New Zealand (2001) | South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2002) | |
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) |
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Age structure | 0-14 years:
22.36% (male 442,738; female 421,462) 15-64 years: 66.11% (male 1,281,781; female 1,272,674) 65 years and over: 11.53% (male 193,895; female 251,579) (2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products | wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, beef, dairy products; fish | - |
Airports | 111 (2000 est.) | none (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
44 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
67 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 42 (2000 est.) |
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Area | total:
268,680 sq km land: 268,670 sq km water: 10 sq km note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands |
total: 3,903 sq km
land: 3,903 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist of some nine islands |
Area - comparative | about the size of Colorado | slightly larger than Rhode Island |
Background | The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars. New Zealand withdrew from a number of defense alliances during the 1970s and 1980s. In recent years the government has sought to address longstanding native Maori grievances. | The islands lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been under British administration since 1908 except for a brief period in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. The famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from the British Antarctic Survey. The islands have large bird and seal populations and, recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 NM to 200 NM around each island. |
Birth rate | 14.28 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
Budget | revenues:
$19.2 billion expenditures: $19.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) |
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Capital | Wellington | - |
Climate | temperate with sharp regional contrasts | variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow |
Coastline | 15,134 km | NA km |
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 | adopted 3 October 1985 |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: New Zealand abbreviation: NZ |
conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
conventional short form: none |
Currency | New Zealand dollar (NZD) | - |
Death rate | 7.56 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
Debt - external | $30.8 billion (2000 est.) | - |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing Queen ELIZABETH II; Grytviken, formerly a whaling station on South Georgia, is a scientific base |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Carol MOSELEY-BRAUN embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, FPO AP 96531-1001 telephone: [64] (4) 472-2068 FAX: [64] (4) 478-1701 consulate(s) general: Auckland |
none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador James Brendan BOLGER chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800 FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York |
none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina) |
Disputes - international | territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency) | South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands occupied briefly by Argentina in 1982; islands continue to be claimed by Argentina |
Economic aid - donor | ODA, $123 million (1995) | - |
Economy - overview | Since 1984 the government has accomplished major economic restructuring, moving an agrarian economy dependent on concessionary British market access toward a more industrialized, free market economy that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes, broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector, and contained inflationary pressures. Inflation remains among the lowest in the industrial world. Per capita GDP has been moving up toward the levels of the big West European economies. New Zealand's heavy dependence on trade leaves its growth prospects vulnerable to economic performance in Asia, Europe, and the US. With the FY00/01 budget pushing up pension and other public outlays, the government's ability to meet fiscal targets will depend on sustained economic growth. | Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from harvesting fin fish and krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels. Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly. |
Electricity - consumption | 35.295 billion kWh (1999) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - production | 37.952 billion kWh (1999) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
30.49% hydro: 61.42% nuclear: 0% other: 8.09% (1999) |
fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Cook 3,764 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by species introduced from outside | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation |
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Ethnic groups | New Zealand European 74.5%, Maori 9.7%, other European 4.6%, Pacific Islander 3.8%, Asian and others 7.4% | - |
Exchange rates | New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.2502 (January 2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997), 1.4543 (1996) | - |
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 Jim ANDERTON (since 10 December 1999) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation 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 |
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Exports | $14.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | - |
Exports - commodities | dairy products, meat, fish, wool, forestry products, manufactures | - |
Exports - partners | Australia 22%, US 14%, Japan 13%, UK 7% (1999) | - |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | - |
Flag description | blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross constellation | the flag of the UK is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $67.6 billion (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
8% industry: 23% services: 69% (1999) |
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GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $17,700 (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.6% (2000 est.) | - |
Geographic coordinates | 41 00 S, 174 00 E | 54 30 S, 37 00 W |
Geography - note | about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world | the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 21st century, live on South Georgia |
Highways | total:
92,200 km paved: 53,568 km (including at least 144 km of expressways) unpaved: 38,632 km (1996) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
0.3% highest 10%: 29.8% (1991 est.) |
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Imports | $14.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | - |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum, consumer goods, plastics | - |
Imports - partners | Australia 24%, US 17%, Japan 12%, UK 4% (1999) | - |
Independence | 26 September 1907 (from UK) | - |
Industrial production growth rate | 6.2% (2000) | - |
Industries | food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining | - |
Infant mortality rate | 6.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | - |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.4% (2000 est.) | - |
International organization participation | ABEDA, ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986), APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO | - |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 36 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 2,850 sq km (1993 est.) | 0 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | High Court; Court of Appeal | - |
Labor force | 1.88 million (2000) | - |
Labor force - by occupation | services 65%, industry 25%, agriculture 10% (1995) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land:
9% permanent crops: 5% permanent pastures: 50% forests and woodland: 28% other: 8% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (1998 est.) |
Languages | English (official), Maori | - |
Legal system | based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts for Maoris; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court |
Legislative branch | unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament (120 seats; members elected by popular vote in single-member constituencies to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 27 November 1999 (next must be called by November 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NZLP 49, NP 39, Alliance 10, ACT New Zealand 9, Green Party 7, NZFP 5, UNZ 1 note: NZLP and Alliance formed the government coalition; the National Party became the opposition party |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population:
77.99 years male: 75.01 years female: 81.1 years (2001 est.) |
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Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
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Location | Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia | Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America |
Map references | Oceania | Antarctic Region |
Maritime claims | continental shelf:
200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total:
9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 72,389 GRT/109,018 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 1, container 1, petroleum tanker 2, railcar carrier 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2000 est.) |
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Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $883 million (FY97/98) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.1% (FY97/98) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
1,000,102 (2001 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
841,915 (2001 est.) |
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Military manpower - military age | 20 years of age | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
26,480 (2001 est.) |
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National holiday | Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840) | Liberation Day, 14 June (1982) |
Nationality | noun:
New Zealander(s) adjective: New Zealand |
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Natural hazards | earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity | the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism |
Natural resources | natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone | fish |
Net migration rate | 4.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
Pipelines | petroleum products 160 km; natural gas 1,000 km; liquefied petroleum gas or LPG 150 km | - |
Political parties and leaders | ACT, New Zealand [Richard PREBBLE]; Alliance (a coalition of the New Labor Party, Democratic Party, New Zealand Liberal Party, and Mana Motuhake) [Jim ANDERTON]; Green Party [Jeanette FITZSIMONS and Rod DONALD]; National Party or NP [Jenny SHIPLEY]; New Zealand First Party or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New Zealand Labor Party or NZLP [Helen CLARK]; United New Zealand or UNZ [Peter DUNNE] | - |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | - |
Population | 3,864,129 (July 2001 est.) | no indigenous inhabitants
note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March 2001, to be replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | 1.14% (2001 est.) | - |
Ports and harbors | Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Tauranga, Wellington | Grytviken |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998) | 0 (2003) |
Radios | 3.75 million (1997) | - |
Railways | total:
3,913 km narrow gauge: 3,913 km 1.067-m gauge (519 km electrified) (1999) |
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Religions | Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%, Methodist 5%, Baptist 2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none 33% (1986) | - |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
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Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
Telephone system | general assessment:
excellent domestic and international systems domestic: NA international: submarine cables to Australia and Fiji; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1.84 million (1997) | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 588,000 (1998) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 41 (plus 52 medium-power repeaters and over 650 low-power repeaters) (1997) | 0 (2003) |
Terrain | predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains | most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes |
Total fertility rate | 1.8 children born/woman (2001 est.) | - |
Unemployment rate | 6.3% (2000 est.) | - |
Waterways | 1,609 km
note: of little importance in satisfying total transportation requirements |
none |