Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions [time series]
total: 1,764,984 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37 (2020 est.)
Broadcast media [time series]
state-owned Television New Zealand operates multiple TV networks and 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 TV and radio stations and many regional commercial television and radio stations are available; cable and satellite TV systems are available, as are a range of streaming services (2019)
Internet country code [time series]
.nz
Internet users [time series]
total: 4.896 million (2021 est.) percent of population: 96% (2021 est.)
Telecommunication systems [time series]
general assessment: the growth areas in in New Zealand s telecom market have been in mobile broadband and fiber; New Zealand s mobile market continues to undergo significant developments; the coverage of LTE networks has been supported by the Rural Broadband Initiative rollout, which added a significant number of mobile sites to new or underserved areas; the market is undergoing additional consolidation; offering fixed and mobile services (2023) domestic: fixed-line roughly 13 per 100 and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership 114 per 100 persons (2021) international: country code - 64; landing points for the Southern Cross NEXT, Aqualink, Nelson-Levin, SCCN and Hawaiki submarine cable system providing links to Australia, Fiji, American Samoa, Kiribati, Samo, Tokelau, US and around New Zealand; satellite earth stations - 8 (1 Inmarsat - Pacific Ocean, 7 other) (2019)
Telephones - fixed lines [time series]
total subscriptions: 757,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2022 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
total subscriptions: 5.947 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 115 (2022 est.)
Economy
Agricultural products [time series]
milk, beef, kiwifruit, apples, grapes, lamb/mutton, potatoes, wheat, barley, onions (2022) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Average household expenditures [time series]
on food: 12.5% of household expenditures (2022 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 4.9% of household expenditures (2022 est.)
Budget [time series]
revenues: $83.157 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $88.64 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Credit ratings [time series]
Fitch rating: AA (2011) Moody's rating: Aaa (2002) Standard & Poors rating: AA (2011) note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Current account balance [time series]
-$16.982 billion (2023 est.) -$21.627 billion (2022 est.) -$14.804 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Economic overview [time series]
high-income, globally integrated Pacific island economy; strong agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism sectors; reliant on Chinese market for exports; slow recovery from post-COVID recession and inflation; challenges of fiscal deficits, below-average productivity, and curbing greenhouse gas emissions
Exchange rates [time series]
New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.628 (2023 est.) 1.577 (2022 est.) 1.414 (2021 est.) 1.542 (2020 est.) 1.518 (2019 est.)
Exports [time series]
$59.043 billion (2023 est.) $57.485 billion (2022 est.) $54.923 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - commodities [time series]
milk, beef, wood, sheep and goat meat, butter (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Exports - partners [time series]
China 28%, Australia 11%, US 11%, Japan 6%, South Korea 4% (2022) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$253.466 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
GDP - composition, by end use [time series]
household consumption: 58.2% (2022 est.) government consumption: 21.1% (2022 est.) investment in fixed capital: 25.4% (2022 est.) investment in inventories: 0.4% (2022 est.) exports of goods and services: 24.4% (2022 est.) imports of goods and services: -29.7% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]
agriculture: 5.8% (2021 est.) industry: 19% (2021 est.) services: 67.1% (2021 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Imports [time series]
$68.429 billion (2023 est.) $71.35 billion (2022 est.) $62.984 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - commodities [time series]
refined petroleum, cars, plastic products, garments, trucks (2022) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - partners [time series]
China 21%, Australia 14%, US 8%, South Korea 7%, Singapore 6% (2022) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
-2.56% (2022 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries [time series]
agriculture, forestry, fishing, logs and wood articles, manufacturing, mining, construction, financial services, real estate services, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
5.73% (2023 est.) 7.17% (2022 est.) 3.94% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Labor force [time series]
3.068 million (2023 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Public debt [time series]
54.57% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) [time series]
$254.77 billion (2023 est.) $253.17 billion (2022 est.) $246.334 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP growth rate [time series]
0.63% (2023 est.) 2.77% (2022 est.) 4.55% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP per capita [time series]
$48,800 (2023 est.) $49,500 (2022 est.) $48,200 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Remittances [time series]
0.24% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.23% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.26% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]
$15.487 billion (2023 est.) $14.4 billion (2022 est.) $16.114 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Taxes and other revenues [time series]
29.93% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Unemployment rate [time series]
3.74% (2023 est.) 3.3% (2022 est.) 3.78% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) [time series]
total: 10.7% (2023 est.) male: 10.9% (2023 est.) female: 10.5% (2023 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Energy
Carbon dioxide emissions [time series]
31.998 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 3.687 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 21.018 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from consumed natural gas: 7.293 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
production: 3.036 million metric tons (2022 est.) consumption: 2.441 million metric tons (2022 est.) exports: 1.278 million metric tons (2022 est.) imports: 727,000 metric tons (2022 est.) proven reserves: 7.575 billion metric tons (2022 est.)
Electricity [time series]
installed generating capacity: 10.412 million kW (2022 est.) consumption: 41.466 billion kWh (2022 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 2.712 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Electricity access [time series]
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity generation sources [time series]
fossil fuels: 13.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) solar: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) wind: 6.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) hydroelectricity: 58.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) geothermal: 17.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) biomass and waste: 3.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita [time series]
120.219 million Btu/person (2022 est.)
Natural gas [time series]
production: 3.77 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) consumption: 3.819 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) proven reserves: 31.149 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Petroleum [time series]
total petroleum production: 12,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 154,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 40.993 million barrels (2021 est.)
Environment
Air pollutants [time series]
particulate matter emissions: 8.61 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 34.38 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 34.3 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate [time series]
temperate with sharp regional contrasts
Environment - current issues [time series]
water quality and availability; rapid urbanization; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation; native flora and fauna hard-hit by invasive species
International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation
Land use [time series]
agricultural land: 43.2% (2018 est.) arable land: 1.8% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 41.1% (2018 est.) forest: 31.4% (2018 est.) other: 25.4% (2018 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km) [time series]
fresh water lake(s): Lake Taupo - 610 sq km
Revenue from coal [time series]
0.03% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from forest resources [time series]
0.5% of GDP (2018 est.)
Total renewable water resources [time series]
327 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total water withdrawal [time series]
municipal: 500 million cubic meters (2020 est.) industrial: 1.18 billion cubic meters (2020 est.) agricultural: 3.2 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 87% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling [time series]
municipal solid waste generated annually: 3.405 million tons (2016 est.)
Geography
total : 268,838 sq km land: 264,537 sq km water: 4,301 sq km note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
Area - comparative [time series]
almost twice the size of North Carolina; about the size of Colorado
Climate [time series]
temperate with sharp regional contrasts
Coastline [time series]
15,134 km
Elevation [time series]
highest point: Aoraki/Mount Cook 3,724 m; note - the mountain's height was 3,764 m until 14 December 1991 when it lost about 10 m in an avalanche of rock and ice; erosion of the ice cap since then has brought the height down another 30 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 388 m
Geographic coordinates [time series]
41 00 S, 174 00 E
Geography - note [time series]
note 1: consists of two main islands and a number of smaller islands; South Island, the larger main island, is the 12th largest island in the world and is divided along its length by the Southern Alps; North Island is the 14th largest island in the world and is not as mountainous, but it is marked by volcanism note 2: New Zealand lies along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire note 3: almost 90% of the population lives in cities and over three-quarters on North Island; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world
Irrigated land [time series]
7,000 sq km (2014)
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 0 km
Land use [time series]
agricultural land: 43.2% (2018 est.) arable land: 1.8% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 41.1% (2018 est.) forest: 31.4% (2018 est.) other: 25.4% (2018 est.)
Location [time series]
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
Major lakes (area sq km) [time series]
fresh water lake(s): Lake Taupo - 610 sq km
Map references [time series]
Oceania
Maritime claims [time series]
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 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 volcanism: significant volcanism on North Island; Ruapehu (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 Okataina, Raoul Island, Tongariro, and White Island; see note 2 under "Geography - note"
Natural resources [time series]
natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone
Population distribution [time series]
over three-quarters of New Zealanders, including the indigenous Maori, live on the North Island, primarily in urban areas
Terrain [time series]
predominately mountainous with 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 18 S, 174 47 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 time zone note: New Zealand has two time zones: New Zealand standard time (UTC+12) and Chatham Islands time (45 minutes in advance of New Zealand standard time; UTC+12:45) etymology: named in 1840 after Arthur WELLESLEY, the first Duke of Wellington and victorious general at the Battle of Waterloo
Citizenship [time series]
citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of New Zealand dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years
Constitution [time series]
history: New Zealand has no single constitution document; the Constitution Act 1986, effective 1 January 1987, includes only part of the uncodified constitution; others include a collection of statutes or "acts of Parliament," the Treaty of Waitangi, Orders in Council, letters patent, court decisions, and unwritten conventions amendments: proposed as bill by Parliament or by referendum called either by the government or by citizens; passage of a bill as an act normally requires two separate readings with committee reviews in between to make changes and corrections, a third reading approved by the House of Representatives membership or by the majority of votes in a referendum, and assent of the governor-general; passage of amendments to reserved constitutional provisions affecting the term of Parliament, electoral districts, and voting restrictions requires approval by 75% of the House membership or the majority of votes in a referendum; amended many times, last in 2020
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: none conventional short form: New Zealand abbreviation: NZ etymology: Dutch explorer Abel TASMAN was the first European to reach New Zealand in 1642; he named it Staten Landt, but Dutch cartographers renamed it Nova Zeelandia in 1645 after the Dutch province of Zeeland; British explorer Captain James COOK subsequently anglicized the name to New Zealand when he mapped the islands in 1769
Dependent areas [time series]
Tokelau (1)
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas Stewart UDALL (since 1 December 2021); note - also accredited to Samoa embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington 6011 mailing address: 4370 Auckland Place, Washington DC 20521-4370 telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000 FAX: [64] (4) 499-0490 email address and website: AucklandACS@state.gov https://nz.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Auckland
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Rosemary BANKS (since 17 June 2024) chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800 FAX: [1] (202) 667-5277 email address and website: wshinfo@mfat.govt.nz https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/countries-and-regions/americas/united-states-of-america/ consulate(s) general: Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General Dame Cindy KIRO (since 21 October 2021) head of government: Prime Minister Christopher LUXON (since 27 November 2023) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor-general on the recommendation of the prime minister elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor-general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor-general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor-general note: according to Prime Minister LUXON, the Winston PETERS of the New Zealand First Party would be the deputy prime minister in the first half of the term while Act party leader, David SEYMOUR, would take the role for the second half of the term
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 under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Independence [time series]
26 September 1907 (from the UK)
International law organization participation [time series]
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation [time series]
ADB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CD, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF, SICA (observer), Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch [time series]
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 5 justices, including the chief justice); note - the Supreme Court in 2004 replaced the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) as the final appeals court judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor-general upon the recommendation of the attorney- general; justices appointed until compulsory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; tribunals and authorities; district courts; specialized courts for issues related to employment, environment, family, Maori lands, youth, military; tribunals
Legal system [time series]
common law system, based on English model, with special legislation and land courts for the Maori
Legislative branch [time series]
description: unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament (121 seats for 2023-26 term); 72 members directly elected in 65 single-seat constituencies and 7 Maori constituencies by simple majority vote and 49 directly elected by closed party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 3-year terms) elections: last held on 14 October 2023 (next scheduled for October 2026) election results: percent of vote by party - National Party 38.1%, Labor Party 26.9%, Green Party 11.6%, ACT Party 8.6%, New Zealand First 6.1%; Maori Party 3.1%; seats by party - National Party 48, Labor Party 34, Green Party 15, ACT Party 11, New Zealand First 8, Maori Party 6; composition - 67 men, 56 women; percentage of women 45.5%
National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]
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 King" serves as a royal anthem (see United Kingdom); "God Save the King" normally 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
National heritage [time series]
total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 natural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Te Wahipounamu South West New Zealand (n); Tongariro National Park (m); New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands (n)
National holiday [time series]
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)
National symbol(s) [time series]
Southern Cross constellation (four, five-pointed stars), kiwi (bird), silver fern; national colors: black, white, red (ochre)
Political parties [time series]
ACT New Zealand Green Party New Zealand First Party or NZ First New Zealand Labor Party New Zealand National Party Te Pāti Māori
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
Polynesians settled New Zealand between the late 1200s and the mid-1300s. They called the land Aotearoa, which legend holds is the name of the canoe that Kupe, the first Polynesian in New Zealand, used to sail to the country; the name Aotearoa is now in widespread use as the local Maori name for the country. By the 1500s, competition for land and resources led to intermittent fighting between different Maori tribes as large game became extinct. Dutch explorer Abel TASMAN was the first European to see the islands in 1642 but left after an encounter with local Maori. British sea captain James COOK arrived in 1769, followed by whalers, sealers, and traders. The UK only nominally claimed New Zealand and included it as part of New South Wales in Australia. Concerns about increasing lawlessness led the UK to appoint its first British Resident in New Zealand in 1832, although the position had few legal powers. In 1835, some Maori tribes from the North Island declared independence. Fearing an impending French settlement and takeover, the majority of Maori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi with the British in 1840. Land tenure issues stemming from the treaty are still being actively negotiated in New Zealand. The UK declared New Zealand a separate colony in 1841 and granted limited self-government in 1852. Different traditions of authority and land use led to a series of wars between Europeans and various Maori tribes from the 1840s to the 1870s. Along with disease, these conflicts halved the Maori population. In the 1890s, New Zealand initially expressed interest in joining independence talks with Australia but ultimately opted against it and changed its status to an independent dominion in 1907. New Zealand provided more than 100,000 troops during each World War, many of whom fought as part of the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). New Zealand reaffirmed its independence in 1947 and signed the Australia, New Zealand, and US (ANZUS) Treaty in 1951. Beginning in 1984, New Zealand began to adopt nuclear-free policies, contributing to a dispute with the US over naval ship visits that led the US to suspend its defense obligations to New Zealand in 1986, but bilateral relations and military ties have been revitalized since the 2010s with new security agreements. A key challenge for Auckland that has emerged over the past decade is balancing concerns over China s growing influence in the Pacific region with its role as New Zealand's largest export destination. New Zealand has close ties with Australia based to a large extent on the two nations common origins as British colonies and their shared military history.
Military and Security
Military - note [time series]
the NZDF is a small military with considerable overseas experience; it supports the country s national security objectives by protecting New Zealand s sovereignty, promoting its interests, safeguarding peace and security, and conducting peacekeeping, humanitarian, and other international missions New Zealand is a member of the Five Powers Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a series of mutual assistance agreements reached in 1971 embracing Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK; the FPDA commits the members to consult with one another in the event or threat of an armed attack on any of the members and to mutually decide what measures should be taken, jointly or separately; there is no specific obligation to intervene militarily New Zealand has been part of the Australia, New Zealand, and US Security (ANZUS) Treaty since 1951; however, the US suspended its ANZUS security obligations to New Zealand in 1986 after New Zealand implemented a policy barring nuclear-armed and nuclear-powered warships from its ports; the US and New Zealand signed the Wellington Declaration in 2010, which reaffirmed close ties between the two countries, and in 2012 signed the Washington Declaration, which provided a framework for future security cooperation and defense dialogues; in 2016, a US naval ship conducted the first bilateral warship visit to New Zealand since the 1980s; New Zealand has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2024)
Military and security forces [time series]
New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (2024) note: the New Zealand Police, under the Minister of Police, are responsible for internal security
Military and security service personnel strengths [time series]
approximately 8,800 active-duty (Regular Force) troops (4,300 Army; 2,100 Navy; 2,400 Air Force) (2024) note: the total NZDF complement is about 15,300 including the Regular Force, Reserves, and civilians
Military deployments [time series]
small numbers of NZ military personnel are deployed on a variety of international missions in Africa, Antarctica, the Asia-Pacific region, and the Middle East (2024)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions [time series]
the NZDF's inventory is comprised of domestically produced and Western-supplied weapons and equipment, including from Australia, Canada, the US, and the UK (2024)
Military expenditures [time series]
1.3% of GDP (2023) 1.3% of GDP (2022) 1.3% of GDP (2021) 1.5% of GDP (2020) 1.4% of GDP (2019)
Military service age and obligation [time series]
17 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18; no conscription (2024) note: New Zealand opened up all military occupations to women in 2000; as of 2024, women accounted for about 20% of Regular Force personnel
People and Society
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 19% (male 503,120/female 475,490) 15-64 years: 64.2% (male 1,674,407/female 1,638,276) 65 years and over: 16.9% (2024 est.) (male 407,080/female 462,838)
Alcohol consumption per capita [time series]
total: 9.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 2.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 1.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
12.6 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]
NA
Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]
79.9% (2014/15) note: percent of women aged 16-49
Current health expenditure [time series]
10% of GDP (2020)
Currently married women (ages 15-49) [time series]
57.6% (2023 est.)
Death rate [time series]
6.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Dependency ratios [time series]
total dependency ratio: 53.4 youth dependency ratio: 29 elderly dependency ratio: 24.4 potential support ratio: 4.1 (2021 est.)
Drinking water source [time series]
improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
6% of GDP (2020 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
European 64.1%, Maori 16.5%, Chinese 4.9%, Indian 4.7%, Samoan 3.9%, Tongan 1.8%, Cook Islands Maori 1.7%, English 1.5%, Filipino 1.5%, New Zealander 1%, other 13.7% (2018 est.) note: based on the 2018 census of the usually resident population; percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to identify more than one ethnic group
Gross reproduction rate [time series]
0.9 (2024 est.)
Hospital bed density [time series]
2.6 beds/1,000 population (2019)
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.) male: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages [time series]
English (de facto official) 95.4%, Maori (de jure official) 4%, Samoan 2.2%, Northern Chinese 2%, Hindi 1.5%, French 1.2%, Yue 1.1%, New Zealand Sign Language (de jure official) 0.5%, other or not stated 17.2% (2018 est.) note: shares sum to 124.1% due to multiple responses on the 2018 census
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 82.9 years (2024 est.) male: 81.2 years female: 84.8 years
Literacy [time series]
total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Major urban areas - population [time series]
1.673 million Auckland, 422,000 WELLINGTON (capital) (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio [time series]
7 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Median age [time series]
total: 37.9 years (2024 est.) male: 37.2 years female: 38.6 years
Mother's mean age at first birth [time series]
27.8 years
Nationality [time series]
noun: New Zealander(s) adjective: New Zealand
Net migration rate [time series]
3.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]
30.8% (2016)
Physician density [time series]
3.62 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Population [time series]
total: 5,161,211 male: 2,584,607 female: 2,576,604 (2024 est.)
Population distribution [time series]
over three-quarters of New Zealanders, including the indigenous Maori, live on the North Island, primarily in urban areas
Population growth rate [time series]
0.95% (2024 est.)
Religions [time series]
Christian 37.3% (Catholic 10.1%, Anglican 6.8%, Presbyterian and Congregational 5.2%, Pentecostal 1.8%, Methodist 1.6%, Church of Jesus Christ 1.2%, other 10.7%), Hindu 2.7%, Maori 1.3%, Muslim, 1.3%, Buddhist 1.1%, other religion 1.6% (includes Judaism, Spiritualism and New Age religions, Baha'i, Asian religions other than Buddhism), no religion 48.6%, objected to answering 6.7% (2018 est.) note: based on the 2018 census of the usually resident population; percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to identify more than one religion
Sanitation facility access [time series]
improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2020)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]
total: 20 years male: 20 years female: 21 years (2020)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Tobacco use [time series]
total: 13.7% (2020 est.) male: 15% (2020 est.) female: 12.3% (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
1.85 children born/woman (2024 est.)
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 87% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Space
Space agency/agencies [time series]
New Zealand Space Agency (NZSA; established 2016 under the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment); Center for Space Science and Technology (CSST; established 2017) (2024)
Space launch site(s) [time series]
Mahia Peninsula Launch Complex (Hawke's Bay) (2024)
Space program overview [time series]
the New Zealand space sector model is mostly based on commercial space; NZSA and CSST primarily focus on developing space policy and strategy, bringing commercial space talent to New Zealand, and encouraging the commercial development of space technologies, particularly satellites and satellite/space launch vehicles (SLV); manufactures and launches satellites; builds and launches commercial SLVs; researches and develops a range of other space-related technologies, including propulsion systems; has a national space strategy; participates in international space programs and partners with a range of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Australia, Canada, the EU and its member states, the European Space Agency (ESA) and its member states, South Africa, and the US; has a small, but growing commercial space sector (2024) note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s) [time series]
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide
Transnational Issues
Illicit drugs [time series]
significant consumer of amphetamines
Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]
stateless persons: 5 (2022)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
202 (2024)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]
ZK
Heliports [time series]
62 (2024)
Merchant marine [time series]
total: 117 (2023) by type: container ship 2, general cargo 12, oil tanker 3, other 100
National air transport system [time series]
number of registered air carriers: 15 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 199 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 17,249,049 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,349,300,000 (2018) mt-km
Pipelines [time series]
331 km condensate, 2,500 km gas, 172 km liquid petroleum gas, 288 km oil, 198 km refined products (2018)
total ports: 22 (2024) large: 2 medium: 1 small: 10 very small: 9 ports with oil terminals: 14 key ports: Auckland, Bluff Harbor, Gisborne, Manukau Harbor, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Otago Harbor, Picton, Tauranga, Timaru, Wellington, Whangarei
Railways [time series]
total: 4,128 km (2018) narrow gauge: 4,128 km (2018) 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified)
Roadways [time series]
total: 94,000 km paved: 61,600 km (includes 199 km of expressways) unpaved: 32,400 km (2017)