Definition Field Listing Rank
Order
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.
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Location: |
Oceania,
islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia |
Geographic coordinates: |
41 00 S, 174
00 E |
Map references: |
Oceania
|
Area: |
total:
268,680 sq km land: NA sq km water: NA sq km
note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands,
Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec
Islands |
Area - 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 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 sq km
(1998 est.) |
Natural hazards: |
earthquakes
are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity |
Environment - current issues: |
deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by
species introduced from outside |
Environment - 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 signed, but not
ratified: Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation |
Geography - note: |
about 80% of
the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost
national capital in the world Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
|
Population: |
3,993,817
(July 2004 est.) |
Age structure: |
0-14
years: 21.7% (male 443,211; female 422,507) 15-64
years: 66.7% (male 1,337,383; female 1,325,683) 65 years
and over: 11.6% (male 203,084; female 261,949) (2004 est.)
|
Median age: |
total: 33.4 years male: 32.6 years
female: 34.1 years (2004 est.) |
Population growth rate: |
1.05% (2004
est.) |
Birth rate: |
14.04
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Death rate: |
7.54
deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Net migration rate: |
4.05
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Sex ratio: |
at
birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65
years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population:
0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Infant mortality rate: |
total:
5.96 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.83 deaths/1,000
live births female: 5.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2004
est.) |
Life expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 78.49 years male: 75.5 years
female: 81.61 years (2004 est.) |
Total fertility rate: |
1.79 children
born/woman (2004 est.) |
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
0.1% (2003
est.) |
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
1,400 (2003
est.) |
HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
less than 200
(2003 est.) |
Nationality: |
noun:
New Zealander(s) 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% |
Religions: |
Anglican
24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%, Methodist 5%, Baptist 2%,
other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none 33% (1986) |
Languages: |
English
(official), Maori (official) |
Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1980 est.) male: NA
female: NA Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
|
Country name: |
conventional long form: none conventional short
form: New Zealand abbreviation: NZ |
Government type: |
parliamentary democracy |
Capital: |
Wellington
|
Administrative divisions: |
13 regions;
Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Gisborne-Hawke's Bay,
Manawatu-Wanganui, Nelson-Marlborough, Northland, Otago, Southland,
Taranaki, Waikato, Wellington, West Coast |
Dependent areas: |
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 the
Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
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: |
unicameral
House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament (120 seats; 69
members elected by popular vote in single-member constituencies
including 7 Maori constituencies, and 51 proportional seats chosen
from party lists, all to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 27 July 2002 (next to be held NA
2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - NZLP 52, NP 27, NZFP 13, ACT New Zealand 9, Green
Party 9, UF 8, other 2 |
Judicial branch: |
High Court;
Court of Appeal |
Political parties and leaders: |
ACT New
Zealand [Richard PREBBLE]; Green Party [Jeanette FITZSIMONS and Rod
DONALD]; National Party or NP [Don BRASH]; New Zealand First Party
or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New Zealand Labor Party or NZLP [Helen
CLARK]; Progressive Coalition [James (Jim) ANDERTON]; United Future
or UF [Peter DUNNE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
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, UNMISET, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador L. John WOOD chancery: 37
Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone:
[1] (202) 328-4800 FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York |
Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Charles J. SWINDELLS embassy: 29
Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington mailing
address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP
96531-1034 telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000 FAX:
[64] (4) 472-3478 consulate(s) 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
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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 been rising and is now
80% of the level of the four largest EU economies. New Zealand is
heavily dependent on trade - particularly in agricultural products -
to drive growth, and it has been affected by the global economic
slowdown and the slump in commodity prices. Thus far the economy has
been resilient, and growth should continue at the same level in
2004. Expenditures on health, education, and pensions will increase
proportionately. |
GDP: |
purchasing
power parity - $85.34 billion (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate: |
3.5% (2003
est.) |
GDP - per capita: |
purchasing
power parity - $21,600 (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 4.8% industry: 27.4%
services: 67.8% (2003 est.) |
Investment (gross fixed): |
20.9% of GDP
(2003) |
Population below poverty line: |
NA |
Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest
10%: 0.3% highest 10%: 29.8% (1991 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
1.8% (2003
est.) |
Labor force: |
2.008 million
(2003 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture
10%, industry 25%, services 65% (1995) |
Unemployment rate: |
4.7% (2003
est.) |
Budget: |
revenues: $32.14 billion expenditures: $30.13
billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003) |
Public debt: |
25.6% of GDP
(2003) |
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: |
1.3% (2003
est.) |
Electricity - production: |
37.51 billion
kWh (2001) |
Electricity - consumption: |
34.88 billion
kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports: |
0 kWh (2001)
|
Electricity - imports: |
0 kWh (2001)
|
Oil - production: |
42,160
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
Oil - consumption: |
132,700
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
Oil - exports: |
30,220
bbl/day (2001) |
Oil - imports: |
119,700
bbl/day (2001) |
Oil - proved reserves: |
89.62 million
bbl (1 January 2002) |
Natural gas - production: |
6.504 billion
cu m (2001 est.) |
Natural gas - consumption: |
6.504 billion
cu m (2001 est.) |
Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2001
est.) |
Natural gas - imports: |
0 cu m (2001
est.) |
Natural gas - proved reserves: |
58.94 billion
cu m (1 January 2002) |
Current account balance: |
$-3.446
billion (2003) |
Exports: |
$15.86
billion (2003 est.) |
Exports - commodities: |
dairy
products, meat, wood and wood products, fish, machinery |
Exports - partners: |
Australia
21.8%, US 14.6%, Japan 11%, China 4.9%, UK 4.8% (2003 est.) |
Imports: |
$16.06
billion (2003 est.) |
Imports - commodities: |
machinery
and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum, electronics,
textiles, plastics |
Imports - partners: |
Australia
22.2%, US 11.8%, Japan 11.8%, China 9%, Germany 5.3% (2003 est.)
|
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: |
$5.083
billion (2003) |
Debt - external: |
$37.46
billion (2003 est.) |
Economic aid - donor: |
ODA, $99.7
million |
Currency: |
New Zealand
dollar (NZD) |
Currency code: |
NZD |
Exchange rates: |
New Zealand
dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001),
2.2012 (2000), 1.8896 (1999) |
Fiscal year: |
1 July - 30
June Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Railways: |
total:
3,898 km narrow gauge: 3,898 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km
electrified) (2003) |
Highways: |
total:
92,053 km paved: 57,809 km (including at least 190 km of
expressways) unpaved: 34,244 km (2000) |
Waterways: |
1,609 km
note: of little importance in satisfying total
transportation requirements |
Pipelines: |
gas 2,213
km; liquid petroleum gas 79 km; oil 160 km; refined products 304 km
(2003) |
Ports and harbors: |
Auckland,
Christchurch, Dunedin, Tauranga, Wellington |
Merchant marine: |
total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 77,523 GRT/108,352
DWT by type: bulk 3, cargo 2, container 1, petroleum
tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: Australia 1,
Isle of Man 1 registered in other countries: 8 (2003
est.) |
Airports: |
113 (2003
est.) |
Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 46 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to
3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523
m: 27 under 914 m: 5 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 67 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to
1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 37 (2003 est.)
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Disputes - international: |
territorial
claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency) |
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