Islands,
Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
Comparative area:
about the size of Colorado
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
15,134 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf:
edge of continental margin or 200 nm
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)
Climate:
temperate with sharp regional contrasts
Terrain:
predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
Natural resources:
natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone
Land use:
arable land 2%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 53%; forest and
woodland 38%; other 7%; includes irrigated 1%
Environment:
earthquakes are common, though usually not severe

:New Zealand People

Population:
3,347,369 (July 1992), growth rate 0.7% (1992)
Birth rate:
16 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
8 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
-2 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
9 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
72 years male, 80 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
2.1 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - New Zealander(s); adjective - New Zealand
Ethnic divisions:
European 88%, Maori 8.9%, Pacific Islander 2.9%, other 0.2%
Religions:
Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%, Methodist 5%, Baptist
2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none 9% (1986)
Languages:
English (official), Maori
Literacy:
99% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1970)
Labor force:
1,603,500 (June 1991); services 67.4%, manufacturing 19.8%, primary
production 9.3% (1987)
Organized labor:
681,000 members; 43% of labor force (1986)

:New Zealand Government

Long-form name:
none; abbreviated NZ
Type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Wellington
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,