Location
southwestern Pacific Ocean
Population
5.072.820 (2022)
National currency
New Zealand dollar
Conditional reduction of currency
NZD
Climate, average max and min t°
temperate with wide regional contrast. The hottest months are December, January and February; the coldest are June, July and August. Average temperature in July varies from +12°С to +5°С, average temperature in January varies from +19°С to +14°С.
Time difference from Moscow
+ 9 hours
State language
English, Maori, NZ Sign language
Ethnic groups
56.8% - European; 8% - Asian; 7.4% - Maori; 4.6% - Pacific islanders; 9.7% - mixed; 13.5% - other
History
The Polynesian Maori and Moriori are considered to be the pioneers of New Zealand who supposedly started the reclamation of the islands in 11-14 centuries. Although the first European who saw the shores of New Zealand in 1642, was a Dutch seafarer Abel Tasman, it was a voyage of James Cook in 1768 which set the stage of dynamic reclamation of the lands by Europeans.
In 1840, due to the growing interest of France to New Zealand’s colonization, Great Britain appointed its governor in the country, and on February 6 she signed the Treaty of Waitangi which became the basis of a new state and is followed till today. According to the Treaty, New Zealand become a part of British Empire, but it was also guaranteed that Maori could still enjoy their rights (including property rights).
In the middle of the 1850s, New Zealand got the rights of limited autonomy, and by the end of the 1890s obtained independancy.
The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907. However, the country gained it full independence only in 1986, when as a result of constitutional crisis Constitution Act of 1986 was adopted.
Government type
constitutional monarchy
Executive branch
Cabinet lead by the Prime Minister
Legislative branch
Parliament consisting of the Queen and the House of Representatives (120 seats)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; High Court
GDP per capita rank
33 (2020)
Corruption perceptions index rank
88 (2021)
