New Zealand

lowest point:

Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point:

Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m

• deforestation;
• soil erosion;
• native flora and fauna hard-hit by species introduced from outside

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 (2005 est.)

noun:

New Zealander(s)

adjective:

New Zealand

definition:

age 15 and over can read and write

total population:

99% (1980 est.)

male:

NA%

female:

NA%

conventional long form:

none

conventional short form:

New Zealand

abbreviation:

NZ

• 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

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

• Supreme Court;
• Court of Appeal;
• High Court;
• note - Judges appointed by the Governor-General

• 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]

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

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

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

• 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

lowest 10%:

0.3%

highest 10%:

29.8% (1991 est.)

• wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables;
• wool, beef, lamb and mutton, dairy products;
• fish

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)

total:

3,898 km

narrow gauge:

3,898 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2004)

total:

92,382 km

paved:

59,124 km (including at least 169 km of expressways)

unpaved:

33,258 km (2002)

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

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)