Head of state: Queen Beatrix Prime minister: Mark Rutte
Population
4,327,944
16,730,632
Life Expectancy
80.710 years
80.910 years
Capital City
Wellington
Amsterdam
Largest city
Auckland (population: 417,910)
Amsterdam (population: 741,636)
Human Development Index
0.944
0.958
GDP per capita
$28,000 US
$42,700 US
Literacy Rate
99%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
9.3
8.9
Percentage of Women in Parliament
33.1%
37.8%
Wealthiest Citizens
Graeme Hart ($4.5bn US)
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken ($4.6bn US)
Unemployment Rate
6.500%
4.400%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Abolished
Political System
parliamentary democracy
constitutional monarchy
Independence date
26 September 1907 (from UK)
23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low Countries conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; on 26 July 1581 they formally declared their independence with an Act of Abjuration; however, it was not until 30 January 1648 and the Peace of Westphalia that Spain recognized this independence)
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)
Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, other Protestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42% (2006)
Languages
English (official), Maori (official), Sign Language (official)
Dutch (official), Frisian (official)
Exports
dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish, machinery
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs
External Debt
$85,650,000,000 $
$2,655,000,000,000 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)
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.000%
1.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
9
16
Location
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
