New Zealand
parliamentary democracyIndependence 26 September 1907 (from UK)
New Zealand as the 2004 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 126 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
18 fieldsLand useshare of 268,680 sq km
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
People
19 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2004 est.)
Male · female(2004 est.)
Religions(1986)
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.)
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.)
Literacy
- definition:
- age 15 and over can read and write
- total population:
- 99% (1980 est.)
- male:
- NA
- female:
- NA
Government
Parliamentary democracy; Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dame Silvia CARTWRIGHT (since 4 April 2001); Prime Minister Helen CLARK (since 10 December 1999) and Deputy Prime Minister Michael CULLEN (since NA July 2002)
19 fieldsHouse of Representatives - commonly called Parliament, 120 seats, elected 27 July 2002one dot, one seat
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
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
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
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]
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
- 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) 499-0490
- 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
Economy
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.
45 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2003 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
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.
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
Imports - commodities
machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum, electronics, textiles, plastics
Exchange rates
New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000), 1.8896 (1999)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone 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)
Television broadcast stations
41 (plus 52 medium-power repeaters and over 650 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Transportation
8 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
Highways
- total:
- 92,053 km
- paved:
- 57,809 km (including at least 190 km of expressways)
- unpaved:
- 34,244 km (2000)
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 (2004 est.)
Military
New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force
7 fieldsMilitary manpower - military age and obligation
17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18 (2001)
Transnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “New Zealand.” The World Factbook 2004. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/new-zealand/2004.