New Zealand

New Zealand Aotearoa (Māori)
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem:  "God Defend New Zealand" "God Save the Queen"
Location of New Zealand within the Realm of New Zealand
Capital	Wellington 41°17′S 174°27′E / 41.283°S 174.450°E / -41.283; 174.450
Largest city	Auckland
Official languages	96.1% English 3.7% Māori 0.5% NZ Sign Language
Ethnic groups (2013)	74.0% European 14.9% Māori 11.8% Asian 7.4% Pacific peoples 1.2% Middle Eastern, Latin American, African 1.7% Other
Demonym	New Zealander Kiwi (informal)
Government	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
• Monarch	Elizabeth II
• Governor-General	Dame Patsy Reddy
• Prime Minister	Bill English
• Chief Justice	Dame Sian Elias
Legislature	Parliament (House of Representatives)
Independence from the United Kingdom
• Responsible government	7 May 1856
• Dominion	26 September 1907
• Statute of Westminster adopted	25 November 1947
Area
• Total	268,021 km2 (103,483 sq mi) (76th)
• Water (%)	1.6
Population
• 2017 estimate	4,754,800 (123rd)
• 2013 census	4,242,048
• Density	17.5/km2 (45.3/sq mi) (205th)
GDP (PPP)	2016 estimate
• Total	$173.2 billion (67th)
• Per capita	$36,950
GDP (nominal)	2016 estimate
• Total	$169.9 billion
• Per capita	$36,254
Gini (2014)	33.0 medium
HDI (2014)	0.913 very high · 9th
Currency	New Zealand dollar ($) (NZD)
Time zone	NZST(UTC+12)
• Summer (DST)	NZDT (UTC+13)
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy
Drives on the	left
Calling code	+64
ISO 3166 code	NZ
Internet TLD	.nz

New Zealand ⁱ/njuːˈziːlənd/ (Māori: Aotearoa [aɔˈtɛaɾɔa]) is an island nation in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main landmasses—that of the North Island, or Te Ika-a-Māui, and the South Island, or Te Waipounamu—and numerous smaller islands. New Zealand is situated some 1,500 kilometres (900 mi) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilometres (600 mi) south of the Pacific island areas of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. Because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans. During its long period of isolation, New Zealand developed a distinct biodiversity of animal, fungal and plant life. The country's varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks, such as the Southern Alps, owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions. New Zealand's capital city is Wellington, while its most populous city is Auckland.