New Zealand (continued)
Total fertility rate: 2.0 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—New Zealander(s); adjective—New Zealand
Ethnic divisions: 88% European, 8.9% Maori, 2.9% Pacific Islander, 0.2% other
Religion: 81% Christian, 18% none or unspecified, 1% Hindu, Confucian, and other
Language: English (official), Maori
Literacy: 99%
Labor force: 1,591,900; 67.4% services, 19.8% manufacturing, 9.3% primary production (1987)
Organized labor: 681,000 members; 43% of labor force (1986)
Government
Long-form name: none; abbreviated NZ
Type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Wellington
Administrative divisions: 93 counties, 9 districts*, and 3 town districts**; Akaroa, Amuri, Ashburton, Bay of Islands, Bruce, Buller, Chatham Islands, Cheviot, Clifton, Clutha, Cook, Dannevirke, Egmont, Eketahuna, Ellesmere, Eltham, Eyre, Featherston, Franklin, Golden Bay, Great Barrier Island, Grey, Hauraki Plains, Hawera*, Hawke's Bay, Heathcote, Hikurangi**, Hobson, Hokianga, Horowhenua, Hurunui, Hutt, Inangahua, Inglewood, Kaikoura, Kairanga, Kiwitea, Lake, Mackenzie, Malvern, Manaia**, Manawatu, Mangonui, Maniototo, Marlborough, Masterton, Matamata, Mount Herbert, Ohinemuri, Opotiki, Oroua, Otamatea, Otorohanga*, Oxford, Pahiatua, Paparua, Patea, Piako, Pohangina, Raglan, Rangiora*, Rangitikei, Rodney, Rotorua*, Runanga, Saint Kilda, Silverpeaks, Southland, Stewart Island, Stratford, Strathallan, Taranaki, Taumarunui, Taupo, Tauranga, Thames-Coromandel*, Tuapeka, Vincent, Waiapu, Waiheke, Waihemo, Waikato, Waikohu, Waimairi, Waimarino, Waimate, Waimate West, Waimea, Waipa, Waipawa*, Waipukurau*, Wairarapa South, Wairewa, Wairoa, Waitaki, Waitomo*, Waitotara, Wallace, Wanganui, Waverley**, Westland, Whakatane*, Whangarei, Whangaroa, Woodville
Dependent areas: Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau
Independence: 26 September 1907 (from UK)
Constitution: no formal, written constitution; consists of various documents, including certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments; Constitution Act 1986 was to have come into force 1 January 1987, but has not been enacted
Legal system: based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts for Maoris; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday: Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty), 6 February (1840)
Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives (commonly called Parliament)
Judicial branch: High Court, Court of Appeal
Leaders: Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General The Most Rev. Sir Paul REEVES (since 20 November 1985);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Geoffrey PALMER (since 8 August 1989); Deputy Prime Minister Helen CLARK (since 8 August 1989)
Political parties and leaders: New Zealand Labor Party (NZLP; government), Geoffrey Palmer; National Party (NP; opposition), Jim Bolger; Democratic Party, Neil Morrison; Socialist Unity Party (SUP; pro-Soviet), Ken Douglas
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: House of Representatives—last held on 15 August 1987 (next to be held by August 1990); results—LP 47%, NP 45%, DP 6%; seats—(97 total) LP 58, NP 39
Communists: SUP about 140, other groups, about 200
Member of: ADB, ANZUS, ASPAC, CCC, Colombo Plan, Commonwealth, DAC, ESCAP, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ISO, ITU, OECD, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WSG
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Harold Huyton FRANCIS; Chancery at 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 328-4800; there are New Zealand Consulates General in Los Angeles and New York; US—Ambassador Delia NEWMAN; Embassy at 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington (mailing address is Private Bag, Wellington, or FPO San Francisco 96690-0001); telephone [64](4) 722-068; there is a US Consulate General in Auckland
Flag: 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 the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross constellation
Economy
Overview: Since 1984 the government has been reorienting an agrarian economy dependent on a guaranteed British market to an open free market economy that can compete on the global scene. The government has hoped that dynamic growth would boost real incomes, reduce inflationary pressures, and permit the expansion of welfare benefits. The results have been mixed: inflation is down from double-digit levels but growth has been sluggish and unemployment, always a highly sensitive issue, has been at a record high 7.4%. In 1988 GDP fell by 1% and in 1989 grew by a moderate 2.4%.
GDP: $39.1 billion, per capita $11,600; real growth rate 2.4% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (1989)
Unemployment rate: 7.4% (1989)
Budget: revenues $18.6 billion; expenditures $19.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY90 est.)
Exports: $8.9 billion (f.o.b., FY89); commodities—wool, lamb, mutton, beef, fruit, fish, cheese, manufactures, chemicals, foresty products; partners—EC 18.3%, Japan 17.9%, Australia 17.5%, US 13.5%, China 3.6%, South Korea 3.1%
Imports: $7.5 billion (c.i.f., FY89); commodities—petroleum, consumer goods, motor vehicles, industrial equipment; partners—Australia 19.7%, Japan 16.9%, EC 16.9%, US 15.3%, Taiwan 3.0%
External debt: $17.0 billion (1989)
Industrial production: growth rate -1.6% (FY88)
Electricity: 7,800,000 kW capacity; 27,600 million kWh produced, 8,190 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance,tourism, mining
Agriculture: accounts for about 9% of GNP and 10% of the work force; livestock predominates—wool, meat, dairy products all export earners; crops—wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, and vegetables; surplus producer of farm products; fish catch reached a record 431,000 metric tons in 1987
Aid: donor—ODA and OOF commitments (1970-87), $448 million
Currency: New Zealand dollar (plural—dollars); 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1—1.6581 (January 1990), 1.6708 (1989), 1.5244 (1988), 1.6886 (1987), 1.9088 (1986), 2.0064 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
Communications
Railroads: 4,716 km total; all 1.067-meter gauge; 274 km double track; 113 km electrified; over 99% government owned
Highways: 92,648 km total; 49,547 km paved, 43,101 km gravel or crushed stone
