New Zealand - Economic Indicators

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia

41 00 S, 174 00 E

Oceania

almost twice the size of North Carolina; about the size of Colorado

0 km

15,134 km

temperate with sharp regional contrasts

predominately mountainous with large coastal plains

highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,724 m

natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone

arable land 1.8%; permanent crops 0.3%; permanent pasture 41.1%

7,210 sq km (2012)

over three-quarters of New Zealanders, including the indigenous Maori, live on the North Island, primarily in urban areas

earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity

deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by invasive species

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; almost 90% of the population lives in cities and over three-quarters on North Island; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world

4,510,327 (July 2017 est.)

European 71.2%, Maori 14.1%, Asian 11.3%, Pacific peoples 7.6%, Middle Eastern, Latin American, African 1.1%, other 1.6%, not stated or unidentified 5.4%

English (de facto official) 89.8%, Maori (de jure official) 3.5%, Samoan 2%, Hindi 1.6%, French 1.2%, Northern Chinese 1.2%, Yue 1%, other or not stated 20.5%, New Zealand Sign Language (de jure official)

Christian 44.3% (Catholic 11.6%, Anglican 10.8%, Presbyterian and Congregational 7.8%, Methodist, 2.4%, Pentecostal 1.8%, other 9.9%), Hindu 2.1%, Buddhist 1.4%, Maori Christian 1.3%, Islam 1.1%, other religion 1.4% (includes Judaism, Spiritualism and New Age religions, Baha'i, Asian religions other than Buddhism), no religion 38.5%, not stated or unidentified 8.2%, objected to answering 4.1%

0.79% (2017 est.)

13.2 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

7.5 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

over three-quarters of New Zealanders, including the indigenous Maori, live on the North Island, primarily in urban areas

Auckland 1.344 million; WELLINGTON (capital) 383,000 (2015)

27.8 years

11 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

2.02 children born/woman (2017 est.)

11% of GDP (2014)

3.06 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

2.8 beds/1,000 population (2013)

urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

NA

NA

NA

30.8% (2016)

6.3% of GDP (2015)

parliamentary democracy (New Zealand Parliament) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

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

Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

26 September 1907 (from the UK)

Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840); Anzac Day (commemorated as the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April (1915)

common law system, based on English model, with special legislation and land courts for the Maori

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

ACT New Zealand [David SEYMOUR]

Green Party [James SHAW]

Mana Movement [Hone HARAWIRA] (formerly Mana Party)

Maori Party [Marama FOX]

New Zealand First Party or NZ First [Winston PETERS]

New Zealand Labor Party [Jacinda ARDERN]

New Zealand National Party [Simon BRIDGES]

United Future New Zealand [Damian LIGHT]

Women's Electoral Lobby or WEL

ADB, ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986), APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CD, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF, SICA (observer), Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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

Southern Cross constellation (four, five-pointed stars), kiwi (bird), silver fern; national colors: black, white, red (ochre)

Over the past 40 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 some at the bottom of the ladder and broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector.

Per capita income rose for 10 consecutive years until 2007 in purchasing power parity terms, but fell in 2008-09. Debt-driven consumer spending drove robust growth in the first half of the decade, fueling a large balance of payments deficit that posed a challenge for policymakers. Inflationary pressures caused the central bank to raise its key rate steadily from January 2004 until it was among the highest in the OECD in 2007 and 2008. The higher rate attracted international capital inflows, which strengthened the currency and housing market while aggravating the current account deficit. Rising house prices, especially in Auckland, have become a political issue in recent years, as well as a policy challenge in 2016 and 2017, as the ability to afford housing has declined for many.

Expanding New Zealand’s network of free trade agreements remains a top foreign policy priority. New Zealand was an early promoter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and was the second country to ratify the agreement in May 2017. Following the United States’ withdrawal from the TPP in January 2017, on 10 November 2017 the remaining 11 countries agreed on the core elements of a modified agreement, which they renamed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). In November 2016, New Zealand opened negotiations to upgrade its FTA with China; China is one of New Zealand’s most important trading partners.

$185.7 billion (2017 est.)

$179.5 billion (2016 est.)

$173.3 billion (2015 est.)

$200.8 billion (2017 est.)

3.5% (2017 est.)

3.6% (2016 est.)

3.2% (2015 est.)

$38,500 (2017 est.)

$37,800 (2016 est.)

$37,300 (2015 est.)

21.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

20.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

20.1% of GDP (2015 est.)

dairy products, sheep, beef, poultry, fruit, vegetables, wine, seafood, wheat and barley

agriculture, forestry, fishing, logs and wood articles, manufacturing, mining, construction, financial services, real estate services, tourism

2.5% (2017 est.)

2.655 million (2017 est.)

4.9% (2017 est.)

5.1% (2016 est.)

NA%

36.2 (1997 est.)

36.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

0.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

32% of GDP (2017 est.)

33.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

1 April - 31 March

2.2% (2017 est.)

0.6% (2016 est.)

2.5% (31 December 2009 est.)

5% (31 December 2008 est.)

4.9% (31 December 2017 est.)

5.02% (31 December 2016 est.)

$44.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$42.01 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$199.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$190 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$300.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$284.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$74.35 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$74.42 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$65.96 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$-7.17 billion (2017 est.)

$-5.013 billion (2016 est.)

$37.35 billion (2017 est.)

$33.61 billion (2016 est.)

dairy products, meat and edible offal, logs and wood articles, fruit, crude oil, wine

China 19.4%, Australia 17.1%, US 10.9%, Japan 6.2% (2016)

$38.74 billion (2017 est.)

$35.53 billion (2016 est.)

petroleum and products, mechanical machinery, vehicles and parts, electrical machinery, textiles

China 19.9%, Australia 12.6%, US 11.3%, Japan 7.1%, Germany 4.8%, Thailand 4.5%, South Korea 4.2% (2016)

$18.32 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$17.81 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$88.08 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$84.03 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$78.25 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$77.31 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$59.08 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar -

1.42 (2017 est.)

1.43 (2016 est.)

1.43 (2015 est.)

1.43 (2014 est.)

1.2 (2013 est.)

42.77 billion kWh (2015 est.)

39.93 billion kWh (2015 est.)

0 kWh (2016 est.)

0 kWh (2016 est.)

9.454 million kW (2015 est.)

24% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

56.5% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

19.7% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

34,730 bbl/day (2016 est.)

30,560 bbl/day (2016 est.)

109,200 bbl/day (2016 est.)

56.9 million bbl (1 January 2017 est.)

117,100 bbl/day (2016 est.)

167,700 bbl/day (2016 est.)

3,863 bbl/day (2016 est.)

54,750 bbl/day (2016 est.)

4.954 billion cu m (2015 est.)

9.08 billion cu m (2015 est.)

0 cu m (2014 est.)

0 cu m (2014 est.)

35.88 billion cu m (1 January 2017 est.)

37 million Mt (2013 est.)

state-owned Television New Zealand operates multiple TV networks and state-owned Radio New Zealand operates 3 radio networks and an external shortwave radio service to the South Pacific region; a small number of national commercial TV and radio stations and many regional commercial television and radio stations are available; cable and satellite TV systems are available, as are a range of streaming services, as are a range of streaming services (2018)

.nz

ZK (2016)

123 (2013)

condensate 331 km; gas 2,500 km; liquid petroleum gas 172 km; oil 288 km; refined products 198 km (2018)

1.1% of GDP (2017)

1.13% of GDP (2016)

1.11% of GDP (2015)

1.13% of GDP (2014)

1.12% of GDP (2013)

New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force) (2018)

17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18; no conscription; 3 years of secondary education required; must be a citizen of NZ, the UK, Australia, Canada, or the US, and resident of NZ for the previous 5 years (2018)

asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)

significant consumer of amphetamines