from
CIA World Factbook 2006
New Zealand
Introduction
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.
Geography
Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast
of Australia
Geographic 41 00 S, 174 00 E
coordinates:
Map Oceania
references:
Area: total: 268,680 sq km
land: 268,021 sq km
water: NA
note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands,
Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and
Kermadec Islands
Area - about the size of Colorado
comparative:
Land 0 km
boundaries:
Coastline: 15,134 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: 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 lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
extremes: highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m
Natural natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower,
resources: gold, limestone
Land use: arable land: 5.54%
permanent crops: 6.92%
other: 87.54% (2005)
Irrigated 2,850 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural earthquakes are common, though usually not severe;
hazards: volcanic activity
Environment - deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna
current hard-hit by invasive species
issues:
Environment - party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
international Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,
agreements: 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 - about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington
note: is the southernmost national capital in the world
People
Population: 4,076,140 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 21.1% (male 439,752/female 419,174)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,374,850/female 1,361,570)
65 years and over: 11.8% (male 210,365/female 270,429)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 33.9 years
male: 33.2 years
female: 34.7 years (2006 est.)
Population 0.99% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 13.76 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 7.53 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 3.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
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 (2006 est.)
Infant total: 5.76 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 6.59 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 4.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 78.81 years
expectancy at male: 75.82 years
birth: female: 81.93 years (2006 est.)
Total 1.79 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.1% (2003 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 1,400 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - less than 200 (2003 est.)
deaths:
Nationality: noun: New Zealander(s)
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)
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)
Languages: English (official), Maori (official)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: New Zealand
abbreviation: NZ
Government parliamentary democracy
type:
Capital: name: Wellington
geographic coordinates: 41 28 S, 174 51 E
time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington,
DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in
October; ends third Sunday in March
note: New Zealand is divided into two time zones,
including Chatham Island
Administrative 16 regions and 1 territory*; Auckland, Bay of Plenty,
divisions: Canterbury, Chatham Islands*, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay,
Manawatu-Wanganui, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland,
Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato,
Wellington, West Coast
Dependent Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau
areas:
Independence: 26 September 1907 (from UK)
National Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British
holiday: 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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
branch: 1952), represented by Governor General Anand SATYANAND
(since 23 August 2006)
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 unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called
branch: Parliament (120 seats; 69 members elected by popular
vote in single-member constituencies including seven
Maori constituencies, and 51 proportional seats chosen
from party lists, all to serve three-year terms)
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 Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; High Court; note -
branch: Judges appointed by the Governor-General
Political ACT New Zealand [Rodney HIDE]; Green Party [Jeanette
parties and FITZSIMONS]; Maori Party [Whatarangi WINIATA]; National
leaders: 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]
Political NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11
organization August 1986), APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue
participation: partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA,
PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNMIS, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Roy N. FERGUSON
representation chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC
in the US: 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800
FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador William P. McCORMICK
representation embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington
from the US: mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467,
Box 1, APO AP 96531-1034
telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000
FAX: [64] (4) 499-0490
consulate(s) general: Auckland
Flag blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
description: 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
Economy
Economy - Over the past 20 years the government has transformed
overview: 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 was more than $24,000 in 2005 in
purchasing power parity terms. New Zealand is heavily
dependent on trade - particularly in agricultural
products - to drive growth. Exports are equal to about
22% 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.
GDP $102 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $94.6 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 2.3% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $25,300 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 4.3%
composition by industry: 27.3%
sector: services: 68.4% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 2.13 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 10%
by occupation: industry: 25%
services: 65% (1995)
Unemployment 3.7% (2005 est.)
rate:
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA
income or highest 10%: NA (1991 est.)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 36.2 (1997)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 3% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 23.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $43.1 billion
expenditures: $37.57 billion; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Public debt: 21.3% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables;
products: 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 -2.5% (2005 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 39.82 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 31.6%
production by hydro: 57.8%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 10.7% (2001)
Electricity - 37.03 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 31,740 bbl/day (2003 est.)
production:
Oil - 151,900 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: 30,220 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports: 119,700 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved 89.62 million bbl (1 January 2002)
reserves:
Natural gas - 4.773 billion cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 4.773 billion cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
imports:
Natural gas - 37.38 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
proved
reserves:
Current $-9.688 billion (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $22.21 billion (2005 est.)
Exports - dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish,
commodities: machinery
Exports - Australia 21.4%, US 14.1%, Japan 10.6%, China 5.1%, UK
partners: 4.7% (2005)
Imports: $24.57 billion (2005 est.)
Imports - machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft,
commodities: petroleum, electronics, textiles, plastics
Imports - Australia 20.9%, US 11%, Japan 11%, China 10.9%,
partners: Germany 4.9% (2005)
Reserves of $8.893 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $42.84 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - ODA, $99.7 million
donor:
Currency New Zealand dollar (NZD)
(code):
Currency code: NZD
Exchange New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.4203 (2005),
rates: 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788
(2001)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Communications
Telephones - 1,800,500 (2004)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 3.53 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: excellent domestic and
system: international systems
domestic: NA
international: country code - 64; submarine cables to
Australia and Fiji; 8 satellite earth stations - 1
InMarSat (Pacific Ocean), 7 other
Radio AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 3.75 million (1997)
Television 41 (plus 52 medium-power repeaters and over 650
broadcast low-power repeaters) (1997)
stations:
Televisions: 1.926 million (1997)
Internet .nz
country code:
Internet 1,050,197 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 36 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 3.2 million (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 118 (2006)
Airports - total: 45
with paved over 3,047 m: 2
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 27
under 914 m: 4 (2006)
Airports - total: 73
with unpaved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 31
under 914 m: 40 (2006)
Pipelines: condensate 224 km; gas 1,693 km; liquid petroleum gas
45 km; oil 280 km; refined products 288 km (2006)
Railways: total: 4,128 km
narrow gauge: 4,128 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km
electrified) (2005)
Roadways: total: 92,662 km
paved: 59,109 km (including 169 km of expressways)
unpaved: 33,553 km (2003)
Merchant total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 136,361 GRT/124,972
marine: DWT
by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 1, passenger/cargo 5,
petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: 4 (Australia 2, Germany 1, Isle of Man
1)
registered in other countries: 8 (Antigua and Barbuda
1, Cook Islands 1, Dominica 4, France 1, UK 1) (2006)
Ports and Auckland, Lyttelton, Tauranga, Wellington, Whangarei
terminals:
Military
Military New Zealand Defense Force: New Zealand Army, Royal New
branches: Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force
Military 17 years of age for voluntary military service;
service age soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18 (2001)
and
obligation:
Manpower males age 17-49: 984,700
available for females age 17-49: 965,170 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 17-49: 809,519
for military females age 17-49: 802,069 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 29,738
reaching females age 17-49: 28,523 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $1.147 billion (FY03/04)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 1% (FY02)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross
international: Dependency) [see Antarctica]