Map of New Zealand | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | 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
Total: 268,680 km²
Land: 268,670 km²
Water: 10 km²
Note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
Comparative: about the size of Colorado

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 15,134 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the 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
Extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Cook 3,764 m

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

Land use
Arable land: 9%
Permanent crops: 5%
Permanent pastures: 50%
Forests and woodland: 28%
Other: 8% (1993 est.)

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; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world


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Population: 3,864,129 (July 2001 est.)
Growth rate: 1.14% (2001 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: New Zealander
Adjective: New Zealand

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
0-14 years: 22.36% (male 442,738; female 421,462)
15-64 years: 66.11% (male 1,281,781; female 1,272,674)
65 years and over: 11.53% (male 193,895; female 251,579) (2001 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.14% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 14.28 births/1000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 7.56 deaths/1000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 4.71 migrant(s)/1000 population (2001 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by species introduced from outside
International agreements party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.04 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male/female
Total population: 0.99 male/female (2001 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 6.28 deaths/1000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.99 years
Male: 75.01 years
Female: 81.1 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.06% (1999 est.)
People living with hivaids: 1200 (1999 est.)
Deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99% (1980 est.)
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: New Zealand
Abbreviation: NZ

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Wellington

Administrative divisions
Note: there may be a new administrative structure of 16 regions (Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato, Wanganui-Manawatu, Wellington, West Coast) that are subdivided into 57 districts and 16 cities* (Ashburton, Auckland*, Banks Peninsula, Buller, Carterton, Central Hawke's Bay, Central Otago, Christchurch*, Clutha, Dunedin*, Far North, Franklin, Gisborne, Gore, Grey, Hamilton*, Hastings, Hauraki, Horowhenua, Hurunui, Hutt*, Invercargill*, Kaikoura, Kaipara, Kapiti Coast, Kawerau, Mackenzie, Manawatu, Manukau*, Marlborough, Masterton, Matamata Piako, Napier*, Nelson*, New Plymouth, North Shore*, Opotiki, Otorohanga, Palmerston North*, Papakura*, Porirua*, Queenstown Lakes, Rangitikei, Rodney, Rotorua, Ruapehu, Selwyn, Southland, South Taranaki, South Waikato, South Wairarapa, Stratford, Tararua, Tasman, Taupo, Tauranga, Thames Coromandel, Timaru, Upper Hutt*, Waikato, Waimakariri, Waimate, Waipa, Wairoa, Waitakere*, Waitaki, Waitomo, Wanganui, Wellington*, Western Bay of Plenty, Westland, Whakatane, Whangarei)

Dependent areas: (1) Cook Islands Niue Tokelau

Independence: 26 September 1907 (from UK)

National holiday: Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand) 6 February (1840)

Constitution: consists of a series of legal documents including certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments and The Constitution Act 1986 which is the principal formal charter

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 Silvia CARTWRIGHT (since 4 April 2001)
Head of government: Prime Minister Helen CLARK (since 10 December 1999) and Deputy Prime Minister Jim ANDERTON (since 10 December 1999)
Cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister
Elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general for a three-year term; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 27 November 1999 (next must be called by November 2002)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NZLP 49, NP 39, Alliance 10, ACT New Zealand 9, Green Party 7, NZFP 5, UNZ 1
Note: NZLP and Alliance formed the government coalition; the National Party became the opposition party

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) [Jim ANDERTON]; Green Party [Jeanette FITZSIMONS and Rod DONALD]; National Party or NP [Jenny SHIPLEY]; New Zealand First Party or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New Zealand Labor Party or NZLP [Helen CLARK]; United New Zealand or UNZ [Peter DUNNE]

International organization participation: ABEDA ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986) APEC ARF (dialogue partner) AsDB ASEAN (dialogue partner) 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
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador James Brendan BOLGER
In the us chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 328-4,800
In the us fax: [1] (202) 667-5,227
In the us consulates general: Los Angeles, New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Carol MOSELEY-BRAUN
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 telephone: [64] (4) 472-2,068
From the us fax: [64] (4) 478-1701
From the us consulates general: Auckland

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. With the FY00/01 budget pushing up pension and other public outlays the government's ability to meet fiscal targets will depend on sustained economic growth.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 3.6% (2000 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $17,700 (2000 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 8%
Industry: 23%
Services: 69% (1999)

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: 6.2% (2000)

Labor force: 1.88 million (2000)
By occupation services: 65%
By occupation industry: 25%
By occupation agriculture: 10% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 6.3% (2000 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 0.3%
Highest 10: 29.8% (1991 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $19.2 billion
Expenditures: $19.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.4% (2000 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: $14.6 billion (f.o.b. 2000 est.)
Commodities: dairy products meat fish wool forestry products manufactures
Partners: Australia 22% US 14% Japan 13% UK 7% (1999)

Imports: $14.3 billion (f.o.b. 2000 est.)
Commodities: machinery and equipment vehicles and aircraft petroleum consumer goods plastics
Partners: Australia 24% US 17% Japan 12% UK 4% (1999)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $30.8 billion (2000 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.2502 (January 2001) 2.1863 (2000) 1.8886 (1999) 1.8632 (1998) 1.5083 (1997) 1.4543 (1996)


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Electricity
Production: 37.952 billion kWh (1999)
Production by source fossil fuel: 30.49%
Production by source hydro: 61.42%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 8.09% (1999)
Consumption: 35.295 billion kWh (1999)
Exports: 0 kWh (1999)
Imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.84 million (1997)
Mobile cellular: 588,000 (1998)

Telephone system
General assessment: excellent domestic and international systems
Domestic: NA
International: submarine cables to Australia and Fiji; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .nz
Service providers isps: 36 (2000)
Users: 1.34 million (2000)

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 (2000 est.)
With paved runways total: 44
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 10
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 28
With paved runways under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 67
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 24
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 42 (2000 est.)

Heliports

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

Railways
Total: 3,913 km
Narrow gauge: 3,913 km 1.067-m gauge (519 km electrified) (1999)

Roadways

Waterways
Note: of little importance in satisfying total transportation requirements

Merchant marine
Total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 72,389 GRT/109,018 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 1, container 1, petroleum tanker 2, railcar carrier 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2000 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs