ty [Jeanette FITZSIMONS
and Rod DONALD]; National Party or NP [Don BRASH]; New Zealand First
Party or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New Zealand Labor Party or NZLP
[Helen CLARK]; Progressive Coalition [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
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227
telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800
chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008

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 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 been
rising and is now 80% of the level of the four largest EU economies.
New Zealand is heavily dependent on trade - particularly in
agricultural products - to drive growth, and it has been affected by
the global economic slowdown and the slump in commodity prices. Thus
far the economy has been resilient, and growth should continue at
the