Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by invasive species

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:

about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world

People
New Zealand

Population:

4,173,460 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure: