New Zealand
parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realmIndependence 26 September 1907 (from the UK)
New Zealand as the 2011 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 150 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
20 fieldsLand useshare of 267,710 sq km
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 2.11 cu km/yr (48%/9%/42%)
- per capita:
- 524 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards
earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity
- volcanism:
- New Zealand experiences significant volcanism on North Island;
- Ruapehu (elev. 2,797 m), which last erupted in 2007, has a history of large eruptions in the past century;
- Taranaki has the potential to produce dangerous avalanches and lahars;
- other historically active volcanoes include
Environment - current issues
- deforestation;
- soil erosion;
- native flora and fauna hard-hit by invasive species
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
almost 90% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world
People and Society
30 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2011 est.)
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
Languages
English (official) 91.2%, Maori (official) 3.9%, Samoan 2.1%, French 1.3%, Hindi 1.1%, Yue 1.1%, Northern Chinese 1%, other 12.9%, New Zealand Sign Language (official) note: shares sum to 114.6% due to multiple responses on census (2006 Census)
Religions
Protestant 38.6% (Anglican 13.8%, Presbyterian, Congregational, and Reformed 10%, Christian (no denomination specified) 4.6%, Methodist 3%, Pentecostal 2%, Baptist 1.4%, other Christian 3.8%), Roman Catholic 12.6%, Maori Christian 1.6%, Hindu 1.6%, Buddhist 1.3%, other religions 2.2%, none 32.2%, other or unidentified 9.9% (2006 Census)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.048 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.84 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.99 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Government
Parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm; Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Prime Minister John KEY (since 19 November 2008)
23 fieldsLegislature, 61 seats, elected 26 November 2011one dot, one seat
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 last Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April
note: New Zealand is divided into two time zones - New Zealand standard time (12 hours in advance of UTC), and Chatham Islands time (45 minutes in advance of New Zealand standard time)
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
National holiday
- Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840);
- ANZAC Day (commemorated as the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April (1915)
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
common law system, based on English model, with special legislation and land courts for the Maori
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Lt Gen Sir Jerry MATEPARAE (since 31 August 2011)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister John KEY (since 19 November 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Simon William ENGLISH (since 19 November 2008)
- cabinet:
- Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
- elections:
- the monarchy is hereditary;
- governor general appointed by the monarch;
- following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition 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 (usually 120 seats; 70 members elected by popular vote in single-member constituencies including 7 Maori constituencies, 50 proportional seats chosen from party lists; serve three-year terms)
- elections:
- last held on 26 November 2011 (next to be held not later than November 2014)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - National Party 48%, Labor Party 27.1%, Green Party 10.6%, NZ First 6.8%, Maori 1.4%, ACT Party 1.1%, Mana 1%, United Future 0.6%, other 3.43%;
- seats by party - National Party 60, Labor Party 34, Green Party 13, NZ First 8, Maori 3, ACT Party 1, Mana 1, United Future 1
note: results of 2011 election saw the total number of seats decline to 121
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 [Russel NORMAN and Metiria TUREI];
- Mana Party [Hone HARAWIRA];
- Maori Party [Tariana TURIA and Dr. Pita SHARPLES];
- New Zealand National Party [John KEY];
- New Zealand First Party or NZ First [Winston PETERS];
- New Zealand Labor Party [Phil GOFF];
- Jim Anderton's Progressive Party [James (Jim) ANDERTON];
- United Future New Zealand [Peter DUNNE]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Women's Electoral Lobby or WEL
- other:
- apartheid groups;
- civil rights groups;
- farmers groups;
- Maori;
- nuclear weapons groups;
- women's rights groups
International organization participation
ADB, ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986), APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNMIT, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Michael K. MOORE
- chancery:
- 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 328-4800
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 667-5227
- consulate(s) general:
- New York, Santa Monica
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador David HUEBNER
- 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
National anthem
- name:
- "God Defend New Zealand"
- lyrics/music:
- Thomas BRACKEN [English], Thomas Henry SMITH [Maori]/John Joseph WOODS
note: adopted 1940 as national song, adopted 1977 as co-national anthem; New Zealand has two national anthems with equal status; as a commonwealth realm, in addition to "God Defend New Zealand," "God Save the Queen" serves as a national anthem (see United Kingdom);
"God Save the Queen" normally is played only when a member of the royal family or the governor-general is present; in all other cases, "God Defend New Zealand" is played
Government - note
while not an official symbol, the Kiwi, a small native flightless bird, represents New Zealand
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.
53 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2010 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 some at the bottom of the ladder - and broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector.
Per capita income rose for ten consecutive years until 2007 in purchasing power parity terms, but fell in 2008-09. Debt-driven consumer spending drove robust growth in the first half of the decade, helping fuel a large balance of payments deficit that posed a challenge for economic managers.
Inflationary pressures caused the central bank to raise its key rate steadily from January 2004 until it was among the highest in the OECD in 2007-08; international capital inflows attracted to the high rates further strengthened the currency and housing market, however, aggravating the current account deficit.
The economy fell into recession before the start of the global financial crisis and contracted for five consecutive quarters in 2008-09. In line with global peers, the central bank cut interest rates aggressively and the government developed fiscal stimulus measures. The economy posted a 1.7% decline in 2009, but pulled out of recession late in the year, and achieved 2.1% growth in 2010.
Nevertheless, key trade sectors remain vulnerable to weak external demand. The government plans to raise productivity growth and develop infrastructure, while reining in government spending.
Central bank discount rate
2.5% (31 December 2009) · 5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 75
Commercial bank prime lending rate
10.095% (31 December 2010 est.) · 10.389% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 103
Stock of narrow money
$28.11 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $25.18 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Stock of broad money
$145.3 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $125.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 45
Stock of domestic credit
$236.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $208.9 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 38
Agriculture - products
- dairy products, lamb and mutton;
- wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables;
- wool, beef;
- fish
Industries
food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining
Natural gas - proved reserves
34.38 billion cu m (1 January 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 69
Current account balance
-$3.177 billion (2010 est.) · -$3.625 billion (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 171
Imports - commodities
machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum, electronics, textiles, plastics
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$16.72 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $15.59 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 63
Debt - external
$81.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $82.33 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 45
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$70.13 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $64.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 48
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
$NA (31 December 2010); $59.08 billion (31 December 2009)
Exchange rates
New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.3874 (2010) · 1.6002 (2009) · 1.4151 (2008) · 1.3811 (2007) · 1.5408 (2006)
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- excellent domestic and international systems
- domestic:
- combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 150 per 100 persons
- international:
- country code - 64;
- the Southern Cross submarine cable system provides links to Australia, Fiji, and the US;
- satellite earth stations - 8 (1 Inmarsat - Pacific Ocean, 7 other)
Broadcast media
- state-owned Television New Zealand operates multiple television networks while state-owned Radio New Zealand operates 3 radio networks and an external shortwave radio service to the South Pacific region;
- a small number of national commercial television and radio stations and a large number of regional commercial television and radio stations are available;
- cable and satellite TV systems are accessible (2008)
Transportation
8 fieldsMerchant marine, 14 ships by typeone square, one ship
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Pipelines
- condensate 331 km;
- gas 1,838 km;
- liquid petroleum gas 172 km;
- oil 288 km;
- refined products 198 km (2010)
Railways
- total:
- 4,128 km
country comparison to the world: 41
- narrow gauge:
- 4,128 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2010)
Roadways
- total:
- 93,911 km
country comparison to the world: 48
- paved:
- 61,879 km (includes 172 km of expressways)
- unpaved:
- 32,032 km (2009)
Military
New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (Te Hokowhitu o Kahurangi, RNZAF) (2010)
6 fieldsMilitary branches
New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (Te Hokowhitu o Kahurangi, RNZAF) (2010)
Military service age and obligation
- 17 years of age for voluntary military service;
- soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18;
- no conscription (2010)
Manpower available for military service
- males age 16-49:
- 1,019,798
- females age 16-49:
- 1,003,429 (2010 est.)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “New Zealand.” The World Factbook 2011. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/new-zealand/2011.