| Introduction :: New Zealand |
Background:
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| 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 defense alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances. |
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Location:
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| Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
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Geographic coordinates:
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41 00 S, 174 00 E
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Map references:
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Area:
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total: 267,710 sq km
country comparison to the world: 82
land:
267,710 sq km
water:
NA
note:
includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
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Area - comparative:
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about the size of Colorado
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Land boundaries:
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0 km
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Coastline:
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15,134 km
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Maritime claims:
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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
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Climate:
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temperate with sharp regional contrasts
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Terrain:
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predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m
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Natural resources:
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natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone
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Land use:
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arable land: 5.54%
permanent crops:
6.92%
other:
87.54% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
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2,850 sq km (2003)
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Total renewable water resources:
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397 cu km (1995)
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total: 2.11 cu km/yr (48%/9%/42%)
per capita:
524 cu m/yr (2000)
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Natural hazards:
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earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by invasive species
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation
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Geography - note:
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almost 90% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world |
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Population:
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| 4,213,418 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 20.7% (male 447,174/female 424,522)
15-64 years:
66.5% (male 1,404,143/female 1,399,530)
65 years and over:
12.8% (male 244,986/female 293,063) (2009 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 36.6 years
male:
35.8 years
female:
37.4 years (2009 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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0.935% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
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Birth rate:
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13.94 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
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Death rate:
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7.05 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
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Net migration rate:
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2.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
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Urbanization:
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urban population: 87% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization:
1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.84 male(s)/female
total population:
0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 192
male:
5.53 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 80.36 years
country comparison to the world: 18
male:
78.43 years
female:
82.39 years (2009 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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2.1 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.1% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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1,400 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
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Nationality:
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noun: New Zealander(s)
adjective:
New Zealand
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Ethnic groups:
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European 69.8%, Maori 7.9%, Asian 5.7%, Pacific islander 4.4%, other 0.5%, mixed 7.8%, unspecified 3.8% (2001 census)
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Religions:
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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)
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Languages:
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English (official), Maori (official), Sign Language (official)
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
99%
male:
99%
female:
99% (2003 est.)
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School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
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total: 19 years
male:
19 years
female:
20 years (2006)
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Education expenditures:
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6.2% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 38
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