271 lines
22 KiB
Plaintext
271 lines
22 KiB
Plaintext
NEW ZEALAND
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GEOGRAPHY
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Total area: 268,680 km2; land area: 268,670 km2; includes
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Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island,
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Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
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Comparative area: about the size of Colorado
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Land boundaries: none
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Coastline: 15,134 km
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Maritime claims:
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Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm;
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Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
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Territorial sea: 12 nm
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Disputes: territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)
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Climate: temperate with sharp regional contrasts
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Terrain: predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
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Natural resources: natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber,
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hydropower, gold, limestone
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Land use: arable land 2%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures
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53%; forest and woodland 38%; other 7%; includes irrigated 1%
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Environment: earthquakes are common, though usually not severe
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PEOPLE
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Population: 3,308,973 (July 1991), growth rate 0.4% (1991)
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Birth rate: 15 births/1,000 population (1991)
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Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
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Net migration rate: - 3 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
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Infant mortality rate: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
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Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 79 years female (1991)
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Total fertility rate: 1.9 children born/woman (1991)
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Nationality: noun--New Zealander(s); adjective--New Zealand
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Ethnic divisions: European 88%, Maori 8.9%, Pacific Islander
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2.9%, other 0.2%
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Religion: Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%,
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Methodist 5%, Baptist 2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none
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9% (1986)
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Language: English (official), Maori
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Literacy: 99% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can
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read and write (1970)
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Labor force: 1,591,900; services 67.4%, manufacturing 19.8%,
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primary production 9.3% (1987)
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Organized labor: 681,000 members; 43% of labor force (1986)
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GOVERNMENT
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Long-form name: none; abbreviated NZ
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Type: parliamentary democracy
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Capital: Wellington
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Administrative divisions: 93 counties, 9 districts*, and
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3 town districts**; Akaroa, Amuri, Ashburton, Bay of Islands, Bruce,
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Buller, Chatham Islands, Cheviot, Clifton, Clutha, Cook, Dannevirke,
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Egmont, Eketahuna, Ellesmere, Eltham, Eyre, Featherston, Franklin, Golden
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Bay, Great Barrier Island, Grey, Hauraki Plains, Hawera*, Hawke's Bay,
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Heathcote, Hikurangi**, Hobson, Hokianga, Horowhenua, Hurunui, Hutt,
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Inangahua, Inglewood, Kaikoura, Kairanga, Kiwitea, Lake, Mackenzie,
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Malvern, Manaia**, Manawatu, Mangonui, Maniototo, Marlborough, Masterton,
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Matamata, Mount Herbert, Ohinemuri, Opotiki, Oroua, Otamatea,
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Otorohanga*, Oxford, Pahiatua, Paparua, Patea, Piako, Pohangina, Raglan,
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Rangiora*, Rangitikei, Rodney, Rotorua*, Runanga, Saint Kilda,
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Silverpeaks, Southland, Stewart Island, Stratford, Strathallan, Taranaki,
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Taumarunui, Taupo, Tauranga, Thames-Coromandel*, Tuapeka, Vincent,
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Waiapu, Waiheke, Waihemo, Waikato, Waikohu, Waimairi, Waimarino, Waimate,
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Waimate West, Waimea, Waipa, Waipawa*, Waipukurau*, Wairarapa South,
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Wairewa, Wairoa, Waitaki, Waitomo*, Waitotara, Wallace, Wanganui,
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Waverley**, Westland, Whakatane*, Whangarei, Whangaroa, Woodville
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Dependent areas: Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau
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Independence: 26 September 1907 (from UK)
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Constitution: no formal, written constitution; consists of various
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documents, including certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments;
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Constitution Act 1986 was to have come into force 1 January 1987, but has
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not been enacted
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Legal system: based on English law, with special land legislation
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and land courts for Maoris; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
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reservations
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National holiday: Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established
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British sovereignty), 6 February (1840)
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Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime
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minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet
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Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives (commonly
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called Parliament)
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Judicial branch: High Court, Court of Appeal
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Leaders:
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Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II ( since 6 February 1952),
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represented by Governor General Dame Catherine TIZARD (since 12
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December 1990);
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Head of Government--Prime Minister James BOLGER (since
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29 October 1990); Deputy Prime Minister Donald McKINNON (since 2
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November 1990)
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Political parties and leaders:
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National Party (NP; government), James BOLGER;
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New Zealand Labor Party (NZLP; opposition), Michael MOORE;
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New Labor Party (NLP), Jim ANDERTON;
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Democratic Party, Neil MORRISON;
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Green Party, no official leader;
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Socialist Unity Party (SUP; pro-Soviet), Kenneth DOUGLAS
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Suffrage: universal at age 18
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Elections:
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House of Representatives--last held on 27 October 1990 (next to be
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held October 1993);
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results--NP 49%, LP 35%, Green Party 7%, New Labor 5%;
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seats--(97 total) NP 67, LP 29, NLP 1
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Communists: SUP about 140, other groups, about 200
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Member of: ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on
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11 August 1986), APEC, AsDB, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, GATT, IAEA,
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IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT,
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INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, OECD, PCA,
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SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIIMOG, UNTSO, UPU, WHO, WIPO,
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WMO
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Diplomatic representation: Ambassador-designate Denis Bazely
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Gordon McLEAN; Chancery at 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington DC 20008;
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telephone (202) 328-4800; there are New Zealand Consulates General in Los
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Angeles and New York;
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US--Ambassador Della M. NEWMAN; Embassy at 29 Fitzherbert Terrace,
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Thorndon, Wellington (mailing address is P. O. Box 1190, Wellington, or
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FPO San Francisco 96690-0001); telephone 64 (4) 722-068; there is a US
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Consulate General in Auckland
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Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant
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with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer
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half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross constellation
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ECONOMY
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Overview: Since 1984 the government has been reorienting an
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agrarian economy dependent on a guaranteed British market to an open
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free market economy that can compete on the global scene. The government
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has hoped that dynamic growth would boost real incomes, reduce
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inflationary pressures, and permit the expansion of welfare benefits. The
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results have been mixed: inflation is down from double-digit levels
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but growth has been sluggish and unemployment, always a highly sensitive
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issue, has been at a record high 7.4%. In 1988 GDP fell by 1%, in
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1989 grew by a moderate 2.4%, and was flat in 1990.
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GDP: $40.2 billion, per capita $12,200; real growth rate 0.7%
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(1990)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.5% (FY90)
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Unemployment rate: 7.4% (March 1990)
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Budget: revenues $17.6 billion; expenditures $18.3 billion,
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including capital expenditures of $NA (FY91 est.)
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Exports: $8.8 billion (f.o.b., FY90);
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commodities--wool, lamb, mutton, beef, fruit, fish, cheese,
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manufactures, chemicals, forestry products;
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partners--EC 18.3%, Japan 17.9%, Australia 17.5%, US 13.5%,
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China 3.6%, South Korea 3.1%
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Imports: $8.1 billion (f.o.b., FY90);
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commodities--petroleum, consumer goods, motor vehicles, industrial
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equipment;
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partners--Australia 19.7%, Japan 16.9%, EC 16.9%, US 15.3%,
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Taiwan 3.0%
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External debt: $17.4 billion (1989)
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Industrial production: growth rate 1.9% (1990); accounts for
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about 20% of GDP
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Electricity: 7,800,000 kW capacity; 28,000 million kWh produced,
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8,500 kWh per capita (1990)
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Industries: food processing, wood and paper products, textiles,
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machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism,
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mining
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Agriculture: accounts for about 9% of GNP and 10% of the
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work force; livestock predominates--wool, meat, dairy products all export
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earners; crops--wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, and
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vegetables; surplus producer of farm products; fish catch reached a
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record 503,000 metric tons in 1988
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Economic aid: donor--ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $526
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million
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Currency: New Zealand dollar (plural--dollars);
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1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents
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Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars (NZ$) per US$1--1.6798 (January
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1991), 1.6750 (1990), 1.6711 (1989), 1.5244 (1988), 1.6886 (1987), 1.9088
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(1986), 2.0064 (1985)
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Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
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COMMUNICATIONS
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Railroads: 4,716 km total; all 1.067-meter gauge; 274 km double
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track; 113 km electrified; over 99% government owned
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Highways: 92,648 km total; 49,547 km paved, 43,101 km gravel or
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crushed stone
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Inland waterways: 1,609 km; of little importance to transportation
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Pipelines: 1,000 km natural gas; 160 km refined products; 150 km
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condensate
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Ports: Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington, Tauranga
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Merchant marine: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 204,269
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GRT/281,375 DWT; includes 5 cargo, 1 container, 4 roll-on/roll-off cargo,
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1 railcar carrier, 4 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker,
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1 liquefied gas, 5 bulk
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Civil air: about 40 major transport aircraft
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Airports: 157 total, 157 usable; 33 with permanent-surface runways;
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none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 46 with
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runways 1,220-2,439 m
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Telecommunications: excellent international and domestic systems;
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2,110,000 telephones; stations 64 AM, 2 FM, 14 TV; submarine cables
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extend to Australia and Fiji; 2 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth stations
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DEFENSE FORCES
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Branches: New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New
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Zealand Air Force
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Manpower availability: males 15-49, 874,443; 740,831 fit for
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military service; 28,814 reach military age (20) annually
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Defense expenditures: $832 million, 1-2% of GDP (FY90)
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