head of government: Prime Minister Jenny SHIPLEY (since 8 December
1997) and Deputy Prime Minister Wyatt CREECH (since NA August 1998);
note--the coalition government of the National Party and the New
Zealand First Party was dissolved on 18 August 1998
cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the
recommendation 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 12 October 1996 (next must be called by October
1999)
election results: percent of vote by party--NP 34.1%, NZLP 28.3%,
NZFP 13.1%, Alliance 10.1%, ACT 6.17%, UNZ 0.91%; seats by party--NP
44, NZLP 37, NZFP 17, Alliance 13, ACT 8, UNZ 1

Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: National Party or NP [Jenny
coalition of the Christian Democrats and Christian Heritage Party)

International organization participation: ANZUS (US suspended
security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986), APEC, AsDB, Australia
Group, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MONUA, MTCR, NAM (guest),
NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMOP, UNOMSIL, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James Brendan BOLGER
chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Josiah Horton BEEMAN
embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington
mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, FPO AP
96531-1001
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