Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
37 (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total
1.93 million (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadcast media
state-owned Television New Zealand operates multiple TV networks; 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 TV and radio stations are available; cable and satellite TV systems are available (2019)
Communications: Internet country code
.nz
Communications: Internet users: percent of population
93.52% (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
13 (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions
660,000 (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
115 (2022 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions
6.56 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Agricultural products
milk, beef, kiwifruit, apples, grapes, lamb/mutton, potatoes, wheat, barley, chicken (2023)
Economy: Average household expenditures: on alcohol and tobacco
4.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Economy: Average household expenditures: on food
12.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Economy: Budget: expenditures
$91.782 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Budget: revenues
$83.167 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2013
-$5.837 billion (2013 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2014
-$6.224 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2015
-$4.663 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2016
-$4.072 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2017
-$6.034 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2018
-$8.817 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2019
-$6.010 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2020
-$2.309 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2021
-$14.333 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2022
-$21.627 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2023
-$17.065 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2024
-$15.978 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates
1.6523 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Currency
New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar -
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2013
1.2194 (2013 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2014
1.2054 (2014 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2015
1.4340 (2015 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2016
1.4365 (2016 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2017
1.4074 (2017 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2018
1.4453 (2018 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2019
1.5179 (2019 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2020
1.5421 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2021
1.4138 (2021 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2022
1.5772 (2022 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2023
1.6284 (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2024
1.6523 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exports - commodities
milk, wood, beef, butter, sheep and goat meat (2023)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2011
$51.152 billion (2011 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2014
$56.333 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2015
$49.785 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2016
$50.322 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2017
$56.986 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2018
$59.071 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2019
$58.214 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2020
$46.221 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2021
$56.662 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2022
$57.485 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2023
$59.029 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2024
$61.799 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: exports of goods and services
24% (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: government consumption
20.9% (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption
57.5% (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: imports of goods and services
-29.4% (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in fixed capital
25.4% (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in inventories
0.9% (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture
4.6% (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry
19.6% (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: services
67.4% (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - per capita (PPP)
$55,551 (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (official exchange rate)
$260.236 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (purchasing power parity) - real
$293.727 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, cars, gas turbines, broadcasting equipment, trucks (2023)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2010
$40.993 billion (2010 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2015
$47.974 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2016
$48.778 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2017
$54.953 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2018
$59.146 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2019
$57.777 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2020
$47.463 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2021
$66.622 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2022
$71.35 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2023
$68.412 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2024
$67.998 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Industrial production growth rate
-1% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015
0.29% (2015 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016
0.65% (2016 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
1.85% (2017 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018
1.60% (2018 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
1.62% (2019 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
1.71% (2020 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
3.94% (2021 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
7.17% (2022 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
5.73% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
2.92% (2024 est.)
Economy: Labor force
3.124 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2013
46.42% (2013 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2014
43.87% (2014 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2016
41.36% (2016 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2017
38.63% (2017 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2018
36.61% (2018 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2019
32.77% (2019 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2020
45.74% (2020 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2021
51.31% (2021 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2022
53.96% (2022 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2023
50.11% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014
$168.607 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015
$172.914 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016
$188.512 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017
$203.343 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019
$225.048 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020
$230.862 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$245.325 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$253.903 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$257.443 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$257.117 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2015
3.69% (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2016
3.78% (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2017
3.38% (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2018
3.47% (2018 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2019
2.32% (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2020
-0.31% (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2021
4.54% (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2022
3.50% (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2023
1.39% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024
-0.1% (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2014
$37,331 (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2015
$37,513 (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2016
$39,989 (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2017
$42,244 (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2019
$45,278 (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2020
$45,513 (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2021
$48,249 (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2022
$54,034 (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023
$54,697 (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2013
$459.2 million (2013 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2014
$535.1 million (2014 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2015
$531.7 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2020
$428.5 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2021
0.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2022
0.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2023
0.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015
$14.700 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016
$17.808 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017
$20.684 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2018
$17.657 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2019
$17.814 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020
$13.733 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
$16.114 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$14.4 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$15.487 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$22.065 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Taxes and other revenues
29.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2019
4.11% (2019 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2020
4.59% (2020 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2021
3.78% (2021 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022
3.30% (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2023
3.73% (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024
4.72% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): female
14% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): male
14.6% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total
14.3% (2024 est.)
Energy: Coal: consumption
2.696 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: exports
906,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: imports
283,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: production
3.011 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: proven reserves
6.75 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: biomass and waste
1.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels
12.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: geothermal
17.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: hydroelectricity
59.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: solar
0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: wind
8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: consumption
40.794 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: installed generating capacity
10.643 million kW (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: transmission/distribution losses
3.058 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023
121.647 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: consumption
3.891 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: production
3.97 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: proven reserves
31.149 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: crude oil estimated reserves
40.993 million barrels (2021 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption
154,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: total petroleum production
12,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from coal and metallurgical coke
4.24 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from consumed natural gas
7.43 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from petroleum and other liquids
21.836 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions
33.506 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Climate
temperate with sharp regional contrasts
Environment: Environmental issues
water quality and availability; rapid urbanization; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation; native flora and fauna hard-hit by invasive species
Environment: International environmental agreements: party to
Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
Environment: International environmental agreements: signed, but not ratified
Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
36.9% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 2% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 34.6% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: forest
38.6% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
24.5% (2023 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: agriculture
1,105.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: energy
95.4 kt (2022-2024 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: other
6.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: waste
158.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Particulate matter emissions
8.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Environment: Total renewable water resources
327 billion cubic meters (2022)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: agricultural
3.207 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: industrial
1.184 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: municipal
547 million cubic meters (2022)
Environment: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
0.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: urban population
83.94% (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually
3.405 million tons (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: percent of municipal solid waste recycled
22% (2022 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
almost twice the size of North Carolina; about the size of Colorado
Geography: Area: land
264,537 sq km
Geography: Area: water
4,301 sq km
Geography: Coastline
15,134 km
Geography: Elevation: highest point
Aoraki/Mount Cook 3,724 m; note - the mountain's height was 3,764 m until 14 December 1991 when it lost about 10 m in an avalanche of rock and ice; erosion of the ice cap since then has brought the height down another 30 m
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
Pacific Ocean 0 m
Geography: Elevation: mean elevation
388 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
41 00 S, 174 00 E
Geography: Geography - note
note 1: consists of two main islands and a number of smaller islands; South Island, the larger main island, is the 12th-largest island in the world and is divided along its length by the Southern Alps; North Island is the 14th-largest island in the world and is not as mountainous, but it is marked by volcanism note 2: New Zealand lies along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes note 3: almost 90% of the population lives in cities and over three-quarters on North Island; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world
Geography: Irrigated land
7,000 sq km (2014)
Geography: Land boundaries: total
0 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
36.9% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 2% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 34.6% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: forest
38.6% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
24.5% (2023 est.)
Geography: Major lakes (area sq km): fresh water lake(s)
Lake Taupo - 610 sq km
Geography: Map references
Oceania
Geography: Maritime claims: contiguous zone
24 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: continental shelf
200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Geography: Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: territorial sea
12 nm
Geography: Natural hazards
earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity volcanism: significant volcanism on North Island; Ruapehu (2,797 m) has a history of large eruptions in the past century; Taranaki has the potential to produce dangerous avalanches and lahars; other historically active volcanoes include Okataina, Raoul Island, Tongariro, and White Island; see note 2 under "Geography - note"
Geography: Population distribution
over three quarters of New Zealanders, including the Maori, live on the North Island, primarily in urban areas
Geography: Terrain
predominately mountainous with large coastal plains
Government: Administrative divisions
16 regions and 1 territory*; Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Chatham Islands*, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato, Wellington, West Coast
Government: Capital: daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April
Government: Capital: etymology
named in 1840 after Arthur WELLESLEY, the first Duke of Wellington, who was famous for his victory at Waterloo in 1815 and was a benefactor of the New Zealand Company that settled North Island
Government: Capital: geographic coordinates
41 18 S, 174 47 E
Government: Capital: time difference
UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Government: Capital: time zone note
New Zealand has two time zones: New Zealand standard time (UTC+12) and Chatham Islands time (45 minutes in advance of New Zealand standard time; UTC+12:45)
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by birth
no
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of New Zealand
Government: Citizenship: dual citizenship recognized
yes
Government: Citizenship: residency requirement for naturalization
3 years
Government: Constitution: amendment process
proposed as bill by Parliament or by referendum called either by the government or by citizens; passage of a bill as an act normally requires two separate readings with committee reviews in between to make changes and corrections, a third reading approved by the House of Representatives membership or by the majority of votes in a referendum, and assent of the governor-general; passage of amendments to reserved constitutional provisions affecting the term of Parliament, electoral districts, and voting restrictions requires approval by 75% of the House membership or the majority of votes in a referendum
Government: Constitution: history
New Zealand has no single constitution document; the Constitution Act 1986, effective 1 January 1987, includes only part of the uncodified constitution; others include a collection of statutes or "acts of Parliament," the Treaty of Waitangi, Orders in Council, letters patent, court decisions, and unwritten conventions
Government: Country name: abbreviation
NZ
Government: Country name: conventional short form
New Zealand
Government: Country name: etymology
the name is an anglicized form of the Dutch name Nieuw Zeeland, or "New Sea Land," which was first used in 1643 in honor of the Dutch province of Zeeland
Government: Country name: former
Nieuw Zeeland
Government: Dependent areas
Tokelau (1)
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires David GEHRENBECK (since January 2025); note - also accredited to Samoa
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: consulate(s) general
Auckland
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: email address and website
AucklandACS@state.gov https://nz.usembassy.gov/
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy
29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington 6011
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: FAX
[64] (4) 499-0490
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: mailing address
4370 Auckland Place, Washington DC 20521-4370
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: telephone
[64] (4) 462-6000
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery
37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Ambassador Rosemary BANKS (since 17 June 2024)
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: consulate(s) general
Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: email address and website
wshinfo@mfat.govt.nz https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/countries-and-regions/americas/united-states-of-america/
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: FAX
[1] (202) 667-5277
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: telephone
[1] (202) 328-4800
Government: Executive branch: cabinet
Executive Council appointed by the governor-general on the recommendation of the prime minister
Government: Executive branch: chief of state
King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General Dame Cindy KIRO (since 21 October 2021)
Government: Executive branch: election/appointment process
the monarchy is hereditary; governor-general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the governor-general appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; deputy prime minister also appointed by the governor-general
Government: Executive branch: head of government
Prime Minister Christopher LUXON (since 27 November 2023)
Government: Flag
description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant, with four five-pointed red stars edged in white centered in the right half of the flag meaning: the stars represent the Southern Cross constellation
Government: International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Government: International organization participation
ADB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CD, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF, SICA (observer), Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Government: Judicial branch: highest court(s)
Supreme Court (consists of 5 justices, including the chief justice)
Government: Judicial branch: judge selection and term of office
justices appointed by the governor-general upon the recommendation of the attorney- general; justices appointed until compulsory retirement at age 70
Government: Judicial branch: subordinate courts
Court of Appeal; High Court; tribunals and authorities; district courts; specialized courts for issues related to employment, environment, family, Maori lands, youth, military; tribunals
Government: Legal system
common law system, based on English model, with special legislation and land courts for the Maori
Government: Legislative branch: electoral system
mixed system
Government: Legislative branch: expected date of next election
September 2026
Government: Legislative branch: legislative structure
unicameral
Government: Legislative branch: legislature name
House of Representatives
Government: Legislative branch: most recent election date
10/14/2023
Government: Legislative branch: number of seats
120 (all directly elected)
Government: Legislative branch: parties elected and seats per party
National Party (49); Labour Party (34); Green Party (14); ACT New Zealand (11); New Zealand First (8); Te Pāti Māori (4); Others (2)
Government: Legislative branch: percentage of women in chamber
45.1%
Government: Legislative branch: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch: term in office
3 years
Government: National anthem(s): history
royal anthem and one of two official national anthems; usually played only when a member of the royal family or a representative is present or when allegiance to the crown is demonstrated
Government: National anthem(s): lyrics/music
unknown
Government: National coat of arms
the first quarter of the shield shows four stars that represent the Southern Cross constellation and three ships that symbolize New Zealand's sea trade; in the second quarter, a fleece represents the sheep farming industry; the wheat sheaf in the third quarter represents the agricultural industry; the crossed hammers in the fourth quarter represent mining; the Māori chieftain holds a taiaha (a Māori war weapon) and a European woman holds the New Zealand flag; St. Edward's crown, shown above the shield, symbolizes the British monarch
Government: National color(s)
black, white, red (ochre)
Government: National heritage: selected World Heritage Site locales
Te Wahipounamu – South West New Zealand (n); Tongariro National Park (m); New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands (n)
Government: National heritage: total World Heritage Sites
3 (2 natural, 1 mixed)
Government: National holiday
Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840); Anzac Day, 25 April (1915)
Government: National symbol(s)
Southern Cross constellation (four five-pointed stars), kiwi (bird), silver fern
Government: Political parties
ACT New Zealand Green Party New Zealand First Party or NZ First Labor Party National Party Te Pāti Māori
Government: Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Introduction: Background
Polynesians settled New Zealand between the late 1200s and the mid-1300s. They called the land Aotearoa, which legend holds is the name of the canoe that Kupe, the first Polynesian in New Zealand, used to sail to the country; the name Aotearoa is now in widespread use as the local Maori name for the country. By the 1500s, competition for land and resources led to intermittent fighting between different Maori tribes as large game became extinct. Dutch explorer Abel TASMAN was the first European to see the islands in 1642 but left after an encounter with local Maori. British sea captain James COOK arrived in 1769, followed by whalers, sealers, and traders. The UK only nominally claimed New Zealand and included it as part of New South Wales in Australia. Concerns about increasing lawlessness led the UK to appoint its first British Resident in New Zealand in 1832, although the position had few legal powers. In 1835, some Maori tribes from the North Island declared independence. Fearing an impending French settlement and takeover, the majority of Maori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi with the British in 1840. Land tenure issues stemming from the treaty are still being actively negotiated in New Zealand. The UK declared New Zealand a separate colony in 1841 and granted limited self-government in 1852. Different traditions of authority and land use led to a series of wars between Europeans and various Maori tribes from the 1840s to the 1870s. Along with disease, these conflicts halved the Maori population. In the 1890s, New Zealand initially expressed interest in joining independence talks with Australia but ultimately opted against it and changed its status to an independent dominion in 1907. New Zealand provided more than 100,000 troops during each World War, many of whom fought as part of the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). New Zealand reaffirmed its independence in 1947 and signed the Australia, New Zealand, and US (ANZUS) Treaty in 1951. Beginning in 1984, New Zealand began to adopt nuclear-free policies, contributing to a dispute with the US over naval ship visits that led the US to suspend its defense obligations to New Zealand in 1986, but bilateral relations and military ties have been revitalized since the 2010s with new security agreements. A key challenge for Auckland that has emerged over the past decade is balancing concerns over China’s growing influence in the Pacific region with its role as New Zealand's largest export destination. New Zealand has close ties with Australia based to a large extent on the two nations’ common origins as British colonies and their shared military history.
Military and Security: Military - note
the NZDF is responsible for protecting New Zealand’s sovereignty, promoting its interests, safeguarding peace and security, and conducting peacekeeping, humanitarian, and other international missions New Zealand is a member of the Five Powers Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a series of mutual assistance agreements reached in 1971 embracing Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK; the FPDA commits the members to consult with one another in the event or threat of an armed attack on any of the members and to mutually decide what measures should be taken, jointly or separately; there is no specific obligation to intervene militarily New Zealand has been part of the Australia, New Zealand, and US Security (ANZUS) Treaty since 1951; however, the US suspended its ANZUS security obligations to New Zealand in 1986 after Auckland implemented a policy barring nuclear-armed and nuclear-powered warships from its ports; the US and New Zealand signed the Wellington Declaration in 2010, which reaffirmed close ties between the two countries, and in 2012 signed the Washington Declaration, which provided a framework for future security cooperation and defense dialogues; in 2016, a US naval ship conducted the first bilateral warship visit to New Zealand since the 1980s; New Zealand has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security forces
New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 8,800 active (Regular Force) New Zealand Defense Forces (4,300 Army; 2,100 Navy; 2,400 Air Force) (2025)
Military and Security: Military deployments
small numbers of NZ military personnel are deployed on a variety of international missions in Africa, Antarctica, the Asia-Pacific region, and the Middle East (2025)
Military and Security: Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the NZDF's inventory is comprised of domestically produced and Western-supplied weapons and equipment, including from Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US (2025)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2015
0.99% (2015 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2016
1.04% (2016 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2017
1.05% (2017 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2018
1.11% (2018 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2019
1.29% (2019 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2020
1.34% (2020 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2021
1.16% (2021 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2022
1.17% (2022 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2023
1.22% (2023 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024
1.19% (2024 est.)
Military and Security: Military service age and obligation
17 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18; no conscription (2025)
People and Society: Age structure: 0-14 years
19% (male 503,120/female 475,490)
People and Society: Age structure: 15-64 years
64.2% (male 1,674,407/female 1,638,276)
People and Society: Age structure: 65 years and over
16.9% (2024 est.) (male 407,080/female 462,838)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: beer
3.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: other alcohols
1.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: spirits
1.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: total
9.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: wine
2.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Birth rate
12.4 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Current health expenditure
10.06% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Currently married women (ages 15-49)
57.7% (2018 est.)
People and Society: Death rate
6.93 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: elderly dependency ratio
26.3 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: potential support ratio
3.8 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio
55.8 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: youth dependency ratio
29.5 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: rural
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: total
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: rural
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: total
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP)
5.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% national budget)
12.7% national budget (2023 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditures
5.21% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Ethnic groups
European 64.1%, Maori 16.5%, Chinese 4.9%, Indian 4.7%, Samoan 3.9%, Tongan 1.8%, Cook Islands Maori 1.7%, English 1.5%, Filipino 1.5%, New Zealander 1%, other 13.7% (2018 est.)
People and Society: Gross reproduction rate
0.9 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
10% of GDP (2021)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
19.8% of national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.10% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Hospital bed density
2.5 beds/1,000 population (2023 est.)
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: female
3.1 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: male
3.5 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: total
4.0 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: female
83.7 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: male
80.4 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Major urban areas - population
1.673 million Auckland, 422,000 WELLINGTON (capital) (2023)
People and Society: Maternal mortality ratio
7 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
People and Society: Median age: female
38.6 years
People and Society: Median age: male
37.2 years
People and Society: Mother's mean age at first birth
27.8 years
People and Society: Nationality: adjective
New Zealand
People and Society: Net migration rate
2.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Obesity - adult prevalence rate
30.8% (2016)
People and Society: Physician density
3.61 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
People and Society: Population
5,287,500 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population distribution
over three quarters of New Zealanders, including the Maori, live on the North Island, primarily in urban areas
People and Society: Population growth rate
0.83% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Population: female
2,576,604
People and Society: Population: male
2,584,607
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: rural
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: total
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: rural
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: total
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): female
20 years (2023 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): male
19 years (2023 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total
19 years (2023 est.)
People and Society: Sex ratio: 0-14 years
1.06 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 15-64 years
1.02 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 65 years and over
0.88 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: total population
1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: female
8.9% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: male
11.2% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: total
10% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Total fertility rate
1.57 children born/woman (2024 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
0.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: urban population
83.94% (2024 est.)
Space: Key space-program milestones
2009 - launched a 2-stage suborbital sounding rocket (Atea-1) 2018 - placed satellite in orbit on rocket built by a New Zealand-US commercial company and launched from a privately owned domestic launch site 2019 - began operations of the Kiwi Space Radar, which is designed to track debris in low Earth orbit 2021 - signed the US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration 2024 - first domestically made science payload sent to International Space Station on US rocket
Space: Space agency/agencies
New Zealand Space Agency (NZSA; established 2016 under the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment) (2025)
Space: Space launch site(s)
Mahia Peninsula Launch Complex (Hawke's Bay) (2025)
Space: Space program overview
has a national space program focused largely on the development of a commercial space sector, particularly in the field of satellites and satellite launch vehicles (SLV); manufactures and launches commercial satellites and SLVs; researches and develops a range of other space-related technologies, including propulsion systems; participates in international programs and partners with a range of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Australia, Canada, the EU, the ESA, individual European countries, South Africa, and the US; has a growing commercial space sector (2025)
Terrorism: Terrorist group(s)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs
26 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees
5,622 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: stateless persons
29 (2024 est.)
Transportation: Airports
206 (2025)
Transportation: Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
ZK
Transportation: Heliports
62 (2025)
Transportation: Merchant marine: by type
container ship 2, general cargo 12, oil tanker 3, other 100
Transportation: Merchant marine: total
117 (2023)
Transportation: Ports: key ports
Auckland, Bluff Harbor, Gisborne, Manukau Harbor, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Otago Harbor, Picton, Tauranga, Timaru, Wellington, Whangarei
Transportation: Ports: large
2
Transportation: Ports: medium
1
Transportation: Ports: ports with oil terminals
14
Transportation: Ports: small
10
Transportation: Ports: total ports
22 (2024)
Transportation: Ports: very small
9
Transportation: Railways: narrow gauge
4,128 km (2018) 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified)
Transportation: Railways: total
4,128 km (2018)
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.