New Zealand
Top Sights & Landmarks
Background
Polynesians settled New Zealand between the late 1200s and the mid-1300s. They called the land Aotearoa, which legend holds is the name of the canoe that Kupe, the first Polynesian in New Zealand, used to sail to the country; the name Aotearoa is now in widespread use as the local Maori name for the country. By the 1500s, competition for land and resources led to intermittent fighting between different Maori tribes as large game became extinct. Dutch explorer Abel TASMAN was the first European to see the islands in 1642 but left after an encounter with local Maori. British sea captain James COOK arrived in 1769, followed by whalers, sealers, and traders. The UK only nominally claimed New Zealand and included it as part of New South Wales in Australia. Concerns about increasing lawlessness led the UK to appoint its first British Resident in New Zealand in 1832, although the position had few legal powers. In 1835, some Maori tribes from the North Island declared independence. Fearing an impending French settlement and takeover, the majority of Maori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi with the British in 1840. Land tenure issues stemming from the treaty are still being actively negotiated in New Zealand. The UK declared New Zealand a separate colony in 1841 and granted limited self-government in 1852. Different traditions of authority and land use led to a series of wars between Europeans and various Maori tribes from the 1840s to the 1870s. Along with disease, these conflicts halved the Maori population. In the 1890s, New Zealand initially expressed interest in joining independence talks with Australia but ultimately opted against it and changed its status to an independent dominion in 1907. New Zealand provided more than 100,000 troops during each World War, many of whom fought as part of the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). New Zealand reaffirmed its independence in 1947 and signed the Australia, New Zealand, and US (ANZUS) Treaty in 1951. Beginning in 1984, New Zealand began to adopt nuclear-free policies, contributing to a dispute with the US over naval ship visits that led the US to suspend its defense obligations to New Zealand in 1986, but bilateral relations and military ties have been revitalized since the 2010s with new security agreements. A key challenge for Auckland that has emerged over the past decade is balancing concerns over China’s growing influence in the Pacific region with its role as New Zealand's largest export destination. New Zealand has close ties with Australia based to a large extent on the two nations’ common origins as British colonies and their shared military history.
Location
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
Area
Elevation
Detailed Geography Information
Coastline
15,134 km
Geography - note
note 1: consists of two main islands and a number of smaller islands; South Island, the larger main island, is the 12th-largest island in the world and is divided along its length by the Southern Alps; North Island is the 14th-largest island in the world and is not as mountainous, but it is marked by volcanism note 2: New Zealand lies along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes note 3: almost 90% of the population lives in cities and over three-quarters on North Island; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world
Irrigated land
7,000 sq km (2014)
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s): Lake Taupo - 610 sq km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Natural hazards
earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity volcanism: significant volcanism on North Island; Ruapehu (2,797 m) has a history of large eruptions in the past century; Taranaki has the potential to produce dangerous avalanches and lahars; other historically active volcanoes include Okataina, Raoul Island, Tongariro, and White Island; see note 2 under "Geography - note"
Natural resources
Terrain
predominately mountainous with large coastal plains
Population & Growth
Age Distribution
Demographic Longevity
Vital Dynamics
Detailed People & Society Information
Alcohol consumption per capita
9.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
57.7% (2018 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 56.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 29.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 26.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.7 (2025 est.)
Education expenditure
5.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 12.7% national budget (2023 est.)
Ethnic groups
Gross reproduction rate
0.9 (2025 est.)
Health expenditure
10% of GDP (2021) 19.8% of national budget (2022 est.)
Hospital bed density
2.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages
Major urban areas - population
1.673 million Auckland, 422,000 WELLINGTON (capital) (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio
7 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
27.8 years
Nationality
noun: New Zealander(s) adjective: New Zealand
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
30.8% (2016)
Physician density
3.61 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Population distribution
over three quarters of New Zealanders, including the Maori, live on the North Island, primarily in urban areas
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Religions
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 19 years (2023 est.) male: 19 years (2023 est.) female: 20 years (2023 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Tobacco use
total: 10% (2025 est.) male: 11.2% (2025 est.) female: 8.9% (2025 est.)
Climate & Issues
temperate with sharp regional contrasts
Land Cover
Air & Carbon Emissions
Water Resources & Use
Detailed Environmental Information
International environmental agreements
Urbanization
urban population: 87% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 3.405 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 22% (2022 est.)
Capital & State Profile
Executive Branch
Legislative Branch
National Identity & Symbols
blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant, with four five-pointed red stars edged in white centered in the right half of the flag
Detailed Government Information
Administrative divisions
16 regions and 1 territory*; Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Chatham Islands*, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato, Wellington, West Coast
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of New Zealand dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years
Constitution
history: New Zealand has no single constitution document; the Constitution Act 1986, effective 1 January 1987, includes only part of the uncodified constitution; others include a collection of statutes or "acts of Parliament," the Treaty of Waitangi, Orders in Council, letters patent, court decisions, and unwritten conventions amendment process: proposed as bill by Parliament or by referendum called either by the government or by citizens; passage of a bill as an act normally requires two separate readings with committee reviews in between to make changes and corrections, a third reading approved by the House of Representatives membership or by the majority of votes in a referendum, and assent of the governor-general; passage of amendments to reserved constitutional provisions affecting the term of Parliament, electoral districts, and voting restrictions requires approval by 75% of the House membership or the majority of votes in a referendum
Country name
conventional long form: none conventional short form: New Zealand former: Nieuw Zeeland abbreviation: NZ etymology: the name is an anglicized form of the Dutch name Nieuw Zeeland, or "New Sea Land," which was first used in 1643 in honor of the Dutch province of Zeeland
Dependent areas
Tokelau (1)
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 5 justices, including the chief justice) judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor-general upon the recommendation of the attorney- general; justices appointed until compulsory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; tribunals and authorities; district courts; specialized courts for issues related to employment, environment, family, Maori lands, youth, military; tribunals
Legal system
common law system, based on English model, with special legislation and land courts for the Maori
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 natural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Te Wahipounamu – South West New Zealand (n); Tongariro National Park (m); New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands (n)
Political parties
ACT New Zealand Green Party New Zealand First Party or NZ First Labor Party National Party Te Pāti Māori
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economic Overview
high-income, globally integrated Pacific island economy; strong agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism sectors; reliant on Chinese market for exports; recovery trajectory following deep post-pandemic recession; challenges of fiscal deficits, below-average productivity, cost of living, and drop in net migration
Size & Performance
GDP Sector Breakdown
Trade Balance
Budget Balance
Export Profile
Top Export Partners
Major Export Commodities
Labor & Employment
Income Inequality
Detailed Economic Data
Agricultural products
Current account balance
-$15.978 billion (2024 est.) -$17.065 billion (2023 est.) -$21.627 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Exchange rates
New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.652 (2024 est.) 1.628 (2023 est.) 1.577 (2022 est.) 1.414 (2021 est.) 1.542 (2020 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
Industrial production growth rate
-1% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.9% (2024 est.) 5.7% (2023 est.) 7.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Public debt
54% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Remittances
0.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.3% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$22.065 billion (2024 est.) $15.487 billion (2023 est.) $14.4 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Taxes and other revenues
29.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Grid Infrastructure
Generation Mix
Fossil Fuels Production
Intensity & Nuclear
Digital Access
Active internet users as a percentage of the total population.
Fixed Broadband
Mobile Cellular
Broadcast Media
Aviation
Railways
Ports & Harbors
Merchant Marine
Military Expenditures
Active Duty Strengths
approximately 8,800 active (Regular Force) New Zealand Defense Forces (4,300 Army; 2,100 Navy; 2,400 Air Force) (2025) note: the total NZDF complement is about 15,300 including the Regular Force, Reserves, and civilians
Service & Defense Details
New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (2025) note: the New Zealand Police, under the Minister of Police, is the primary law enforcement body agency of New Zealand and responsible for internal security
small numbers of NZ military personnel are deployed on a variety of international missions in Africa, Antarctica, the Asia-Pacific region, and the Middle East (2025)
the NZDF's inventory is comprised of domestically produced and Western-supplied weapons and equipment, including from Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US (2025)
the NZDF is responsible for protecting New Zealand’s sovereignty, promoting its interests, safeguarding peace and security, and conducting peacekeeping, humanitarian, and other international missions New Zealand is a member of the Five Powers Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a series of mutual assistance agreements reached in 1971 embracing Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK; the FPDA commits the members to consult with one another in the event or threat of an armed attack on any of the members and to mutually decide what measures should be taken, jointly or separately; there is no specific obligation to intervene militarily New Zealand has been part of the Australia, New Zealand, and US Security (ANZUS) Treaty since 1951; however, the US suspended its ANZUS security obligations to New Zealand in 1986 after Auckland implemented a policy barring nuclear-armed and nuclear-powered warships from its ports; the US and New Zealand signed the Wellington Declaration in 2010, which reaffirmed close ties between the two countries, and in 2012 signed the Washington Declaration, which provided a framework for future security cooperation and defense dialogues; in 2016, a US naval ship conducted the first bilateral warship visit to New Zealand since the 1980s; New Zealand has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2025)
17 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18; no conscription (2025) note: New Zealand opened up all military occupations to women in 2000; as of 2024, women accounted for about 20% of Regular Force personnel
Space Agency
New Zealand Space Agency (NZSA; established 2016 under the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment) (2025)