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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.nz

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

1,050,197 (2006)

Internet users [time series]

3.2 million (2005)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: excellent domestic and international systems domestic: NA international: country code - 64; submarine cables to Australia and Fiji; 8 satellite earth stations - 1 InMarSat (Pacific Ocean), 7 other

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

1,800,500 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

3.53 million (2005)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

41 (plus 52 medium-power repeaters and over 650 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $43.1 billion expenditures: $37.57 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]

New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Current account balance [time series]

$-9.688 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$42.84 billion (2005 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

36.2 (1997)

Economic aid (Economic aid - donor) [time series]

ODA, $99.7 million

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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 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.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

37.03 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - production [time series]

39.82 billion kWh (2003)

Exchange rates [time series]

New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001)

Exports [time series]

$22.21 billion (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish, machinery

Exports - partners [time series]

Australia 21.4%, US 14.1%, Japan 10.6%, China 5.1%, UK 4.7% (2005)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July - 30 June

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$94.6 billion (2005 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]

$102 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 4.3% industry: 27.3% services: 68.4% (2005 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$25,300 (2005 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

2.3% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA (1991 est.)

Imports [time series]

$24.57 billion (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum, electronics, textiles, plastics

Imports - partners [time series]

Australia 20.9%, US 11%, Japan 11%, China 10.9%, Germany 4.9% (2005)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

-2.5% (2005 est.)

Industries [time series]

food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed) [time series]

23.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Labor force [time series]

2.13 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 10% industry: 25% services: 65% (1995)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

4.773 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

4.773 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

37.38 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Oil - consumption [time series]

151,900 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

30,220 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports [time series]

119,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production [time series]

31,740 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

89.62 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Public debt [time series]

21.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$8.893 billion (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

3.7% (2005 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

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 - comparative [time series]

about the size of Colorado

Climate [time series]

temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Coastline [time series]

15,134 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by invasive species

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

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

Geographic coordinates [time series]

41 00 S, 174 00 E

Geography - note [time series]

about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world

Irrigated land [time series]

2,850 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 5.54% permanent crops: 6.92% other: 87.54% (2005)

Location [time series]

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia

Map references [time series]

Oceania

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Natural hazards [time series]

earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity

Natural resources [time series]

natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone

Terrain [time series]

predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

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

Constitution [time series]

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

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: none conventional short form: New Zealand abbreviation: NZ

Dependent areas [time series]

Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador William P. McCORMICK 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

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Roy N. FERGUSON 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

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 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

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

parliamentary democracy

Independence [time series]

26 September 1907 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986), APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue 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

Judicial branch [time series]

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

Legal system [time series]

based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts for the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called 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

National holiday [time series]

Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

ACT New Zealand [Rodney HIDE]; Green Party [Jeanette FITZSIMONS]; 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]

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

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.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 17-49: 984,700 females age 17-49: 965,170 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 17-49: 809,519 females age 17-49: 802,069 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually [time series]

males age 18-49: 29,738 females age 17-49: 28,523 (2005 est.)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (2006)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

1% (FY02)

Military service age and obligation [time series]

17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18 (2001)

People

Age structure [time series]

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.)

Birth rate [time series]

13.76 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate [time series]

7.53 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

European 69.8%, Maori 7.9%, Asian 5.7%, Pacific islander 4.4%, other 0.5%, mixed 7.8%, unspecified 3.8% (2001 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

1,400 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 5.76 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Languages [time series]

English (official), Maori (official)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 78.81 years male: 75.82 years female: 81.93 years (2006 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)

Median age [time series]

total: 33.9 years male: 33.2 years female: 34.7 years (2006 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: New Zealander(s) adjective: New Zealand

Net migration rate [time series]

3.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Population [time series]

4,076,140 (July 2006 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.99% (2006 est.)

Religions [time series]

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)

Sex ratio [time series]

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.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.79 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency) [see Antarctica]

Transportation

Airports [time series]

118 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 45 over 3,047 m: 2 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 - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 73 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 40 (2006)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 136,361 GRT/124,972 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)

Pipelines [time series]

condensate 224 km; gas 1,693 km; liquid petroleum gas 45 km; oil 280 km; refined products 288 km (2006)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Auckland, Lyttelton, Tauranga, Wellington, Whangarei

Railways [time series]

total: 4,128 km narrow gauge: 4,128 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways [time series]

total: 92,662 km paved: 59,109 km (including 169 km of expressways) unpaved: 33,553 km (2003)