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New Zealand is located in the Southwest Pacific Ocean and consists of two main islands as well as a number of smaller ones. Over the past 20 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, broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector, and contained inflationary pressures.
Area: 268,680 sq km
Population: 4,076,140
Capital: Wellington
People: European 69.8%, Maori 7.9%, Asian 5.7%, Pacific islander 4.4%, other 0.5%, mixed 7.8%, unspecified 3.8%
Language: English (official), Maori (official), Sign Language (official)
Religion: 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%
Government: Parliamentary Democracy
GDP: US$106 billion
Major Industries: Agriculture, aluminum smelting, cement, fertilizers, fishing, glass, iron and steel, meat and dairy processing, machinery, natural gas processing, paper, tanning, timber milling, transport equipment, and wood processing.
Major Trading Partners: Its main trading partners are Australia, the UK, Japan and the USA.
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