New Zealand

<p>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.<br><br>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. <br><br>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.</p>

Land

264,537 sq km

Note

<strong>note:</strong> includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands

Total

268,838 sq km

Water

4,301 sq km

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

temperate with sharp regional contrasts

15,134 km

Oceania

Highest point

Aoraki/Mount Cook 3,724 m; note - the mountain's height was 3,764 m until 14 December 1991 when it lost about 10 m in an avalanche of rock and ice; erosion of the ice cap since then has brought the height down another 30 m

Lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Mean elevation

388 m

41 00 S, 174 00 E

<strong>note 1:</strong> 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 <br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> 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<br><br><strong>note 3:</strong> almost 90% of the population lives in cities and over three-quarters on North Island; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world

7,000 sq km (2014)

Total

0 km

Agricultural land

36.9% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 34.6% (2023 est.)

arable land

1.97%

Forest

38.6% (2023 est.)

Other

24.5% (2023 est.)

permanent crops

0.27%

No

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

Fresh water lake(s)

Lake Taupo - 610 sq km

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/xXiDQo65dwdpw9iu8

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/556706#map=5/-46.710/172.046

Oceania

Contiguous zone

24 nm

Continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Exclusive economic zone

200 nm

Territorial sea

12 nm

earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity <br><br><strong>volcanism:</strong> 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 gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone

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

Australia and New Zealand

predominately mountainous with large coastal plains

UTC-11:00, UTC-10:00, UTC+12:00, UTC+12:45, UTC+13:00

number of time zones

5

0-14 years

19% (male 503,120/female 475,490)

15-64 years

64.2% (male 1,674,407/female 1,638,276)

65 years and over

16.9% (2024 est.) (male 407,080/female 462,838)

Beer

3.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols

1.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits

1.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total

9.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine

2.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

12.4 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

57.7% (2018 est.)

6.93 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

adult female

49 per 1,000

adult male

78 per 1,000

Elderly dependency ratio

26.3 (2024 est.)

Potential support ratio

3.8 (2024 est.)

Total dependency ratio

55.8 (2024 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

29.5 (2024 est.)

improved total

100%

Improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% GDP)

5.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

12.7% national budget (2023 est.)

5 % of GDP

European 64.1%, Maori 16.5%, Chinese 4.9%, Indian 4.7%, Samoan 3.9%, Tongan 1.8%, Cook Islands Maori 1.7%, English 1.5%, Filipino 1.5%, New Zealander 1%, other 13.7% (2018 est.)

note

<strong>note:</strong> based on the 2018 census of the usually resident population; percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to identify more than one ethnic group

0.9 (2025 est.)

10 % of GDP

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

10% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

19.8% of national budget (2022 est.)

0.1%

2.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Female

3.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

3.5 deaths/1,000 live births

neonatal

3 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

3.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

English (de facto official) 95.4%, Maori (de jure official) 4%, Samoan 2.2%, Northern Chinese 2%, Hindi 1.5%, French 1.2%, Yue 1.1%, New Zealand Sign Language (de jure official) 0.5%, other or not stated 17.2% (2018 est.)

languages

English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language

note

<strong>note:</strong> shares sum to 124.1% due to multiple responses on the 2018 census

number of languages

3

Female

84.8 years

Male

81.2 years

Total population

82.9 years (2024 est.)

1.673 million Auckland, 422,000 WELLINGTON (capital) (2023)

7 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Female

38.6 years

Male

37.2 years

Total

38.1 years (2025 est.)

27.8 years

Adjective

New Zealand

Noun

New Zealander(s)

2.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

30.8% (2016)

3.61 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Female

2,576,604

Male

2,584,607

Total

5,161,211 (2024 est.)

0.83% (2025 est.)

Christian 37.3% (Catholic 10.1%, Anglican 6.8%, Presbyterian and Congregational 5.2%, Pentecostal 1.8%, Methodist 1.6%, Church of Jesus Christ 1.2%, other 10.7%), Hindu 2.7%, Maori 1.3%, Muslim, 1.3%, Buddhist 1.1%, other religion 1.6% (includes Judaism, Spiritualism and New Age religions, Baha'i, Asian religions other than Buddhism), no religion 48.6%, objected to answering 6.7% (2018 est.)

note

<strong>note:</strong> based on the 2018 census of the usually resident population; percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to identify more than one religion

improved total

88.8%

Improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Female

20 years (2023 est.)

Male

19 years (2023 est.)

Total

19 years (2023 est.)

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

At birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Total population

1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Female

8.9% (2025 est.)

Male

11.2% (2025 est.)

Total

10% (2025 est.)

1.84 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Rate of urbanization

0.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Urban population

87% of total population (2023)

measles

89%

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

Daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April

Etymology

named in 1840 after Arthur WELLESLEY, the first Duke of Wellington, who was famous for his victory at Waterloo in 1815 and was a benefactor of the New Zealand Company that settled North Island

Geographic coordinates

41 18 S, 174 47 E

Name

Wellington

Time difference

UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Time zone note

New Zealand has two time zones: New Zealand standard time (UTC+12) and Chatham Islands time (45 minutes in advance of New Zealand standard time; UTC+12:45)

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

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/nz.svg

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

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

Abbreviation

NZ

alternative spellings

NZ, Aotearoa

Conventional long form

none

Conventional short form

New Zealand

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

FIFA code

NZL

Former

Nieuw Zeeland

local long form (eng)

New Zealand

Tokelau (1)

Chief of mission

Ambassador&nbsp;(vacant); Charg&eacute; d&rsquo;Affaires David GEHRENBECK (since January 2025); note - also accredited to Samoa

Consulate(s) general

Auckland

Email address and website

<br>AucklandACS@state.gov<br><br>https://nz.usembassy.gov/

Embassy

29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington 6011

FAX

[64] (4) 499-0490

Mailing address

4370 Auckland Place, Washington DC&nbsp; 20521-4370

Telephone

[64] (4) 462-6000

Chancery

37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008

Chief of mission

Ambassador Rosemary&nbsp;BANKS (since 17 June 2024)

Consulate(s) general

Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York

Email address and website

<br>wshinfo@mfat.govt.nz<br><br>https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/countries-and-regions/americas/united-states-of-america/

FAX

[1] (202) 667-5277

Telephone

[1] (202) 328-4800

Cabinet

Executive Council appointed by the governor-general on the recommendation of the prime minister

Chief of state

King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General Dame Cindy KIRO (since 21 October 2021)

Election/appointment process

the monarchy is hereditary; governor-general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the governor-general appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; deputy prime minister also appointed by the governor-general

Head of government

Prime Minister Christopher LUXON (since 27 November 2023)

<strong>description:</strong> 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<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> the stars represent the Southern Cross constellation

The flag of New Zealand has a dark blue field with the flag of the United Kingdom — the Union Jack — in the canton and a representation of the Southern Cross constellation, made up of four five-pointed white-edged red stars, on the fly side of the field.

svg

https://flagcdn.com/nz.svg

parliamentary democracy&nbsp;under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

26 September 1907 (from the UK)

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

ADB, ANZUS, 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, UNOOSA, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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

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

Electoral system

mixed system

Expected date of next election

September 2026

Legislative structure

unicameral

Legislature name

House of Representatives

Most recent election date

10/14/2023

Number of seats

120 (all directly elected)

Parties elected and seats per party

National Party (49); Labour Party (34); Green Party (14); ACT New Zealand (11); New Zealand First (8); Te Pāti Māori (4); Others (2)

Percentage of women in chamber

45.1%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

3 years

the first quarter of the shield shows four stars that represent the Southern Cross constellation and three ships that symbolize New Zealand's sea trade; in the second quarter, a fleece represents the sheep farming industry; the wheat sheaf in the third quarter represents the agricultural industry; the crossed hammers in the fourth quarter represent mining; the Māori chieftain holds a <em>taiaha </em>(a Māori war weapon) and a European woman holds the New Zealand flag; St. Edward's crown, shown above the shield, symbolizes the British monarch

black, white, red (ochre)

Selected World Heritage Site locales

Te Wahipounamu – South West New Zealand (n); Tongariro National Park (m); New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands (n)

Total World Heritage Sites

3 (2 natural, 1 mixed)

Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840); Anzac Day, 25 April (1915)

note

<strong>note:</strong> the Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand, and the second holiday commemorates the landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps in Gallipoli, Turkey, during World War I

Southern Cross constellation (four five-pointed stars), kiwi (bird), silver fern

ACT New Zealand <br>Green Party <br>New Zealand First Party or NZ First <br>Labor Party <br>National Party <br>Te Pāti Māori

Monday

18 years of age; universal

Yes

milk, beef, kiwifruit, apples, grapes, lamb/mutton, potatoes, wheat, barley, chicken (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

On alcohol and tobacco

4.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

On food

12.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Expenditures

$91.782 billion (2022 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Revenues

$83.167 billion (2022 est.)

code

NZD

name

New Zealand dollar (NZD) [$]

$-12,106,086,040

Current account balance 2022

-$21.627 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$17.065 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

-$15.978 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

<p>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</p>

Currency

New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

1.542 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1.414 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

1.577 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

1.628 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

1.652 (2024 est.)

$64.54 billion

Exports 2022

$57.485 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$59.029 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$61.799 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

milk, wood, beef, butter, sheep and goat meat (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

China 28%, USA 12%, Australia 12%, Japan 6%, S. Korea 3% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

net inflows

$1.76 billion

Exports of goods and services

24% (2022 est.)

Government consumption

20.9% (2022 est.)

Household consumption

57.5% (2022 est.)

Imports of goods and services

-29.4% (2022 est.)

Investment in fixed capital

25.4% (2022 est.)

Investment in inventories

0.9% (2022 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agriculture

4.6% (2022 est.)

Industry

19.6% (2022 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Services

67.4% (2022 est.)

$260.236 billion (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

$49,205

$253.26 billion

$47,580

23 % of GDP

$68.74 billion

Imports 2022

$71.35 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$68.412 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$67.998 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, cars, gas turbines, broadcasting equipment, trucks (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

China 20%, Australia 11%, USA 9%, S. Korea 7%, Japan 7% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

-1% (2023 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

2.92%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

7.2% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

5.7% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

2.9% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

3.124 million (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

total

3.08 million persons

agriculture

5.42%

industry

19.94%

services

74.64%

54 % of GDP

Note

<b>note:</b> central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2022

54% of GDP (2022 est.)

$293.73 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$253.903 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$257.443 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$257.117 billion (2024 est.)

1.29%

Note

<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2022

3.5% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

1.4% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

-0.1% (2024 est.)

$55,551

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$49,600 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$49,100 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$48,200 (2024 est.)

$598.19 million

Note

<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

0.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

$22.07 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$14.4 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$15.487 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$22.065 billion (2024 est.)

35 % of GDP

31 % of GDP

29.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

5.08%

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

3.3% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3.8% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

4.9% (2024 est.)

Female

14% (2024 est.)

Male

14.6% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Total

14.3% (2024 est.)

Consumption

2.696 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Exports

906,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Imports

283,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Production

3.011 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Proven reserves

6.75 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Consumption

40.794 billion kWh (2023 est.)

consumption per capita

8,021 kWh

Installed generating capacity

10.643 million kW (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses

3.058 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Biomass and waste

1.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Fossil fuels

12.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Geothermal

17.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectric

59.5%

Hydroelectricity

59.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

0%

renewable

81.44%

Solar

0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Wind

8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

3,661 kg of oil equivalent

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

121.647 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Consumption

3.891 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Production

3.97 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Proven reserves

31.149 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Crude oil estimated reserves

40.993 million barrels (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption

154,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)

Total petroleum production

12,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

28.9%

per 100 inhabitants

38 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

37 (2023 est.)

Total

1.93 million (2023 est.)

state-owned Television New Zealand operates multiple TV networks; 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 TV and radio stations are available; cable and satellite TV systems are available (2019)

.nz

Percent of population

96% (2023 est.)

####

+64

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

13 (2023 est.)

Total subscriptions

660,000 (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100

127 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

115 (2022 est.)

Total subscriptions

6.56 million (2023 est.)

passengers carried

15.03 million passengers

registered carrier departures

178,457 departures

206 (2025)

ZK

Left

62 (2025)

By type

container ship 2, general cargo 12, oil tanker 3, other 100

Total

117 (2023)

Key ports

Auckland, Bluff Harbor, Gisborne, Manukau Harbor, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Otago Harbor, Picton, Tauranga, Timaru, Wellington, Whangarei

Large

2

Medium

1

Ports with oil terminals

14

Small

10

Total ports

22 (2024)

Very small

9

Narrow gauge

4,128 km (2018) 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified)

Total

4,128 km (2018)

NZ

armored vehicles

tanks

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<br><br>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 <br><br>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)

New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (2025)

active duty personnel

10,000

note

<strong>note: </strong>the New Zealand Police, under the Minister of Police, is the primary law enforcement body agency of New Zealand and responsible for internal security<strong><br></strong>

percent of total labor force

0.35 %

approximately 8,800 active (Regular Force) New Zealand Defense Forces (4,300 Army; 2,100 Navy; 2,400 Air Force) (2025)

note

<strong>note:</strong> the total NZDF complement is about 15,300 including the Regular Force, Reserves, and civilians

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)

1 % of GDP

current USD

$2,998,527,518

Military Expenditures 2020

1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

1.2% of GDP (2024 est.)

percent of central government expenditure

2.82 %

percent of GDP

1.19 % of GDP

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

<strong>note: </strong>New Zealand opened up all military occupations to women in 2000; as of 2024, women accounted for about 20% of Regular Force personnel

PowerIndex score

1.9258

IDPs

26 (2024 est.)

Refugees

5,622 (2024 est.)

Stateless persons

29 (2024 est.)

2009 - launched a 2-stage suborbital sounding rocket (Atea-1)<br><br>2018 - placed satellite in orbit on rocket built by a New Zealand-US commercial company and launched from a privately owned domestic launch site<br><br>2019 - began operations of the Kiwi Space Radar, which is designed to track debris in low Earth orbit<br><br>2021 - signed the US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration<br><br>2024 - first domestically made science payload sent to International Space Station on US rocket

New Zealand Space Agency (NZSA; established 2016 under the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment) (2025)

Mahia Peninsula Launch Complex (Hawke's Bay) (2025)

has a national space program focused largely on the development of a commercial space sector, particularly in the field of satellites and satellite launch vehicles (SLV); manufactures and launches commercial satellites and SLVs; researches and develops a range of other space-related technologies, including propulsion systems; participates in international programs and partners with a range of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Australia, Canada, the EU, the ESA, individual European countries, South Africa, and the US; has a growing commercial space sector (2025)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note

<strong>note:</strong> details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

From coal and metallurgical coke

4.24 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From consumed natural gas

7.43 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids

21.836 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Total emissions

33.506 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

water quality and availability; rapid urbanization; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation; native flora and fauna hard-hit by invasive species

Party to

Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

Signed, but not ratified

Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation

Agriculture

1,105.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Energy

95.4 kt (2022-2024 est.)

Other

6.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste

158.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)

8.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

31 % of total land area

27 % of total

327 billion cubic meters (2022)

3 % of internal resources

Agricultural

3.207 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Industrial

1.184 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal

547 million cubic meters (2022)

Municipal solid waste generated annually

3.405 million tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled

22% (2022 est.)