Otorohanga,
Palmerston North*, Papakura*, Porirua*, Queenstown Lakes, Rangitikei,
Rodney, Rotorua, Ruapehu, Selwyn, Southland, South Taranaki, South
Waikato, South Wairarapa, Stratford, Tararua, Tasman, Taupo, Tauranga,
Thames Coromandel, Timaru, Upper Hutt*, Waikato, Waimakariri, Waimate,
Waipa, Wairoa, Waitakere*, Waitaki, Waitomo, Wanganui, Wellington*,
Western Bay of Plenty, Westland, Whakatane, Whangarei)

Dependent areas: Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

Independence: 26 September 1907 (from UK)

National holiday: Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British
sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution: consists of a series of legal documents, including certain
acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments and The Constitution Act 1986
which is the principal formal charter

Legal system: based on English law, with special land legislation
and land courts for Maoris; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Governor General Dame Silvia CARTWRIGHT (since 4
April 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Helen CLARK (since 10
December 1999) and Deputy Prime Minister James (Jim) ANDERTON (since
10 December 1999) cabinet: of the prime minister elections: none;
the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch;
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister
by the governor general for a three-year term; deputy prime minister
appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called
Parliament (120 seats; members elected by popular vote in single-member
constituencies to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 27 November
1999 (next must be called by November 2002) election results: percent of
vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NZLP 49, NP 39, Alliance 10, ACT
New Zealand 9, Green Party 7, NZFP 5, UNZ 1 note: NZLP and Alliance formed
the government coalition; the National Party is the opposition party

Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: ACT, New Zealand [Richard PREBBLE];
Alliance (a coalition of the New Labor Party, Democratic Party, New
Zealand Liberal Party, and Mana Motuhake) [James (Jim) ANDERTON]; Green
Party [Jeanette FIT