Population:
3,368,774 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.61% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
15.93 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
8.11 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
9.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
76.11 years
male:
72.46 years
female:
79.95 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.07 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
New Zealander(s)
adjective:
New Zealand
Ethnic divisions:
European 88%, Maori 8.9%, Pacific Islander 2.9%, other 0.2%
Religions:
Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%, Methodist 5%, Baptist
2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none 9% (1986)
Languages:
English (official), Maori
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
99%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%
Labor force:
1,603,500 (June 1991)
by occupation:
services 67.4%, manufacturing 19.8%, primary production 9.3% (1987)
*New Zealand, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
New Zealand
Abbreviation:
NZ
Digraph:
NZ
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
Dependent areas:
Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau
Independence:
26 September 1907 (from UK)
Constitution:
no formal, written constitution; consists of various documents, including
certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments; Constitution Act 1986
was to have come into force 1 January 1987, but has not been enacted
Legal system:
based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts for
Maoris; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday:
Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840) (Treaty of Waitangi established British
sovereignty)
Political parties and leaders:
National Party (NP; government), James BOLGER; New Zealand Labor Party
(NZLP; opposition), Michael MOORE; NewLabor Party (NLP), Jim ANDERTON;
Democratic Party, Dick RYAN; New Zealand Liberal Party, Hanmish MACINTYRE
and Gilbert MYLES; Green Party, no official leader; Mana Motuhake, Martin
RATA; Socialist Unity Party (SUP; pro-Soviet), Kenneth DOUGLAS
note:
the New Labor, Democratic, and Mana Motuhake parties formed a coalition
called the Alliance Party, Jim ANDERTON, president, in September 1991; the
Green Party joined the coalition in May 1992
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
*New Zealand, Government
Elections:
House of Representatives:
last held on 27 October 1990 (next to be held NA November 1993); results -
NP 49%, NZLP 35%, Green Party 7%, NLP 5%; seats - (97 total) NP 67, NZLP 29,
NLP 1
Executive branch:
British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister,
Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives (commonly called Parliament)
Judicial branch:
High Court, Court of Appeal
Leaders:
Chief of State:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General
Dame Catherine TIZARD (since 12 December 1990)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister James BOLGER (since 29 October 1990); Deputy Prime Minister
Donald McKINNON (since 2 November 1990)
Member of:
ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986), APEC,
AsDB, Australia Group, C, CCC, CP, COCOM (cooperating country), EBRD, ESCAP,
FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO,
INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR,
NAM (guest), OECD, PCA, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Denis Bazely Gordon McLEAN
chancery:
37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 328-4800
consulates general:
Los Angeles and New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
(vacant)
embassy:
29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington
mailing address:
P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, FPO AP 96531-1001
telephone:
[64] (4) 722-068
FAX:
[64] (4) 723-537
consulate general:
Auckland
Flag:
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
Overview:
Since 1984 the government has been reorienting an agrarian economy dependent
on a guaranteed British market to an open free market economy that can
compete on the global scene. The government has hoped that dynamic growth
would boost real incomes, broaden and deepen the technological capabilities
of the industrial sector, reduce inflationary pressures, and permit the
expansion of welfare benefits. The results have been mixed: inflation is
down from double-digit levels, but growth was sluggish in 1988-91, and
unemployment, always a highly sensitive issue, has exceeded 10% since May
1991. In 1992, growth picked up to 3%, a sign that the new economic approach
is beginning to pay off.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $49.8 billion (1992)
National product real growth rate:
3% (1992)
National product per capita:
$14,900 (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.2% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
10.1% (September 1992)
Budget:
revenues $14.0 billion; expenditures $15.2 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1992)
Exports:
$3.65 billion (f.o.b., FY92)
commodities:
wool, lamb, mutton, beef, fruit, fish, cheese, manufactures, chemicals,
forestry products
partners:
EC 18.3%, Japan 17.9%, Australia 17.5%, US 13.5%, China 3.6%, South Korea
3.1%
Imports:
$3.99 billion (f.o.b., FY92)
commodities:
petroleum, consumer goods, motor vehicles, industrial equipment
partners:
Australia 19.7%, Japan 16.9%, EC 16.9%, US 15.3%, Taiwan 3.0%
External debt:
$38.5 billion (September 1992)
Industrial production:
growth rate 1.9% (1990); accounts for about 20% of GDP
Electricity:
8,000,000 kW capacity; 31,000 million kWh produced, 9,250 kWh per capita
(1992)
Industries:
food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery,
transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining
Agriculture:
accounts for about 9% of GDP and about 10% of the work force; livestock
predominates - wool, meat, dairy products all export earners; crops - wheat,
barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; surplus producer of farm
products; fish catch reached a record 503,000 metric tons in 1988
Economic aid:
donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $526 million
Currency:
1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
*New Zealand, Economy
Exchange rates:
New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1 - 1.9486 (January 1993), 1.8584 (1992),
1.7265 (1991), 1.6750 (1990), 1.6711 (1989), 1.5244 (1988)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
*New Zealand, Communications