5.3%, Maori 2.12%, UF 2.67%, ACT New Zealand
1.51%, Progressive 1.16%; seats by party - NZLP 50, NP 48, NZFP 7,
Green Party 6, Maori 4, UF 3, ACT New Zealand 2, Progressive 1
note: results of 2005 election saw the total number of seats
increase to 121 because the Maori Party won one more electorate seat
than its entitlement under the party vote

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; High Court; note - Judges appointed
by the Governor-General

Political parties and leaders:
ACT New Zealand [Rodney HIDE]; Green Party [Jeanette FITZSIMONS and
Rod DONALD]; Maori Party [Whatarangi WINIATA]; National Party or NP
[Don BRASH]; New Zealand First Party or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New
Zealand Labor Party or NZLP [Helen CLARK]; Progressive Party [James
(Jim) ANDERTON]; United Future or UF [Peter DUNNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986),
APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C,
CP, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNAMSIL,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador L. John WOOD
chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800
FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Charles J. SWINDELLS
embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington
mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP
96531-1034
telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000
FAX: [64] (4) 499-0490
consulate(s) general: Auckland

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 New Zealand

Economy - 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 grow