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Member of: ADB, ANZUS, ASPAC, CCC, Colombo Plan, Commonwealth,
DAC, ESCAP, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ISO, ITU, OECD, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO,
WMO, WSG

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Harold Huyton FRANCIS; Chancery at
37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 328-4800;
there are New Zealand Consulates General in Los Angeles and New York;
US--Ambassador Della NEWMAN; Embassy at 29 Fitzherbert Terrace,
Thorndon, Wellington (mailing address is Private Bag, Wellington, or
FPO San Francisco 96690-0001); telephone p64o (4) 722-068; there is a US
Consulate General in Auckland

Flag: 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
Overview: Since 1984 the government has been reorienting an
agrarian economy dependent on a guaranteed British market to an open
free market economy that can compete on the global scene. The government
has hoped that dynamic growth would boost real incomes, reduce
inflationary pressures, and permit the expansion of welfare benefits. The
results have been mixed: inflation is down from double-digit levels
but growth has been sluggish and unemployment, always a highly sensitive
issue, has been at a record high 7.4%. In 1988 GDP fell by 1% and in
1989 grew by a moderate 2.4%.

GDP: $39.1 billion, per capita $11,600; real growth rate 2.4% (1989 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (1989)

Unemployment rate: 7.4% (1989)

Budget: revenues $18.6 billion; expenditures $19.1 billion, including
capital expenditures of $NA (FY90 est.)

Exports: $8.9 billion (f.o.b., FY89); commodities--wool, lamb,
mutton, beef, fruit, fish, cheese, manufactures, chemicals, foresty products;
partners--EC 18.3%, Japan 17.9%, Australia 17.5%, US 13.5%, China 3.6%,
South Korea 3.1%

Imports: $7.5 billion (c.i.f., FY89); commodities--petroleum,
consumer goods, motor vehicles, industrial equipment;
partners--Australia 19.7%, Japan 16.9%, EC 16.9%, US 15.3%,
Taiwan 3.0%

External debt: $17.0 billion (1989)

Industrial production: growth rate - 1.6% (FY88)

Electricity: 7,800,000 kW capacity; 27,600 million kWh produced,
8,190 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries: food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery,
transportation eq