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@New Zealand
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Map
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Location: 41 00 S, 174 00 E -- Oceania, islands in the South
Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia

Flag
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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

Geography
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Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast
of Australia

Geographic coordinates: 41 00 S, 174 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total area: 268,680 sq km
land area: 268,670 sq km
comparative area: about the size of Colorado
note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands,
Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 15,134 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross
Dependency)

Climate: temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Terrain: predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Cook 3,764 m

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%

Irrigated land: 2,800 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna
hard-hit by species introduced from outside
natural hazards: earthquakes are common, though usually not severe;
volcanic activity
international agreements: party to - Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber
83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea,
Marine Life Conservation, Tropical Timber 94

Geographic note: about 80% of the population lives in cities

People
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Population: 3,547,983 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 23% (male 420,900; female 400,159)
15-64 years: 65% (male 1,161,522; female 1,154,536)
65 years and over: 12%