Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor-general Prime minister: Baldwin Spencer
Population
4,327,944
89,018
Life Expectancy
80.710 years
75.690 years
Capital City
Wellington
Saint John's
Largest city
Auckland (population: 417,910)
Saint John's (population: 24,226)
Human Development Index
0.944
0.83
GDP per capita
$28,000 US
$18,200 US
Literacy Rate
99%
85.8%
Corruption Perception Index
9.3
NA
Percentage of Women in Parliament
33.1%
16.7%
Wealthiest Citizens
Graeme Hart ($4.5bn US)
NA
Unemployment Rate
6.500%
11.000%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Legal
Political System
parliamentary democracy
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government
Independence date
26 September 1907 (from UK)
1 November 1981 (from UK)
Religions
Anglican 14.9%, Roman Catholic 12.4%, Presbyterian 10.9%, Methodist 2.9%, Pentecostal 1.7%, Baptist 1.3%, other Christian 9.4%, other 3.3%, unspecified 17.2%, none 26% (2001 census)
Anglican 25.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.3%, Pentecostal 10.6%, Moravian 10.5%, Roman Catholic 10.4%, Methodist 7.9%, Baptist 4.9%, Church of God 4.5%, other Christian 5.4%, other 2%, none or unspecified 5.8% (2001 census)
Languages
English (official), Maori (official), Sign Language (official)
English (official), local dialects
Exports
dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish, machinery
petroleum products, bedding, handicrafts, electronic components, transport equipment, food and live animals
External Debt
$85,650,000,000 $
$359,800,000 US
Exchange Rate
New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - 1.4151 (2008 est.), 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004)
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003) note: fixed rate since 1976
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.000%
0.500%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
9
0
Location
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico
Area
267,710 km sq
443 km sq
Coastline
15,134 km
153 km
Climate
temperate with sharp regional contrasts
tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation
