Geography
Area: 270,500 sq. km.; about the size of Colorado.
Cities (as of June 30, 2003): Capital--Wellington (363,400).
Other cities--Auckland (1,199,300), Christchurch (358,000),
Hamilton (179,000).
Terrain: Highly varied, from snowcapped mountains to lowland plains.
Climate: Temperate to subtropical.
People
Nationality: Noun--New Zealander(s). Adjective--New
Zealand.
Population (2003): 4,010,000.
Annual growth rate (as of June 30, 2004): 1.3%.
Ethnic groups: European 75%, Maori 15%, other Polynesian 6.5%.
Religions: Anglican 15.22%, Roman Catholic 12.65%, Presbyterian
10.87%.
Languages: English, Maori.
Education: Years compulsory--ages 6-16. Attendance--100%.
Literacy--99%.
Health (2000-2002): Infant mortality rate--6.1/1,000. Life
expectancy--males 76.3 yrs., females 81.1 yrs.
Work force (March 2004, 1.98 million): Services and government--65%;
manufacturing and construction--25%; agriculture,
forestry, fisheries, and mining--10%.
Government
Type: Parliamentary.
Constitution: No formal, written constitution.
Independence: Declared a dominion in 1907.
Branches: Executive--Queen Elizabeth II (chief of state,
represented by a governor general), prime minister (head of
government), cabinet.
Legislative--unicameral House of Representatives, commonly
called parliament. Judicial--four-level system: District
Courts, High Courts, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court,
which in 2004 replaced the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
in London as New Zealand's highest court of appeal. There also are
specialized courts, such as employment court, family courts, youth
courts, and the Maori Land Court.
Administrative subdivisions: 12 regions with directly elected
councils and 74 districts (15 of which are designated as cities)
with elected councils. There also are a number of community boards
and special-purpose bodies with partially elected, partially
appointed memberships.
Political parties: Labour, National, Progressive Coalition Party,
New Zealand Green Party, New Zealand First, ACT, United Future, and
several smaller parties not represented in Parliament.
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
Economy
GDP (March 2004): US$76.42 billion.
Real annual GDP growth rate (March 2004): 3.6%.
Per capita income (2002): US$12,804.
Natural resources: Timber, natural gas, iron sand, coal.
Agriculture (9.7% of GDP): Products--meat, dairy products,
forestry products.
Industry (46.1% of GDP): Types--food processing, textiles,
machinery, transport equipment.
Trade (2003): Exports--US$19.02 billion: meat, dairy
products, forest/wood/paper products, fish, machinery & equipment,
metals, fruit.. Major markets--Australia, U.S., Japan, China
Imports--US$20.89 billion: vehicles, machinery & equipment,
mineral fuels, petroleum, plastics, medical equipment. Major
suppliers--Australia, U.S., Japan, China.
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