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 Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note: about 80% of the population lives in cities
@New Zealand:People
Population: 3,587,275 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (male 424,584; female 403,792) 15-64 years: 65% (male 1,174,945; female 1,167,913) 65 years and over: 12% (male 179,853; female 236,188) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.08% (1997 est.)