Background: The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars. New Zealand's full participation in number of defense alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years the government has sought to address longstanding native Maori grievances.
Geography New Zealand
Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of
Australia
Geographic coordinates: 41 00 S, 174 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 268,680 sq km note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland
Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec
Islands water: NA sq km land: NA sq km
Area - comparative: about the size of Colorado
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 15,134 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM