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NAVIGATION
New Zealand
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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The Polynesian Maoris reached New Zealand in about the 800 AD. The British proclaimed their sovereignty over the islands in 1840 and began settlement that same year. 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 number of defense alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances. |
GEOGRAPHY
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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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Oceania |
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Area:
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total: 268,680 sq km
note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands water: NA sq km land: NA sq km |
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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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continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
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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: Mount Cook 3,764 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: 5.8%
permanent crops: 6.44% other: 87.76% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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2,850 sq km (1998 est.) |
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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 species introduced from outside |
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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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation |
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Geography - note:
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about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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3,908,037 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 22.2% (male 443,921; female 422,804)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 1,299,973; female 1,290,097) 65 years and over: 11.5% (male 196,640; female 254,602) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.12% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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14.23 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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7.55 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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4.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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6.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 78.15 years
female: 81.27 years (2002 est.) male: 75.17 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.8 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.06% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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1,200 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 100 (1999 est.) |
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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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New Zealand European 74.5%, Maori 9.7%, other European 4.6%, Pacific Islander 3.8%, Asian and others 7.4% |
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Religions:
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Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%, Methodist 5%, Baptist 2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none 33% (1986) |
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Languages:
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English (official), Maori (official) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |