New Zealand metres above sea level. Around one-tenth of 1990–2010. A great range of flora, the North Island (113,729 sq km) is depending on latitude and altitude, from mountainous. Its Rotorua area, a much- subtropical rainforest to alpine, with 25 per visited tourist attraction, has boiling mud cent of plants growing above the tree line. pools and geysers. The South Island Many species are unique to New Zealand. (150,437 sq km) is very mountainous; the Arable land comprises two per cent of the Southern Alps extend almost its entire total land area. length; they have many outlying ranges to Wildlife: Fauna are often also unique the north and south-west; there are at least because of geographical isolation, and 223 peaks more than 2,300 metres above include such flightless birds as kiwis, kakapos sea level and 360 glaciers. There are and wekas, and a great diversity of seabirds, numerous lakes, mostly at high altitude, and many rivers, mostly fast-flowing and difficult as well as 400 kinds of marine fish and many to navigate, which are important sources of sea mammals including 32 whale species. hydroelectricity (which provides more than The introduction of land mammals (unknown 90 per cent of the country’s power). Stewart before the arrival of humans, save for three Island, named after Captain Stewart, who species of bat) by successive settlers, Polynesian and European, has seriously KEY FACTS first charted the island in 1809, and (further out) the Auckland Islands lie south of the damaged the habitat of many species, Joined Commonwealth: 1931 (Statute of South Island. The Chatham and Pitt Islands including the flightless birds – of which the Westminster) are 850 km east of Christchurch. In moa, adzebill and flightless goose have Population: 4,506,000 (2013) addition, the Kermadec Islands were become extinct – and reduced the forest annexed in 1887 and the Ross Dependency area. GDP p.c. growth: 1.5% p.a. 1990–2013 in Antarctica was acquired in 1923. The Main towns: Wellington (capital, pop. UN HDI 2014: World ranking 7 country has a long coastline (15,130 km) in 190,065 in 2013; greater Wellington includes Official languages: English, Maori relation to its area. Lower Hutt, Porirua and Upper Hutt), Time: GMT plus 12–13 hrs Climate: Temperate marine climate Auckland (427,110; greater Auckland Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZ$) influenced by the surrounding ocean, the includes Manukau, North Shore and prevailing westerly winds and the Waitakere), Manukau (greater Auckland, mountainous nature of the islands. The 401,883), Christchurch (353,349), North Geography weather tends to be changeable. Winds can Shore (greater Auckland, 273,594), Waitakere Area: 270,500 sq km be very strong, sometimes damaging (greater Auckland, 206,244), Hamilton Coastline: 15,130 km buildings and trees. Rain, sometimes very (170,571), Tauranga (120,414), Dunedin heavy, occurs throughout the year. Cold (112,032), Lower Hutt (greater Wellington, Capital: Wellington southerly winds bring snow in winter, 97,653), Palmerston North (78,195), Hastings New Zealand’s Maori name is Aotearoa , sometimes in spring. At Wellington, yearly (64,002), Nelson (60,561), Napier (58,221), meaning ‘Land of the Long White Cloud’. A average rainfall is 1,270 mm (143 mm in July, Rotorua (53,268), New Plymouth (52,695), well-watered and fertile mountainous island and averaging 87 mm November–February); Porirua (greater Wellington, 51,537), country in the South Pacific, New Zealand average January temperature is 13–20°C, and Whangarei (49,182) and Invercargill (47,898). consists of two large islands (North Island and July temperature 6–11°C. Most of the South Island), Stewart Island and a number of country experiences at least 2,000 hours of Transport: There are 94,280 km of roads, 66 offshore islands. It is somewhat isolated, sunshine annually. In recent years, weather per cent paved. The railway network, being about 1,600 km east of Australia, the patterns have been affected by La Niña and privatised in 1993 and subsequently nearest land mass. Other neighbouring El Niño; some unusually high temperatures renationalised, extends over 3,900 km, with countries are Vanuatu and Tonga. have been recorded; and drought and many scenic routes. unusually heavy rainfall have occurred. Time: GMT plus 12 hrs. The clock is There are 13 major commercial ports, advanced by one hour from the first Sunday Environment: The most significant including those in Whangarei (shipping oil in October to the third Sunday in March. environmental issues are deforestation and products), Tauranga (timber and newsprint) soil erosion, and the impact on native flora and Bluff (alumina and aluminium) as well as Topography: New Zealand being in the and fauna of species introduced from other container ports in Auckland, Wellington, ‘Pacific ring of fire’, volcanic activity has countries. Lyttleton (near Christchurch) and Dunedin. shaped the landscape. Earthquakes, mostly shallow, are common, and volcanic Vegetation: Forest cover includes species of There are international airports in Auckland eruptions occur in the North Island and conifer, kauri (North Island only) and beech – (23 km to the south of the city), Christchurch offshore to the Kermadec Islands. Some 75 forest covers 31 per cent of the land area, (10 km north-west), Wellington (8 km south- per cent of the country is more than 200 having increased at 0.3 per cent p.a. east), Hamilton and Dunedin. The CommoNwealTh Yearbook 2015 New Zealand Society There are many colleges of education across Public holidays: New Year (two days), the country and the University of Waikato has Waitangi Day (anniversary of the 1840 treaty, KEY FACTS 2013 its own School of Education. The tertiary sector 6 February), ANZAC Day (25 April), Queen’s Population per sq km: 17 also includes 20 institutes of technology and Official Birthday (first Monday in June), Life expectancy: 81 years polytechnics, all offering degree courses. The Labour Day (fourth Monday in October), Maori Education Trust – established in 1961 as Christmas Day and Boxing Day. The Net primary enrolment: 98% the Maori Education Foundation – awards anniversaries of the former provinces of New Population: 4,506,000 (2013); 86 per cent scholarships and grants to encourage the Zealand are observed locally as holidays. of people live in urban areas and 32 per cent Maori into tertiary education. The female–male Religious and other festivals whose dates vary in urban agglomerations of more than one ratio for gross enrolment in tertiary education from year to year include Good Friday and million people; growth 1.2 per cent p.a. is 1.50:1 (2010). There is virtually no illiteracy Easter Monday. 1990–2013; birth rate 14 per 1,000 people among people aged 15–24. (22 in 1970); life expectancy 81 years (71 in Media: Largest dailies include The New 1970). Economy Zealand Herald (Auckland, the main national KEY FACTS 2013 The 2006 census recorded 2,609,592 people newspaper), The Dominion Post (Wellington) of European origin (65 per cent); 565,329 and The Press (Christchurch). Many other GDP: US$185.8bn people of Polynesian (Maori) descent (14 per daily papers – mostly evening editions – are GDP p.c.: US$41,556 cent); 265,974 Pacific Island Polynesians (6.6 published locally and regionally. The principal GDP growth: 2.0% p.a. 2009–13 per cent), mostly from Samoa (131,103), Sunday papers are Sunday Star-Times and Cook Islands (56,895) and Tonga (50,478); Sunday News . Inflation: 2.2% p.a. 2009–13 some 139,728 Chinese (3.5 per cent); and Broadcasting was deregulated in 1988. From the 1950s the country diversified both 97,443 Indians (2.4 per cent). About 75 per Television New Zealand operates two public its economy and its export markets, reducing cent of people live in North Island, of which channels and further digital channels, and its dependence on sheep and butter. the average population density is 24 per sq Maori Television promotes Maori language Diversification has taken it into new km (South Island: six per sq km). and culture. TV3, Prime TV and Sky TV are agricultural products (kiwi fruit, apples, Language: English and Maori are the official private channels. timber and wine), and seen significant languages and many information documents growth in fishing, tourism, manufacturing Radio New Zealand provides three public are also translated into Polynesian. and services. stations and an external service, RNZI. Ruia Mai Religion: Some 60 per cent of people adhere is a Maori-owned radio station broadcasting in In 1984, after a period when the economy to a religion: Christians 44 per cent (Roman Maori, and Niu FM provides a public service for stalled, inflation was high and the currency Catholics 12 per cent, Anglicans 11 per cent, the Pacific Islander communities. There are devalued, the country embarked on a policy of Presbyterians/Congregational/Reformed eight several private radio stations. liberalisation, deregulation and privatisation. In per cent, Methodists two per cent); Hindus 1989, control of inflation was passed to the Some 97 per cent of households have TV sets two per cent; and Buddhists 1.4 per cent Reserve Bank; the subsequent austerity (2009). There are 826 personal computers (2013 census). measures brought inflation to below two per per 1,000 people (2009). cent by the end of 1991, and tight fiscal policy Health: Public spending on health was nine Communications: Country code 64; internet was maintained. Economic policy has been to per cent of GDP in 2012. Treatment in public domain ‘.nz’. Public phones are generally protect the core of social spending while hospitals is free for everyone. There are phonecard- or credit card-operated. Mobile reducing government expenditure through medical schools at the University of Auckland phone coverage is good.