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(opens in new window) The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand
in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with
Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen
Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the British
began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of land wars between
1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native peoples. 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 a
number of defence alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the
government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances. Oceania, islands in the South Pacific
Ocean, southeast of Australia 41 00 S, 174 00 E total:
268,680 sq km territorial sea:
12 nm temperate with sharp regional contrasts
predominately mountainous with some large
coastal plains lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber,
hydropower, gold, limestone arable land:
5.6% 2,850 sq km (1998 est.) earthquakes are common, though usually not
severe; volcanic activity deforestation; soil erosion; native flora
and fauna hard-hit by species introduced from outside about 80% of the population lives in
cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world
3,993,817 (July 2004 est.) New Zealand European 74.5%, Maori 9.7%,
other European 4.6%, Pacific Islander 3.8%, Asian and others 7.4%
Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman
Catholic 15%, Methodist 5%, Baptist 2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or
none 33% (1986) English (official), Maori (official)
parliamentary democracy Wellington 13 regions; Auckland, Bay of Plenty,
Canterbury, Gisborne-Hawke's Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui, Nelson-Marlborough,
Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Waikato, Wellington, West Coast
Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau 26 September 1907 (from UK) Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi
established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)
consists of a series of legal documents,
including certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments and The
Constitution Act 1986 which is the principal formal charter based on English law, with special land
legislation and land courts for the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations Over the past 20 years the government has
transformed 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. Per capita income has been rising and is now 80% of
the level of the four largest EU economies. 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 economy has been resilient, and growth should continue
at the same level in 2004. Expenditures on health, education, and pensions
will increase proportionately. 1.8% (2003 est.) 2.008 million (2003 est.) agriculture 10%, industry 25%, services
65% (1995) 4.7% (2003 est.) wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits,
vegetables; wool, beef, dairy products; fish food processing, wood and paper products,
textiles, machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance,
tourism, mining dairy products, meat, wood and wood
products, fish, machinery Australia 21.8%, US 14.6%, Japan 11%,
China 4.9%, UK 4.8% (2003 est.) machinery and equipment, vehicles and
aircraft, petroleum, electronics, textiles, plastics Australia 22.2%, US 11.8%, Japan 11.8%,
China 9%, Germany 5.3% (2003 est.) New Zealand dollar (NZD) 1.765 million (2002) 2.599 million (2003) total: 3,898
km total: 92,053
km Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Tauranga,
Wellington total: 10
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 77,523 GRT/108,352 DWT 113 (2003 est.) total: 46 total: 67 New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy,
Royal New Zealand Air Force territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross
Dependency) |
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