New Zealand Location : Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
Capital City : Wellington
Curreny : New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Languages Spoken : English (official), Maori (official)
Climate : temperate with sharp regional contrasts
National Holiday : Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)
Background Information
The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars. New Zealand's full participation in number of defense alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years the government has sought to address longstanding native Maori grievances.
Geographical Note
about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world
Economy
Since 1984 the government has accomplished major economic restructuring, transforming New Zealand from an agrarian economy dependent on concessionary British market access to a more industrialized, free market economy that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes (but left behind many at the bottom of the ladder), broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector, and contained inflationary pressures. While per capita incomes have been rising, however, they remain below the level of the four largest EU economies, and there is some government concern that New Zealand is not closing the gap. New Zealand is heavily dependent on trade - particularly in agricultural products - to drive growth, and it has been affected by the global economic slowdown and the slump in commodity prices. Thus far the New Zealand economy has been relatively resilient, achieving about 3% growth in 2001, but the New Zealand business cycle tends to lag the US cycle by about six months, so the worst of the downturn may not hit until mid-2002.
Religions
Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%, Methodist 5%, Baptist 2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none 33% (1986)
Ports : Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Tauranga, Wellington
International Disputes - Risks to travellers
: territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)
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