Map of New Zealand | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | 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: Oceania islands in the South Pacific Ocean southeast of Australia

Geographic coordinates: 41 00 S 174 00 E

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Comparative: about the size of Colorado

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 15,134 km

Maritime claims

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

Irrigated land: 2,850 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: earthquakes are common though usually not severe; volcanic activity

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


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Population: 3,819,762 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: 1.17% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality

Ethnic groups: New Zealand European 74.5% Maori 9.7% other European 4.6% Pacific Islander 3.8% Asian and others 7.4%

Languages: English (official) Maori

Religions: Anglican 24% Presbyterian 18% Roman Catholic 15% Methodist 5% Baptist 2% other Protestant 3% unspecified or none 33% (1986)

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.17% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 14.28 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 7.57 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 4.95 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 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: 6.39 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (2000 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

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

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: (1) 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

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament (120 seats; members elected by popular vote in single-member constituencies to serve three-year terms)

Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: ACT New Zealand [Richard PREBBLE]; Alliance (a coalition of the New Labor Party Democratic Party New Zealand Liberal Party and Mana Motuhake) [leader NA]; Christian Coalition (a coalition of the Christian Democrats and Christian Heritage Party) [Rev. Graham CAPILL]; Conservative Party (formerly Right of Centre Party) [Trevor ROGERS]; Democratic Party [John WRIGHT]; Green Party [Jeanette FITZSIMONS and Rod DONALD]; Mana Motuhake [Sandra LEE]; Mauri Pacific Party (composed of members who broke away from the NZFP) [Tau HENARE]; National Party or NP [Jenny SHIPLEY]; New Labor Party [Jim ANDERTON]; New Zealand First Party or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New Zealand Labor Party or NZLP [Helen CLARK]; New Zealand Liberal Party [Frank GROVER]; United New Zealand or UNZ [Peter DUNNE]

International organization participation: ABEDA ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986) APEC AsDB Australia Group C CCC CP EBRD ESCAP FAO IAEA IBRD ICAO ICFTU ICRM IDA IEA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Inmarsat Intelsat Interpol IOC IOM (observer) ISO ITU NAM (guest) NSG OECD OPCW PCA Sparteca SPC SPF UN UNAMSIL UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNMIK UNMOP UNTAET UNTSO UPU WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTrO

Diplomatic representation

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 accomplished major economic restructuring moving an agrarian economy dependent on concessionary British market access toward a more industrialized free market economy that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector and contained inflationary pressures. Inflation remains among the lowest in the industrial world. Per capita GDP has been moving up toward the levels of the big West European economies. New Zealand's heavy dependence on trade leaves its growth prospects vulnerable to economic performance in Asia Europe and the US. Moderate growth probably will characterize 2000.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 3.1% (1999 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $17,400 (1999 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: wheat barley potatoes pulses fruits vegetables; wool beef dairy products; fish

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 1.86 million (1998)
By occupation services: 65%
By occupation industry: 25%
By occupation agriculture: 10% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 7% (1999 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.3% (1999 est.)

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: $12.2 billion (f.o.b. 1998 est.)
Commodities: dairy products meat fish wool forestry products manufactures
Partners: Australia 21% Japan 13% US 13% UK 6% (1998)

Imports: $11.2 billion (f.o.b. 1998 est.)
Commodities: machinery and equipment vehicles and aircraft petroleum consumer goods plastics
Partners: Australia 22% US 20% Japan 11% UK 5% (1998)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $53 billion (1998)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.9451 (January 2000) 1.8886 (1999) 1.8632 (1998) 1.5083 (1997) 1.4543 (1996) 1.5235 (1995)


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Electricity
Production: 35.789 billion kWh (1998)
Consumption: 33.284 billion kWh (1998)
Exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.719 million (1995)
Mobile cellular: 588,000 (1998)

Telephone system: excellent international and domestic systems

Broadcast media

Internet
Service providers isps: 56 (1999)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $883 million (FY97/98)
Percent of gdp: 1.1% (FY97/98)

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: 111 (1999 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines: petroleum products 160 km; natural gas 1000 km; liquefied petroleum gas or LPG 150 km

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: 1609 km; of little importance to transportation

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs