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| New Zealand | Introduction | Back to Top |
New Zealand (in Maori, Aotearoa, "Land of the Long White Cloud"), independent island country in the South Pacific Ocean, a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, situated about 1,600 km (1,000 mi) south-east of Australia. It comprises two large islands-the North and South islands-separated by the narrow Cook Strait and numerous smaller islands, including Stewart Island to the south of the South Island. The area of New Zealand is 270,534 sq km (104,454 sq mi). Overseas territories governed by New Zealand are the Ross Dependency, in Antarctica, and Tokelau in the Pacific Ocean, to the north of Samoa. The Cook Islands and Niue, also in the Pacific, are self-governing territories in free association with New Zealand. The capital of the country is Wellington, the largest city Auckland; both are located on the North Island.
Population 3,618,500 (1996 census) Population Density 13 people/sq km (35 people/sq mi) (1996 census) Urban/Rural Breakdown 80%Urban 20%Rural Largest Cities Auckland991,796 Wellington334,051 Christchurch325,250 (1996 census) Ethnic Groups 72%European 15%Maori 7%Other 6%Pacific Islanders Languages Official Languages English Maori Other Languages Polynesian languages, other European languages Religions 29%Other 26%No faith specified 18%Anglicanism 14% Roman Catholicism 13%Presbyterianism includes Methodism Protestant denominations, Judaism, Hinduism, Confucianism, and Maori Christian churches
| New Zealand | Provinces | Back to Top |
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)
| New Zealand | People | Back to Top |
approximately 73 percent of the population of New Zealand is of European (mainly British) descent. About 12 percent (some 430,000) are Maori, a Polynesian group, whose ancestors migrated to New Zealand about ad 1200. About 4 percent of the population is of other Polynesian descent, and various other Asian ethnicities make up the rest of the population.
New Zealand was one of the last sizable land areas suitable for habitation to be populated by human beings. It was first settled by Polynesians who came from somewhere in eastern Polynesia, possibly from what is now French Polynesia. They remained isolated in New Zealand until the arrival of European explorers, the first of whom was the Dutchman Abel Janszoon Tasman (1642). During that time they grew in numbers to between 100,000 and 200,000, living almost exclusively on North Island. They had no name for themselves but eventually adopted the name Maori to distinguish themselves from the Europeans, who, after the voyages of the Englishman Capt. James Cook
| New Zealand | History | Back to Top |
The inhabitants of New Zealand at the time of Tasman’s visit were the Maori, who began settling the land about ad 1200. According to Maori oral history, Kupe, a Maori navigator, voyaged here in a catamaran-like vessel (a light boat with two parallel hulls) in the middle of the 10th century. He discovered that the islands were uninhabited. Several generations later, a fleet of oceangoing canoes is said to have left Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean to colonize New Zealand. The existence of Kupe and the colonization fleet are disputed today, but archaeological evidence shows that the settlers originated in the eastern islands of Polynesia as the legends relate. The early inhabitants hunted New Zealand’s abundant wildlife, including the moa, a wingless bird about 4 m (about 13 ft) tall that is now extinct. The Maori spread out along the coast and the rivers on both the main islands, although they were more numerous on North Island.
No precise archaeological records exist of when and from where the first human inhabitants of New Zealand came; but it is generally agreed that Polynesians from eastern Polynesia in the central Pacific reached New Zealand more than 1,000 years ago, possibly by AD 800 or even earlier. There has been much speculation on how these people made the long ocean voyage. Polynesians are known to have sometimes set sail in search of new lands, their canoes well-provisioned with food and plants for cultivation, and it is likely that the discoverers of New Zealand were on such a voyage. Few canoes probably made the dangerous journey, but the people from even one of these large, double-hulled craft could have produced the Maori population that the Europeans encountered in New Zealand in the 17th and 18th centuries. With them they brought the dog and the rat and several plants, including the kumara (a variety of sweet potato), taro, and yam.
During World War I (1914-1918) a coalition of the Reform and Liberal parties governed the country. In the war New Zealand furnished 124,211 men for the British forces, of whom 100,444 served overseas. These troops fought in Egypt and in the Gallipoli campaign of 1915; the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps became known popularly as Anzac. In 1916 New Zealand units organized as a separate division arrived in France in time for the first Battle of the Somme, and the Mounted Rifles later served in the campaign in Palestine. The losses of New Zealand in World War I exceeded 16,000 men killed and 40,000 wounded, but the war also generated new nationalism.
| New Zealand | Culture | Back to Top |
The cultural milieu in New Zealand is complex: it is predominantly European but also contains elements from many other peoples, particularly the Maori. Immigrant groups have generally tended to assimilate into the European life-style, although traditional customs are still followed by many Tongans, Samoans, and other Pacific Islanders. The Maori, however, have found themselves torn between the pressure to assimilate and the desire to preserve their own culture. The loss of much of their land in the 19th century undermined their political structures, and large-scale conversion to Christianity resulted in the abandonment of traditional religious observances; but there has been a determined effort—especially in the second half of the 20th century—to preserve and revive artistic and social traditions. A renaissance has occurred in Maori wood carving and weaving and in the construction of carved and decorated meeting houses. Maori songs and dances have become increasingly popular, especially among the young. Maori meetings—whether hui or tangi —are conducted in traditional fashion, with ancient greeting ceremonies strictly observed. The general public has become familiar with Maori art, which is displayed in numerous galleries and museums.
The earliest cultural tradition in New Zealand was that of the Maori. The literature consisted of history, tales, poems, and myths handed down by oral tradition. The indigenous art of New Zealand is also Maori. European settlers, particularly the English, brought with them their own traditions, which came to dominate the cultural life of the country. Since the 1950s significant numbers of Pacific Islanders, particularly Polynesians, have contributed to a growing ethnic diversity in New Zealand. More recently, greater diversity has been fostered by increased immigration from Asia since the mid-1980s.
European cultural life has progressed rapidly since the early 20th century. Numerous writers were active in the late 19th century, the most successful of whom were historians, such as William Pember Reeves, and ethnologists, including S. Percy Smith and Elsdon Best. The work of the first genuinely original writers of fiction, the short-story writer Katherine Mansfield and the poet R.A.K. Mason, did not appear until the 1920s. During the harsh years of the Great Depression of the 1930s a group of poets appeared and established a national tradition of writing. Although influenced by contemporary English literature—T.S. Eliot and W.H. Auden were greatly respected—they wrote about their New Zealand experience. The most notable member of this group was Allen Curnow. A.R.D. Fairburn, Denis Glover, and Charles Brasch were other major poets. At the same time Frank Sargeson began writing the superb stories in New Zealand vernacular for which he became well known.
| New Zealand | Life | Back to Top |
New Zealand live in bungalows, single-story, single-unit dwellings on small lots. High-rise residential development is a recent phenomenon confined mainly to Auckland and Wellington. Most New Zealand families have a vegetable and fruit garden on their lot where they grow some of their food. It is common for families to have animals as pets, especially cats and dogs. New Zealanders are keen sport participants and followers. Primary winter sports are rugby, soccer, rugby league, hockey, netball (a variant of basketball, played by women), skating, skiing, and mountain climbing. The most popular summer sports are cricket, tennis, swimming, sailing, tramping.
| New Zealand | Land | Back to Top |
source area was probably the continental forelands of Australia and Antarctica, then part of a nearby single supercontinent. Continental drift created a distinct island arc and oceanic trench structure by Carboniferous time (315,000,000 to 280,000,000 years ago), when deposition began in the synclines of the sedimentary rocks that today make up some three-fourths of New Zealand. This environment lasted about 250,000,000 years and is typified by both synclinal oceanic sedimentary rocks and by terrestrial volcanic rocks. This period was terminated in the west at the beginning of the Cretaceous (about 135,000,000 years ago) by the Rangitata Orogeny (mountain-building episode), although synclinal deposition continued in the east. These mountains were slowly worn down by erosion, and the sea transgressed, eventually covering almost all of the land. At the end of Oligocene time (about 26,000,000 years ago) the Kaikoura Orogeny began, raising land above the sea again, including the Southern Alps of the South Island. Many of the great earth movements associated with this final orogeny took place along faults, which divide the landscape into great blocks, chief of which is the Alpine Fault of the South Island. The erosion and continued movement of these faulted blocks, together with the continuing volcanism of the North Island, define to a large extent the landscape of the country.
| New Zealand | Plants and Animal | Back to Top |
The first white settlers, who arrived early in the 19th century, found a type of dog and a black rat, both of which had been brought by the Maori (see the Population section below) about 500 years earlier. The only wild mammals at present are descended from deer, rabbits, goats, pigs, weasels, ferrets, and opossums—all of which were imported. No snakes and few species of insects inhabit New Zealand. The tuatara, a lizardlike reptile that emerged more than 200 million years ago, survives exclusively on a few islands off the coast of New Zealand. New Zealand has a large population of wild birds, including 23 native species. Among the native species are songbirds, including the bellbird and tui, and flightless species, including the kiwi, kakapo, takahe, and weka. The survival of the flightless birds is attributed to the absence of predatory animals. The sparrow, blackbird, thrush, skylark, magpie, and myna are well-acclimated imported species. New Zealand abounds in a great variety of seabirds and numerous migratory birds.
| New Zealand | Economy | Back to Top |
New Zealand governments have pursued economic policies that have transformed a strongly regulated welfare state into an open-market economy. The economy has been deregulated by the removal of subsidies, tariffs, import duties, and fiscal controls. In addition, the state has withdrawn progressively from direct involvement in production, service provision and delivery, welfare support, and manipulation of currency and financial markets. Primary production is becoming less significant as a direct contributor to export receipts and gross domestic product (GDP). Service industries, especially those associated with a booming tourist industry, are becoming much more prominent. New Zealand is a prosperous country with a high standard of social services. The country’s GDP was $54.7 billion in 1999. Some 67 percent of the GDP derives from services, 26 percent from industry, and 7 percent from agriculture, forestry, and fishing. The national economy is largely dependent on the export of raw and processed foods, timber, and wool. Any fluctuation in world prices and demand affects the economy. In 1998 the government budget included revenues of about $18.1 billion and expenditures of $17.7 billion.
Most minerals, metallic and nonmetallic, occur in New Zealand, but few are found in sufficient quantities for commercial exploitation. The exceptions are gold, which in the early years of organized settlement was a major export; coal, which is still mined to a considerable extent; iron sands, which are exploited both for export and for domestic use; and, most recently, natural gas. In addition to mining, construction materials, with which the country is well endowed, are quarried. Apart from gold's brief heyday, biological resources have always been more significant than minerals. Domestic animals introduced from Europe have thrived in New Zealand. Forestry has always been important, but the emphasis has swung from felling the original forest for timber to afforestation with pine trees for both timber and pulp.
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.
| New Zealand | Communications | Back to Top |
excellent domestic and international systems domestic: NA international: submarine cables to Australia and Fiji; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
| New Zealand | Languages | Back to Top |
A majority of the New Zealand population is Christian. The primary denominations are Anglican (22 percent), Presbyterian (16 percent), and Roman Catholic (15 percent). Methodist, Baptist, and other Protestant denominations are also represented. Most of the Maori are members of the Ratana and Ringatu Christian sects. Jews, Hindus, and Buddhists constitute small minorities. About 21 percent profess no religious faith. English and Maori are the official languages, although the country is predominantly English-speaking. Almost all of the Maori speak English, and only about 50,000 (about 15 percent) are considered fluent Maori speakers. Other Polynesian and European languages are spoken by a small percentage of the population.
| New Zealand | Politics | Back to Top |
ACT, New Zealand [Richard PREBBLE]; Alliance (a coalition of the New Labor Party, Democratic Party, New Zealand Liberal Party, and Mana Motuhake) [James (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]
| New Zealand | Government | Back to Top |
New Zealand has a parliamentary form of government based on the British model. Legislative power is vested in the single-chamber House of Representatives (Parliament), the members of which are elected for three-year terms. There are two dominant parties, National and Labour; the party that commands a majority in the House forms the government. The leader of the governing party becomes the prime minister, who, with ministers responsible for different aspects of government, forms a Cabinet. The Cabinet is the central organ of executive power. Most legislation is initiated in the House on the basis of decisions made by the Cabinet; Parliament must then pass it by a majority vote before it can become law. The Cabinet, however, has extensive regulatory powers that are subject to only limited parliamentary review. Because Cabinet ministers sit in the House and because of invariably strong party discipline, legislative and executive authority are effectively fused.
| New Zealand | Legal | Back to Top |
Legal system: based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts for Maoris; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal 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 James (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 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 Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal
| New Zealand | organization | Back to Top |
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
| New Zealand | Education | Back to Top |
Education is free and compulsory for children between the ages of 6 and 16 years, but children may enter school at 5 and continue until they are 19. In some areas subsidized kindergartens are maintained for children between three and five years of age. Primary education consists of infant classes during the first two years and six annual grades designated standards 1, 2, 3, and 4 and forms I and II. Free secondary education is available to all children who have completed form II or who have attained the age of 14. On the completion of the third year of secondary education, pupils take a national examination for a school certificate.
| New Zealand | Defence | Back to Top |
Military branches: New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force
Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,000,102 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 841,915 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 26,480 (2001 est.)
| New Zealand | International Disputes | Back to Top |
territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)
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