Unemployment rate: 5.9% (December 1996)

Budget: revenues : $22.18 billion expenditures: $20.28 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - capacity: 7.75 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production: 34.4 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 9,198 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, meat, dairy products; fish catch reached a record 503,000 metric tons in 1988

Exports: total value: $13.7 billion (1995) commodities: wool, lamb, mutton, beef, fish, cheese, chemicals, forestry products, fruits and vegetables, manufactures, dairy products, wood partners: Australia 19%, Japan 15%, UK 15%, US 12%

Imports: total value : $14 billion (1995) commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum, consumer goods, plastics partners: Australia 21%, US 18%, Japan 16%, UK 6%