New Zealand | Facts & Information

Updated September 9, 2022 | Infoplease Staff

New Zealand Profile
History
News and Current Events

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Map of New Zealand

Facts & Figures

Sovereign: Queen Elizabeth II (1952)

Governor-General: Sir Jerry Mateparae (2011)

Prime Minister: John Key (2008)

Land area: 103,734 sq mi (268,671 sq km); total area: 103,737 sq mi (268,680 sq km)

Population (2014 est.): 4,401,916 (growth rate: 0.83%); birth rate: 13.4/1000; infant mortality rate: 4.59/1000; life expectancy: 80.93

Capital (2011 est.): Wellington, 410,000

Largest cities: Auckland, 1.452 million

Monetary unit: New Zealand dollar

Current government officials

Languages: English (de facto official) 89.8%, Maori (de jure official) 3.5%, Samoan 2%, Hindi 1.6%, French 1.2%, Northern Chinese 1.2%, Yue 1%, Other or not stated 20.5%, New Zealand Sign Language (de jure official)

Ethnicity/race: European 71.2%, Maori 14.1%, Asian 11.3%, Pacific peoples 7.6%, Middle Eastern, Latin American, African 1.1%, other 1.6%, not stated or unidentified 5.4%

Religions: Christian 44.3% (Catholic 11.6%, Anglican 10.8%, Presbyterian and Congregational 7.8%, Methodist, 2.4%, Pentecostal 1.8%, other 9.9%), Hindu 2.1%, Buddhist 1.4%, Maori Christian 1.3%, Islam 1.1%, other religion 1.4% (includes Judaism, Spiritualism and New Age religions, Baha'i, Asian religions other than Buddhism), no religion 38.5%, not stated or unidentified 8.2%, objected to answering 4.1%

National Holiday: Waitangi Day, February 6

Literacy rate: 99% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2013 est.): $114.9 billion; per capita $30,400. Real growth rate: 2.5%. Inflation: 1.3%. Unemployment: 6.43%. Arable land: 1.76%. Agriculture: wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, beef, lamb and mutton, dairy products; fish. Labor force: 2.413 million: services 74%, industry 19%, agriculture 7% (2006). Industries: food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining. Natural resources: natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone. Exports: $37.84 billion (2013 est.): dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish, machinery. Imports: $37.35 billion (2013 est.): machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum, electronics, textiles, plastics. Major trading partners: Australia, U.S., Japan, China, Singapore, Germany (2006).

Member of Commonwealth of Nations

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 1.88 million (2012); mobile cellular: 4.922 million (2012). Broadcast media: state-owned Television New Zealand operates multiple TV networks and state-owned Radio New Zealand operates 3 radio networks and an external shortwave radio service to the South Pacific region; a small number of national commercial TV and radio stations and many regional commercial television and radio stations are available; cable and satellite TV systems are available (2008). Internet hosts: 3.026 million (2012). Internet users: 3.4 million (2009).

Transportation: Railways: total: 4,128 km (2006). Roadways: total: 94,160 km; paved: 62,759 km (includes 199 km of expressways); unpaved: 32,143 km (2012). Waterways: 1,609 km; of little importance to transportation. Ports and harbors: Auckland, Lyttelton, Manukau Harbor, Marsden Point, Tauranga, Wellington. Airports: 123 (2013).

International disputes: territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency).

Major sources and definitions

Cook Islands and Overseas Territories

Geography

New Zealand, about 1,250 mi (2,012 km) southeast of Australia, consists of two main islands and a number of smaller outlying islands so scattered that they range from the tropical to the antarctic. The country is the size of Colorado. New Zealand's two main components are the North Island and the South Island, separated by Cook Strait. The North Island (44,281 sq mi; 115,777 sq km) is 515 mi (829 km) long and volcanic in its south-central part. This area contains many hot springs and beautiful geysers. South Island (58,093 sq mi; 151,215 sq km) has the Southern Alps along its west coast, with Mount Cook (12,316 ft; 3754 m) the highest point. Other inhabited islands include Stewart Island, the Chatham Islands, and Great Barrier Island. The largest of the uninhabited outlying islands are the Auckland Islands (234 sq mi; 606 sq km), Campbell Island (44 sq mi; 114 sq km), the Antipodes Islands (24 sq mi; 62 sq km), and the Kermadec Islands (13 sq mi; 34 sq km).

Government

Parliamentary democracy.

History

Maoris were the first inhabitants of New Zealand, arriving on the islands in about 1000. Maori oral history maintains that the Maoris came to the island in seven canoes from other parts of Polynesia. In 1642, New Zealand was explored by Abel Tasman, a Dutch navigator. British captain James Cook made three voyages to the islands, beginning in 1769. Britain formally annexed the islands in 1840.

The Treaty of Waitangi (Feb. 6, 1840) between the British and several Maori tribes promised to protect Maori land if the Maoris recognized British rule. Encroachment by British settlers was relentless, however, and skirmishes between the two groups intensified.

Instituting Social Welfare

From the outset, the country has been in the forefront of social welfare legislation. New Zealand was the world's first country to give women the right to vote (1893). It adopted old-age pensions (1898); a national child welfare program (1907); social security for the elderly, widows, and orphans, along with family benefit payments; minimum wages; a 40-hour workweek and unemployment and health insurance (1938); and socialized medicine (1941).

New Zealand fought with the Allies in both world wars as well as in Korea. In 1999, it became part of the UN peacekeeping force sent to East Timor.

In recent years, New Zealand has introduced extremely liberal social policies. In June 2003, Parliament legalized prostitution and in Dec. 2004, same-sex unions were recognized. In 2005, Helen Clark was elected for the second time. She lost her reelection bid in 2008, when the center-right National Party, led by John Key, took 45.5% of the vote in parliamentary elections. Clark's Labour Party garnered 33.8%. Key became prime minister in November. Key's win ended nine years of governance by the Labour Party.

New Zealand Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

On April 17, 2013, New Zealand's Parliament voted 77 to 44 in favor of same-sex marriage. Prime Minister John Key supported the legislation. The passing of the law made New Zealand the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to legalize same-sex marriage.

The new marriage equality law, which goes into effect in August 2013, also allows same-sex couples to adopt children. Their marriages are also recognized in other countries. With the passing of the legislation, New Zealand becomes the 13th country in the world where same-sex marriage is legal.

See also New Zealand dependencies.

See also Encyclopedia: New Zealand .

U.S. State Dept. Country Notes: New Zealand

Statistics New Zealand www.stats.govt.nz/ .