with paved runways

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports

Pipelines: petroleum products 160 km; natural gas 1,000 km; condensate (liquified petroleum gas - LPG) 150 km

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: 1,609 km; of little importance to transportation

Merchant marine: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 165,514 GRT/218,699 DWT, bulk 6, cargo 2, liquefied gas 1, oil tanker 3, railcar carrier 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 5

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs