Facts about New Zealand
| New Zealand History | New Zealand Culture | New Zealand Nature | New Zealand Facts |
Background
The
British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported
the UK militarily in both World Wars. New Zealand withdrew from a number of defense
alliances during the 1970s and 1980s. In recent years the government has sought
to address longstanding native Maori grievances.
| 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: 268,670 sq km water: 10 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: | continental shelf: 200 NM or to the
edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: | temperate with sharp regional contrasts |
| Terrain: | predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest
point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Cook 3,764 m |
| Natural resources: | natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone |
| Land use: | arable
land: 9% permanent crops: 5% permanent pastures: 50% forests and woodland: 28% other: 8% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated land: | 2,850 sq km (1993 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation |
| Geography - note: | about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world |
| New Zealand | People |
| Population: | 3,864,129 (July 2001 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14
years: 22.36% (male 442,738; female 421,462) 15-64 years: 66.11% (male 1,281,781; female 1,272,674) 65 years and over: 11.53% (male 193,895; female 251,579) (2001 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.14% (2001 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 14.28 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death rate: | 7.56 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 4.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | 6.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total
population: 77.99 years male: 75.01 years female: 81.1 years (2001 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.8 children born/woman (2001 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% |
| New Zealand | Government |
| Country name: | conventional
long form: none conventional short form: New Zealand abbreviation: NZ |
| Government type: | parliamentary democracy |
| Capital: | Wellington |
| Administrative divisions: | 93 counties, 9 districts*, and 3 town districts**;
Akaroa, Amuri, Ashburton, Bay of Islands, Bruce, Buller, Chatham Islands, Cheviot,
Clifton, Clutha, Cook, Dannevirke, Egmont, Eketahuna, Ellesmere, Eltham, Eyre,
Featherston, Franklin, Golden Bay, Great Barrier Island, Grey, Hauraki Plains,
Hawera*, Hawke's Bay, Heathcote, Hikurangi**, Hobson, Hokianga, Horowhenua, Hurunui,
Hutt, Inangahua, Inglewood, Kaikoura, Kairanga, Kiwitea, Lake, Mackenzie, Malvern,
Manaia**, Manawatu, Mangonui, Maniototo, Marlborough, Masterton, Matamata, Mount
Herbert, Ohinemuri, Opotiki, Oroua, Otamatea, Otorohanga*, Oxford, Pahiatua, Paparua,
Patea, Piako, Pohangina, Raglan, Rangiora*, Rangitikei, Rodney, Rotorua*, Runanga,
Saint Kilda, Silverpeaks, Southland, Stewart Island, Stratford, Strathallan, Taranaki,
Taumarunui, Taupo, Tauranga, Thames-Coromandel*, Tuapeka, Vincent, Waiapu, Waiheke,
Waihemo, Waikato, Waikohu, Waimairi, Waimarino, Waimate, Waimate West, Waimea,
Waipa, Waipawa*, Waipukurau*, Wairarapa South, Wairewa, Wairoa, Waitaki, Waitomo*,
Waitotara, Wallace, Wanganui, Waverley**, Westland, Whakatane*, Whangarei, Whangaroa,
Woodville note: there may be a new administrative structure of 16 regions (Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato, Wanganui-Manawatu, Wellington, West Coast) that are subdivided into 57 districts and 16 cities* (Ashburton, Auckland*, Banks Peninsula, Buller, Carterton, Central Hawke's Bay, Central Otago, Christchurch*, Clutha, Dunedin*, Far North, Franklin, Gisborne, Gore, Grey, Hamilton*, Hastings, Hauraki, Horowhenua, Hurunui, Hutt*, Invercargill*, Kaikoura, Kaipara, Kapiti Coast, Kawerau, Mackenzie, Manawatu, Manukau*, Marlborough, Masterton, Matamata Piako, Napier*, Nelson*, New Plymouth, North Shore*, Opotiki, Otorohanga, Palmerston North*, Papakura*, Porirua*, Queenstown Lakes, Rangitikei, Rodney, Rotorua, Ruapehu, Selwyn, Southland, South Taranaki, South Waikato, South Wairarapa, Stratford, Tararua, Tasman, Taupo, Tauranga, Thames Coromandel, Timaru, Upper Hutt*, Waikato, Waimakariri, Waimate, Waipa, Wairoa, Waitakere*, Waitaki, Waitomo, Wanganui, Wellington*, Western Bay of Plenty, Westland, Whakatane, Whangarei) |
| 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 Maoris; 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 James (Jim) ANDERTON (since 10 December 1999) 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 for a three-year term; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral
House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament (120 seats; members elected
by popular vote in single-member constituencies to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 27 November 1999 (next must be called by November 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NZLP 49, NP 39, Alliance 10, ACT New Zealand 9, Green Party 7, NZFP 5, UNZ 1 note: NZLP and Alliance formed the government coalition; the National Party became the opposition party |
| Judicial branch: | High Court; Court of Appeal |
| 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 |
| New Zealand | Economy |
| Economy - overview: | Since 1984 the government has accomplished major economic restructuring, moving an agrarian economy dependent on concessionary British market access toward a more industrialized, free market economy that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes, broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector, and contained inflationary pressures. Inflation remains among the lowest in the industrial world. Per capita GDP has been moving up toward the levels of the big West European economies. New Zealand's heavy dependence on trade leaves its growth prospects vulnerable to economic performance in Asia, Europe, and the US. With the FY00/01 budget pushing up pension and other public outlays, the government's ability to meet fiscal targets will depend on sustained economic growth. |
