Government 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 note: there may be a
new administrative structure of 16 regions (Auckland, Bay of Plenty,
Canterbury, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago,
Southland, Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato, Wanganui-Manawatu, Wellington,
West Coast) that are subdivided into 57 districts and 16 cities*
(Ashburton, Auckland*, Banks Peninsula, Buller, Carterton, Central
Hawke's Bay, Central Otago, Christchurch*, Clutha, Dunedin*, Far North,
Franklin, Gisborne, Gore, Grey, Hamilton*, Hastings, Hauraki, Horowhenua,
Hurunui, Hutt*, Invercargill*, Kaikoura, Kaipara, Kapiti Coast, Kawerau,
Mackenzie, Manawatu, Manukau*, Marlborough, Masterton, Matamata Piako,
Napier*, Nelson*, New Plymouth, North Shore*, Opotiki, Otorohanga,
Palmerston North*, Papakura*, Porirua*, Queenstown Lakes, Rangitikei,
Rodney, Rotorua, Ruapehu, Selwyn, Southland, South Taranaki, South
Waikato, South Wairarapa, Stratford, Tararua, Tasman, Taupo, Tauranga,
Thames Coromandel, Timaru, Upper Hutt*, Waikato, Waimakariri, Waimate,
Waipa, Wairoa, Waitakere*, Waitaki, Waitomo, Wanganui, Wellington*,
Western Bay of Plenty, Westland, Whakatane, Whangarei)
Dependent areas: Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau
Independence: 26 September 1907 (from UK)
National holiday: Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)
Constitution: consists of a series of legal documents, including certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments and The Constitution Act 1986 which is the principal formal charter
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 Dame Silvia CARTWRIGHT (since 4 April 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Helen CLARK (since 10 December 1999) and Deputy Prime Minister James (Jim) ANDERTON (since 10 December 1999) cabinet: 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