National holiday: Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840) (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty)
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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Michael HARDIE BOYS (since 21 March 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Helen CLARK (since 10 December 1999) and Deputy Prime Minister Jim ANDERTON (since 10 December 1999) 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 for a three-year term; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament (120 seats; members elected by popular vote in single-member constituencies to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 27 November 1999 (next must be called by November 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NZLP 49, NP 39, Alliance 10, ACT New Zealand 9, Green Party 7, NZFP 5, UNZ 1 note: NZLP and Alliance formed the government coalition; the National Party became the opposition party
Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: ACT, New Zealand ;
Alliance (a coalition of the New Labor Party, Democratic Party, New
Zealand Liberal Party, and Mana Motuhake) ; Christian
Coalition (a coalition of the Christian Democrats and Christian
Heritage Party) ; Conservative Party (formerly
Right of Centre Party) ; Democratic Party [John
WRIGHT]; Green Party ; Mana
Motuhake ; Mauri Pacific Party (composed of members who
broke away from the NZFP) ; National Party or NP [Jenny
SHIPLEY]; New Labor Party ; New Zealand First Party or
NZFP ; New Zealand Labor Party or NZLP ;
New Zealand Liberal Party ; United New Zealand or UNZ
International organization participation: ABEDA, ANZUS (US suspended
security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986), APEC, AsDB, Australia
Group, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW,
PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK,
UNMOP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James Brendan BOLGER chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 328-4800 FAX: (202) 667-5227 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Carol MOSELEY-BRAUN embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, FPO AP 96531-1001 telephone: (4) 472-2068 FAX: (4) 471-2380 consulate(s) general: Auckland