New Zealand - Government
Geography - People - Economy - Government - Communications - Transportation - Military - Transnational IssuesNew Zealand is located Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia. The climate is temperate with sharp regional contrasts. The terrain is predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains.
Country name
This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example)Country name - conventional long form : none
Country name - conventional short form : New Zealand
Country name - abbreviation : NZ
Government type
This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.)Government type : parliamentary democracy
Capital
This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.Capital - name : Wellington
Capital - geographic coordinates : 41 28 S, 174 51 E
Capital - time difference : UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Capital - daylight saving time : +1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends third Sunday in March
Capital - note : New Zealand is divided into two time zones, including Chatham Island
Administrative divisions
This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by the BGN are noted.Administrative divisions : 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
Dependent areas
This entry contains an alphabetical listing of all nonindependent entities associated in some way with a particular independent state.Dependent areas : Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau
Independence
For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation "none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. Also see the Terminology note.Independence : 26 September 1907 (from UK)
National holiday
This entry gives the primary national day of celebration - usually independence day.National holiday : 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)
Constitution
This entry includes the dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments.Constitution : consists of a series of legal documents, including certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments, as well as The Constitution Act 1986, which is the principal formal charter; adopted 1 January 1987, effective 1 January 1987
Legal system
This entry contains a brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.Legal system : based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts for the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage
This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted.Suffrage : 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
This entry includes several subfields. Chief of state includes the name and title of the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government. Cabinet includes the official name for this body of high-ranking advisers and the method for selection of members. Elections include the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote for each candidate in the last election.Executive branch - chief of state : Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006)
Executive branch - head of government : Prime Minister John KEY (since 19 November 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Bill ENGLISH (since 19 November 2008)
Executive branch - cabinet : Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister
Executive branch - elections : the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
Legislative branch
This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.Legislative branch - elections : last held 8 November 2008 (next to be held in 2011)
Legislative branch - election results : percent of vote by party - NP 45.5%, NZLP 33.8%, Green Party 6.4%, ACT New Zealand 3.7%, Maori 2.2%, Progressive 0.9%, UF 0.9%, other 6.6%; seats by party - NP 59, NZLP 43, Green Party 8, ACT New Zealand 5, Maori 5, Progressive 1, UF 1
Legislative branch - note : results of 2008 election saw the total number of seats increase to 122
Judicial branch
This entry contains the name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.Judicial branch : Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; High Court; note - judges appointed by the Governor-General
Political parties and leaders
This entry includes a listing of significant political organizations and their leaders.Political parties and leaders : ACT New Zealand [Rodney HIDE]; Green Party [Jeanette FITZSIMONS]; Maori Party [Whatarangi WINIATA]; National Party or NP [John KEY]; New Zealand First Party or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New Zealand Labor Party or NZLP [Phil GOFF]; Progressive Party [James (Jim) ANDERTON]; United Future or UF [Peter DUNNE]
Political pressure groups and leaders
This entry includes a listing of a country's political, social, labor, or religious organizations that are involved in politics, or that exert political pressure, but whose leaders do not stand for legislative election. International movements or organizations are generally not listed.Political pressure groups and leaders - other : apartheid groups; civil rights groups; farmers groups; Maori; nuclear weapons groups; women's rights groups
International organization participation
This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.International organization participation : ADB, ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986), APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.Diplomatic representation in the US - chief of mission : Ambassador Roy N. FERGUSON
Diplomatic representation in the US - chancery : 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation in the US - telephone : [1] (202) 328-4800
Diplomatic representation in the US - FAX : [1] (202) 667-5227
Diplomatic representation in the US - consulate(s) general : Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.Diplomatic representation from the US - chief of mission : Ambassador William P. McCORMICK
Diplomatic representation from the US - embassy : 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington
Diplomatic representation from the US - mailing address : P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP 96531-1034
Diplomatic representation from the US - telephone : [64] (4) 462-6000
Diplomatic representation from the US - FAX : [64] (4) 499-0490
Diplomatic representation from the US - consulate(s) general : Auckland
Flag description
This entry provides a written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.Flag description : 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
Government - note
This entry includes miscellaneous government information of significance not included elsewhere.Government - note : while not an official symbol, the Kiwi, a small native flightless bird, represents New Zealand
More Information about the country
