Country Reports

Country name

New Zealand

Government type

Parliamentary democracy

Capital

Wellington

Largest city

Auckland

Aministrative divisions

16 regions and 1 territory; Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Chatham Islands (territory), Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato, Wellington, West Coast

Dependent areas

Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau

Independence Day

26 September 1907 (from UK) 

National holidays

6 February (1840) Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand).

25 April (1915) ANZAC Day (anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps at Gallipoli, Turkey, during World War I)

Area

270,534 sq km (104,454 sq miles)

Location

Oceania, island country in the south western Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia, compraising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island, and numerous smaller islands

Land Borders

0

Coastline

15,134 km

Population

4,3 million (UN, 2010)

Nationality

New Zealander(s)

Languages

English, Maori

Composition of population

European 69.8%, Maori (7.9%), Asian (5.7%), Pacific islander 4.4%, others (census 2001)

Major religion

Christianity

Highest peak

Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m

Climate

Temperate climate; sharp regional contrasts

Time zone

UTC/GMT +12 hours

Currency

1 New Zealand dollar ($NZ) = 100 cents

Telephone

+64

Internet domain

.nz

GNI per capita:

US $28,930 (World Bank, 2010)

Natural resources

Coal, natural gas, iron ore, sand, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone

Agriculture products

Dairy products, beef, lamb, mutton, wool, fish, wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables

Industries

Wool, food processing, dairy products, meat, fish, wood and paper products, mining, textiles, machinery, transportation equipment, tourism, banking and insurance