New Zealand Travel Guide - Facts on New Zealand

		New Zealand
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	New Zealand Travel Guide: Facts on New Zealand
History Geography People Economy Communications Transportation

Map of New Zealand and its major cities

History		Top of Page
	The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907. In recent years, the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances.
Geography		Top of Page
Location	Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
Geographic Coordinates	41 00 S, 174 00 E
Area	Total: 268,680 sq km Note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
Area - Comparative	About the size of Colorado
Land Boundaries	0 km
Coastline	15,134 km
Climate	Temperate with sharp regional contrasts
Terrain	Predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
Elevation Extremes	Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m Highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m
Natural Resources	Natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone
Geography Note	About 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world
Natural hazards	Earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity
People		Top of Page
Population	4,076,140 (July 2006 est.)
Age Structure	0-14 years: 21.1% (male 439,752/female 419,174) 15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,374,850/female 1,361,570) 65 years and over: 11.8% (male 210,365/female 270,429) (2006 est.)
Nationality	Noun: New Zealander(s) Adjective: New Zealand
Ethnic Groups	New Zealand European 74.5%, Maori 9.7%, other European 4.6%, Pacific Islander 3.8%, Asian and others 7.4%
Religions	Anglican 14.9%, Roman Catholic 12.4%, Presbyterian 10.9%, Methodist 2.9%, Pentecostal 1.7%, Baptist 1.3%, other Christian 9.4%, other 3.3%, unspecified 17.2%, none 26% (2001 census)
Language	English (official), Maori (official)
Literacy	Definition: age 15 and over can read and write Total population: 99% (1980 est.)

Government		Top of Page
Country Name	Conventional long form: None Conventional short form: New Zealand
Government Type	Parliamentary democracy
Capital	Wellington
Administrative Divisions	16 regions; Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato, Manawatu-Wanganui, Wellington, West Coast Dependent areas: Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau
Independence	26 September 1907 (from UK)
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
Economy		Top of Page
Overview	Over the past 20 years the government has transformed New Zealand from an agrarian economy dependent on concessionary British market access to a more industrialized, free market economy that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes (but left behind many at the bottom of the ladder), broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector, and contained inflationary pressures. Per capita income has risen for six consecutive years and was more than $24,000 in 2005 in purchasing power parity terms. New Zealand is heavily dependent on trade - particularly in agricultural products - to drive growth. Exports are equal to about 22% of GDP. Thus far the economy has been resilient, and the Labor Government promises that expenditures on health, education, and pensions will increase proportionately to output.
Currency	New Zealand Dollar
Currency Code	NZD
Communications		Top of Page
Telephone System	Excellent domestic and international systems
Internet Country Code	.nz
Transportation		Top of Page
Railways	total: 4,128 km narrow gauge: 4,128 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2005)
Roadways	total: 92,662 km paved: 59,109 km (including 169 km of expressways) unpaved: 33,553 km (2003)
Waterways	Note: of little importance in satisfying total transportation requirements
Ports and Harbors	Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Tauranga, Wellington
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Facts on New Zealand