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About New Zealand
New Zealand. island country (2006 pop. 4.2million, 104,454 sq mi (270,534 sq km), in the S Pacific Ocean, over 1,000 mi (1,600 km) SE of Australia. The capital is Wellington ; the largest city and leading port is Auckland .
People
More than 85% of the population lives in urban areas. In addition to Wellington and  Auckland, the principal cities are Christchurch , Dunedin , Hamilton , Palmerston North , Hutt City , and Invercargill . People of European background constitute almost 80% of the population. The Maori , New Zealand's indigenous inhabitants, now make up about 14% of the population, with most living on the North Island. There are also small minorities of Pacific Islanders and Asians. Both English and Maori are official languages. New Zealand has no established religion; the three largest faiths are Anglican, Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic. There are universities at Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Palmerston North, Christchurch, and Dunedin.
Resources
 Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, although industry employs more people. The agricultural sector has diversified from a reliance on sheep raising to such additional enterprises as dairying, forestry, and horticulture. The principal exports are wool, meat, dairy products, fish, fruit, and timber products. Small amounts of coal, gold, iron, and natural gas are also produced. Food processing is the largest manufacturing industry; and there is a variety of small light-manufacturing industries. Beginning in the 1980s, New Zealand transformed its highly protected and regulated economy into one that was much more privatized, market oriented, and deregulated.
Government
New Zealand's government consists of the governor-general (representing the British crown), a prime minister and cabinet (the effective executive), and a unicameral parliament. The chief political parties are Labour and the National party. In 1993 a system of proportional representation was introduced, giving smaller parties a greater chance to win seats. Administratively, New Zealand is divided into 93 counties, nine districts, and three town districts. New Zealand is a member of the Commonwealth and the United Nations.
*Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, Copyright (c) 2003.
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