Map of New Zealand | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

top of page


Background: The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840 their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain the Treaty of Waitangi in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In 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.


top of page


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: 268,021 km²
Water: NA
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
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

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: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m

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

Land use
Arable land: 5.6%
Permanent crops: 6.99%
Other: 87.41% (2001)

Irrigated land: 2,850 km² (1998 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


top of page


Population: 4,035,461 (July 2005 est.)
Growth rate: 1.02% (2005 est.)
Below poverty line: NA

Nationality
Noun: New Zealander
Adjective: New Zealand

Ethnic groups: European 69.8% Maori 7.9% Asian 5.7% Pacific islander 4.4% other 0.5% mixed 7.8% unspecified 3.8% (2001 census)

Languages: English (official) Maori (official)

Religions: Anglican 14.9% Roman Catholic 12.4% Presbyterian 10.9% Methodist 2.9% Pentecostal 1.7% Baptist 1.3% other Christian 9.4% other 3.3% unspecified 17.2% none 26% (2001 census)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 21.4% (male 441,836/female 421,065)
15-64 years: 66.9% (male 1,356,095/female 1,343,728)
65 years and over: 11.7% (male 206,650/female 266,087) (2005 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 33.65 years
Male: 32.92 years
Female: 34.4 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.02% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 13.9 births/1000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 7.53 deaths/1000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.83 migrant(s)/1000 population (2005 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, 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
International agreements signed but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, 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: 0.78 male/female
Total population: 0.99 male/female (2005 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 5.85 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 6.7 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 4.96 deaths/1000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.66 years
Male: 75.67 years
Female: 81.78 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.79 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2003 est.)
People living with hivaids: 1400 (2003 est.)
Deaths: less than 200 (2003 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


top of page


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

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Wellington

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

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 as well as The Constitution Act 1986 which is the principal formal charter; adopted 1 January 1987 effective 1 January 1987

Legal system: based on English law with special land legislation and land courts for the Maori; 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 Michael CULLEN (since NA July 2002)
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; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 17 September 2005 (next to be held not later than 15 November 2008)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NZLP 41.1%, NP 39.1%, NZFP 5.72%, Green Party 5.3%, Maori 2.12%, UF 2.67%, ACT New Zealand 1.51%, Progressive 1.16%; seats by party - NZLP 50, NP 48, NZFP 7, Green Party 6, Maori 4, UF 3, ACT New Zealand 2, Progressive 1
Note: results of 2005 election saw the total number of seats increase to 121 because the Maori Party won one more electorate seat than its entitlement under the party vote

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; High Court; note - Judges appointed by the Governor-General

Political parties and leaders: ACT New Zealand [Rodney HIDE]; Green Party [Jeanette FITZSIMONS and Rod DONALD]; Maori Party [Whatarangi WINIATA]; National Party or NP [Don BRASH]; New Zealand First Party or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New Zealand Labor Party or NZLP [Helen CLARK]; Progressive Party [James (Jim) ANDERTON]; United Future or UF [Peter DUNNE]

International organization participation: ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986) APEC ARF AsDB ASEAN (dialogue partner) Australia Group BIS C CP EBRD FAO IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt ICFTU ICRM IDA IEA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM ISO ITU NAM (guest) NSG OECD OPCW PCA PIF Sparteca SPC UN UNAMSIL UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNMIK UNMISET UNTSO UPU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador L. John WOOD
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 Charles J. SWINDELLS
From the us embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP 96,531-1034
From the us telephone: [64] (4) 462-6,000
From the us fax: [64] (4) 499-0490
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


top of page


Economy overview: Over the past 20 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 many at the bottom of the ladder) broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector and contained inflationary pressures. Per capita income has risen for six consecutive years and is now more than $23,000 in purchasing power parity terms. New Zealand is heavily dependent on trade - particularly in agricultural products - to drive growth. Exports are equal to about 20% of GDP. Thus far the economy has been resilient and the Labor Government promises that expenditures on health education and pensions will increase proportionately to output.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $92.51 billion (2004 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 4.8% (2004 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $23,200 (2004 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 4.6%
Industry: 27.4%
Services: 68% (2004 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: 5.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 2.05 million (2004 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 10%
By occupation industry: 25%
By occupation services: 65% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 4.2% (2004 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: $38.29 billion
Expenditures: $36.12 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 22.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.4% (2004 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: $-3.647 billion (2004 est.)

Exports: $19.85 billion (2004 est.)
Commodities: dairy products meat wood and wood products fish machinery
Partners: Australia 21% US 14.4% Japan 11.3% China 5.7% UK 4.7% (2004)

Imports: $19.77 billion (2004 est.)
Commodities: machinery and equipment vehicles and aircraft petroleum electronics textiles plastics
Partners: Australia 22.4% US 11.3% Japan 11.2% China 9.7% Germany 5.2% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $4.805 billion (2004 est.)

Debt external: $47.34 billion (2004 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004) 1.7221 (2003) 2.1622 (2002) 2.3788 (2001) 2.2012 (2000)


top of page


Electricity
Production: 38.39 billion kWh (2002)
Consumption: 35.71 billion kWh (2002)
Exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Imports: 0 kWh (2002)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 6.504 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Consumption: 6.504 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2001 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2001 est.)
Proven reserves: 58.94 billion m³ (1 January 2002)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.765 million (2002)
Mobile cellular: 2.599 million (2003)

Telephone system
General assessment: excellent domestic and international systems
Domestic: NA
International: country code - 64; submarine cables to Australia and Fiji; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .nz
Hosts: 474,395 (2003)
Users: 2.11 million (2003)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $1.147 billion (FY03/04)
Percent of gdp: 1% (FY02)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18 (2001)

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 116 (2004 est.)
With paved runways total: 46
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 11
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 27
With paved runways under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 70
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 29
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 39 (2004 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines: gas 2,213 km; liquid petroleum gas 79 km; oil 160 km; refined products 304 km (2004)

Railways
Total: 3,898 km
Narrow gauge: 3,898 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2004)

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 77,523 GRT/108,352 DWT
By type: cargo 3, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1, bulk carrier 3
Foreign owned: 2 (Germany 1, Isle of Man 1)
Registered in other countries: 5 (2005)

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international: asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency) [see Antarctica]

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs