Country Name：New Zealand.
Area：Approximately 270,000 square kilometers.
Population：Approximately 5.357 million (December 2024). According to 2023 Census, descendants of European immigrants account for 67.8%, Maori 17.8%, Asians 17.3%, and Pacific Islanders 8.9% (some identify with multiple ethnic groups). The official languages are English and Maori.
Capital：Wellington. The average temperature is around 16°C in summer and around 8°C in winter.
Head of State：King Charles III of the United Kingdom. The Governor - General is the representative of the King, nominated by the Prime Minister and appointed by the King, with a term of 5 years. The current Governor - General is Cindy Kiro, who took office in October 2021.
Important Festival：National Day: February 6th, known as Waitangi Day.
Overview：Located in the southwest of the Pacific Ocean, it faces Australia across the Tasman Sea to the west, with a distance of 1,600 kilometers. It consists of the South Island, the North Island, and some small islands, separated by the Cook Strait between the South and North Islands. The whole country is mountainous, with mountains and hills accounting for more than 75% of the national area, and the plains are narrow. The rivers are short and rapid, inconvenient for shipping, but rich in water resources. The North Island has many volcanoes and hot springs, while the South Island has many glaciers and lakes. Mount Cook on the South Island, with an altitude of 3,754 meters, is the highest peak in the country. The coastline is about 15,000 kilometers long. It has a temperate maritime climate. The average temperature is around 20°C in summer and around 10°C in winter. The average annual precipitation is 600 - 1500 millimeters.
Since 1350, the Maori have settled in New Zealand. In 1642, Dutch navigators landed in New Zealand. From 1769 to 1777, Captain James Cook of the United Kingdom visited New Zealand five times. Thereafter, the United Kingdom immigrated to New Zealand in large numbers and declared its occupation. On February 6, 1840, the United Kingdom signed the Treaty of Waitangi with Maori chiefs, and New Zealand became a British colony. It became independent in 1907 and became a self - governing dominion of the United Kingdom, with its politics, economy, and foreign affairs controlled by the United Kingdom. In 1947, it became a sovereign country and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations at the same time.
Constitution：There is no written constitution. Its constitution is composed of a series of laws and amendments passed by the British Parliament and the New Zealand Parliament successively, as well as certain decisions of the British Privy Council.
Parliament：Unicameral, with only the House of Representatives, established in 1854. Members of Parliament are elected by universal suffrage for a term of 3 years. The current Parliament is the 54th, formed in December 2023. There are a total of 123 seats, of which the National Party holds 49 seats, the Labour Party holds 34 seats, the Green Party holds 15 seats, the ACT Party holds 11 seats, the New Zealand First Party holds 8 seats, and the Maori Party holds 6 seats. The current Speaker is Hon Gerry Brownlee.
Politics：Since 1935, the Labour Party and the National Party have alternated in power. In November 1993, a national referendum decided to change the parliamentary election system from the simple majority system to the mixed - member proportional representation system. In October 1996, the first general election under the mixed - member proportional representation system was held, and the National Party and the New Zealand First Party formed a coalition government. In October 2017, the Labour Party formed a coalition government with the New Zealand First Party and the Green Party, and Jacinda Ardern, the leader of the Labour Party, served as Prime Minister. In October 2020, the New Zealand Labour Party won an absolute majority of seats in the general election and Ardern was re - elected Prime Minister. In January 2023, Ardern announced her resignation as Prime Minister, and Chris Hipkins took over as Prime Minister. After the New Zealand general election in October, Hipkins served as the Prime Minister of the caretaker government. In November 2023, the National Party, the New Zealand First Party, and the ACT Party formed a coalition government, and Christopher Luxon, the leader of the National Party, served as Prime Minister.
Government：The Executive Council composed of the Governor - General and ministers is the legally highest administrative body. The Executive Council is chaired by the Governor - General, and when the Governor - General is absent, it is chaired by the Prime Minister or a senior minister. The Governor - General must exercise power under the guidance of the advice of the Executive Council. The Cabinet holds real power. The current government was formed by the National Party, the New Zealand First Party, and the ACT Party in November 2023. The main members include: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Regulation David Seymour, Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters, Minister of Finance Nicola Willis, Minister of Trade Todd McClay, Minister of Justice Paul Goldsmith, Minister of Defense Judith Collins, etc.
Administrative Divisions：The country has 11 regions, 5 single - district areas, and 67 regional administrative agencies (including 13 city halls, 53 district councils, and the Chatham Islands Council). The main cities include Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton, Dunedin, etc.
Judicial System：There are the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, the High Court, several local courts, and specialized courts for handling legal issues related to employment, family, youth affairs, Maori affairs, and the environment. The Supreme Court was established on January 1, 2004, replacing the British Privy Council as the final appellate court, consisting of the Chief Justice and 4 judges. The Court of Appeal consists of the President and 9 judges. The High Court consists of 38 judges and 7 associate judges.
Political Parties：The main ones are:
(1) National Party: One of the ruling parties. It was formed in 1936 by the merger of the Liberal Party and the Reform Party. It mainly represents the interests of farmers, big entrepreneurs, lawyers, etc. It advocates a free - market economy and privatization, opposes excessive government intervention in the economy, strictly regulates welfare policies, and cuts government spending. It has been in power many times. After the 2017 general election, it became the opposition party. It won the 2023 general election and took the lead in forming the cabinet. The current leader is Christopher Luxon.
(2) ACT Party: One of the ruling parties. Its predecessor was the Consumers and Taxpayers Association founded by Roger Douglas, a minister of the Labour Party government. It was renamed the current name in November 1994. The current leader is David Seymour,who serves Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Regulation
(3) New Zealand First Party: One of the ruling parties. It was established in 1993. It formed a coalition government with the National Party from 1996 to 1998 and with the Labour Party from 2005 to 2008. It advocates increasing support for the economic development of areas other than large cities, restricting foreign immigration, and opposing the sale of strategic land and assets to foreigners. After the 2017 general election, it jointly governed with the Labour Party and the Green Party. It returned to Parliament after the 2023 general election. The current leader is Winston Peters, who serves Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand.
(4) Labour Party: The main opposition party. It was established in 1916. It mainly represents the interests of low - and middle - income earners. Trade union organizations and Maori are its traditional supporters. It advocates democratic socialism, attaches importance to the social welfare system, and increases government intervention in social policies. It has been in power many times. After the 2017 general election, it jointly governed with the New Zealand First Party and the Green Party. In 2020, it jointly formed a government with the Green Party. The current leader is Chris Hipkins.
(5) Green Party: Its predecessor was the Values Party, established in 1972. It merged with Greenpeace in 1990 and was renamed the current name. It is actively committed to anti - war, anti - nuclear, environmental protection movements, and safeguarding the interests of vulnerable groups such as the elderly and poor families. It joined the Alliance Party in 1991 and left the Alliance Party in 1999. After the 2017 general election, it jointly governed with the Labour Party and the New Zealand First Party. In 2020, it jointly formed a government with the Labour Party. The current co - leaders are Marama Davidson and Chlöe Swarbrick.
(6) Maori Party: In April 2004, due to differences of opinion with the Labour Party government on Maori issues, Tariana Turia, the associate minister of Maori affairs, resigned and founded the Maori Party. It advocates safeguarding the traditional interests of Maori and protecting Maori culture, customs, and language. The current co - leaders are Debbie Ngarewa - Packer and Rawiri Waititi.
Important Figures：Cindy Kiro: Governor - General. Female, the first Maori - descent Governor - General in New Zealand's history. She once served as the CEO of the Royal Society of New Zealand. She has long been engaged in public health, child welfare, education, etc., and was awarded the "Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit". She took office in October 2021 for a term of 5 years.
Christopher Luxon: Prime Minister. Elected as a New Zealand MP in 2020. He once served as the CEO of Air New Zealand and the spokesman for the opposition National Party on local government, research, science, manufacturing, and land information. He became the leader of the National Party in November 2021. He became the Prime Minister of New Zealand in November 2023.
Economy：It is dominated by agriculture and animal husbandry, with a developed service industry. The main economic data are as follows:
Gross Domestic Product (2024): US$257.576 billion
Per capita Gross Domestic Product (2024): Approximately US$48,020
Economic Growth Rate (2024): -0.5%
Currency: New Zealand dollar (1 New Zealand dollar ≈ 0.59 US dollar, March 2025)
Unemployment Rate: 5.1% (December quarter of 2024)
Industry：It is mainly engaged in the processing of agricultural, forestry, and animal husbandry products. There are mainly light industries such as dairy products, blankets, food, leather, tobacco, papermaking, and wood processing, and the products are mainly for export. In recent years, some heavy industries have been established, such as steelmaking, oil refining, aluminum smelting, and the manufacture of agricultural aircraft.
Agriculture：Agriculture is highly mechanized. The main crops include wheat, barley, oats, fruits, etc. Animal husbandry is developed, and dairy products and meat are the most important export products.
Forestry：The forest area is 8.1 million hectares, including 6.3 million hectares of natural forests and 1.8 million hectares of plantation forests. The main export products include logs, wood pulp, paper, and wood boards, etc. The main export markets are Australia, Japan, China, South Korea, the United States, Indonesia, and Taiwan, China.
Tourism：The main sources of tourists are Australia, China, the United States, and the United Kingdom, etc.
Foreign Trade：In 2024, the total volume of New Zealand's goods trade was NZ$208.47 billion, of which the export volume was NZ$101.38 billion and the import volume was NZ$107.09 billion. The main imports are oil, mechanical and electrical products, automobiles, electronic equipment, textiles, etc., and the exports are dairy products, meat, forest products, crude oil, fruits, and fish, etc. The main trading partners are China, Australia, the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore.
Military：The Governor - General is the Commander - in - Chief of the armed forces, the nominal supreme commander. The Minister of Defense exercises the actual control of the military with the assistance of the Chief of the Defense Force. The Chief of the Defense Force is the chief military advisor to the Minister of Defense and also the chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. The conscription system was abolished at the end of 1972, and a volunteer military service system was implemented.
Education：State - run primary and secondary schools provide free education, and the school - entry age is 5 years old; compulsory education is provided for adolescents aged 6 - 15 years old. The main universities include the University of Auckland, Auckland University of Technology, the University of Waikato, Victoria University of Wellington, the University of Canterbury, Massey University, the University of Otago, and Lincoln University. The main countries of origin of international students in New Zealand are China, South Korea, Japan, India, etc.
Press and Publication：There are more than 100 newspapers in the country. The main newspapers include The New Zealand Herald and The Dominion Post. The main radio stations include Radio New Zealand, Television New Zealand, and Maori Television.
Foreign Relations：New Zealand takes its relations with Australia and Pacific Island countries as the priority direction of its foreign relations; actively develops relations with the United States, maintains traditional relations with European countries, and emphasizes the development of relations with ASEAN countries; actively supports and participates in the peace - keeping operations and humanitarian assistance of the United Nations, seeking to play a role in international organizations; advocates multilateralism, advocates that the United Nations play a leading role in international and regional affairs; supports the multilateral trading system, advocates free and fair trade, attaches importance to participating in regional economic cooperation, and actively promotes the trade and investment liberalization processes such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans - Pacific Partnership (CPTPP); emphasizes the defensive nature of the military and its multiple functions of participating in peace - keeping and humanitarian assistance; advocates the continued promotion of the international nuclear disarmament process and the ultimate complete destruction of nuclear weapons; adheres to the nuclear - free zone in the South Pacific and supports the establishment of a nuclear-free zone in Southeast Asia; actively participates in international efforts to address climate change and counter-terrorism cooperation.