Blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross constellation.
11 regional councils, 5 unitary authorities* (combining the functions of a regional council and a territorial authority), and 1 special territorial authority**: Auckland*, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Chatham Islands**, Gisborne*, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui, Marlborough*, Nelson*, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman*, Waikato, Wellington, and West Coast.
Population:
3,908,037 (July 2002 est.)
Languages:
English (official), Maori (official)
Geographic coordinates:
41° 00' S, 174° 00' E
Area total:
268,680 sq. km includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
Land area:
268,021 sq. km
Water area:
NA sq. km
Total land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
15,134 km
Elevation extremes:
Pacific Ocean 0 m - Mount Cook 3,764 m
Internet country code:
.nz
Currency:
New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Name - abbreviation:
NZ
Name - conventional long form:
none
Name - conventional short form:
New Zealand
Independence:
26 September 1907 (from UK)
Constitution:
consists of a series of legal documents, including certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments and The Constitution Act 1986 which is the principal formal charter
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Dependent areas:
Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau
National holiday:
Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)