What is the capital of New Zealand?

Wellington is the capital of New Zealand, located at the southern tip of the North Island. It has a metropolitan population of around 440,000 and serves as the seat of the New Zealand government and parliament (Beehive). Despite being the capital, Auckland is the largest city, with about a third of the country's entire population.

What currency does New Zealand use?

New Zealand uses the New Zealand Dollar (NZD, symbol NZ$) as its official currency. The NZD is also used in several Pacific territories including the Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau, and the Pitcairn Islands. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand manages monetary policy and issues banknotes featuring native wildlife and landscapes.

What time zones does New Zealand use?

New Zealand mainland observes New Zealand Standard Time (NZST, UTC+12) in winter and New Zealand Daylight Time (NZDT, UTC+13) in summer. The Chatham Islands, 800 km to the east, use UTC+12:45 (CHAST) and UTC+13:45 (CHADT). Daylight saving runs from late September to early April — the opposite of Northern Hemisphere countries.

What are the official languages of New Zealand?

New Zealand has three official languages: English (most widely spoken), Maori (te reo Maori, recognized since 1987), and New Zealand Sign Language (recognized since 2006). English is used for all government and commercial purposes. Te reo Maori is experiencing a revival through immersion schools (kura kaupapa) and government broadcasting initiatives.

Is New Zealand part of Australia?

No. New Zealand is a fully independent sovereign nation, separate from Australia. The two countries are close allies and neighbors sharing the CER (Closer Economic Relations) free trade agreement, and citizens of each country have special visa rights in the other. New Zealand was once offered inclusion as an Australian state when Australia federated in 1901, but declined.

What is New Zealand's international calling code?

New Zealand's country calling code is +64. When dialing from abroad, dial your country's exit code, then 64, then the area code (without the leading 0), then the local number. For example, a Wellington landline starting with 04 becomes +64 4 XXX XXXX from overseas. Mobile numbers starting with 02X become +64 2X XXX XXXX.

New Zealand Country Facts

Name: New Zealand Country Facts
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Author: Nham Vu

Browse key facts about New Zealand — geography, demographics, economy, and government — all organized in a searchable reference card.

Official Name

New Zealand

Maori name: Aotearoa ("land of the long white cloud"); both names are official

Capital City

Wellington

Located at the southern tip of the North Island; home to parliament and government ministries

Total Area

268,021 km²

103,483 sq mi — rank 75th globally; two main islands plus ~600 smaller islands

Location

Southwestern Pacific Ocean

~2,000 km southeast of Australia; no land borders — entirely surrounded by ocean

Main Islands

North Island & South Island

Maori: Te Ika-a-Maui (North) and Te Waipounamu (South); separated by Cook Strait

Time Zone

UTC+12 / UTC+13

NZST in winter; NZDT (daylight saving) runs late September to early April

Highest Point

Aoraki / Mount Cook — 3,724 m

12,218 ft; located in the Southern Alps on the South Island; sacred to Maori people

Longest River

Waikato River — 425 km

264 mi; flows from Lake Taupo through the North Island to the Tasman Sea

Coastline

~15,134 km

9,404 mi; highly indented with deep harbors, fjords (Milford Sound), and surf beaches

Population (2024)

~5.1 million

~19 people/km²; roughly a third live in the Auckland region alone

Official Languages

English, Maori, NZSL

English is dominant; te reo Maori recognized 1987; NZ Sign Language recognized 2006

Calling Code

+64

Drop the leading 0 from area codes when dialing from abroad (e.g. +64 4 for Wellington)

Ethnic Groups

European, Maori, Asian, Pacific

European/Pakeha ~64%, Maori ~17%, Asian ~16%, Pacific peoples ~9% (2023 census)

Largest Cities

Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch

Also: Hamilton, Tauranga, Dunedin, Napier-Hastings; Auckland metro holds ~1.7 million

Life Expectancy

~82.5 years

2023 estimate; one of the highest in the world; free public healthcare via ACC

Government Type

Constitutional monarchy

Parliamentary democracy; unicameral Parliament with 121 seats; King Charles III is head of state

Prime Minister

Christopher Luxon

In office since November 27, 2023; National Party leader; head of government

Self-Governing Status

Since 1907

Proclaimed a Dominion September 26, 1907; full statutory independence via Statute of Westminster adopted 1947

Founding Treaty

Treaty of Waitangi (1840)

Signed February 6, 1840 between Maori chiefs and the British Crown; Waitangi Day is a public holiday

Administrative Regions

16 regions

Governed by elected regional councils; includes Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago, and Northland

Intelligence Alliance

Five Eyes member

Intelligence-sharing alliance with USA, UK, Canada, and Australia; also a member of the UN, Commonwealth, and OECD

Currency

New Zealand Dollar (NZD, NZ$)

Also legal tender in Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau, and Pitcairn Islands; free-floating exchange rate

Nominal GDP (2023)

~USD 247 billion

Rank ~52nd globally (IMF); highly developed mixed economy with strong services sector

GDP per Capita (2023)

~USD 48,200

Above OECD median; PPP per capita ~USD 56,400 (IMF estimate)

Top Exports

Dairy, meat, wood, seafood

Also: fruit, wine, wool, aluminum; world's largest dairy exporter; top markets are China, Australia, USA

Major Industries

Agriculture, tourism, film

Also: technology, food processing, fishing; Weta Workshop globally known for film production

Renewable Energy

~84% renewable electricity

2023 estimate; mainly hydro (~60%), geothermal (~18%), and wind; target 100% by 2030

Internet TLD

.nz

Administered by InternetNZ (NZOC); common second-level domains: .co.nz, .org.nz, .govt.nz

ISO Codes

NZ / NZL

ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 and alpha-3

National Day

February 6 — Waitangi Day

Commemorates the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840; public holiday nationwide

Drives On

Left side of the road

Inherited from British tradition; steering wheel on the right; consistent with Australia and the UK

UNESCO Heritage Sites

3 sites

Te Wahipounamu (South West NZ), Tongariro National Park, and New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands

National Symbol

Kiwi bird

Flightless, nocturnal bird native only to New Zealand; New Zealanders are nicknamed "Kiwis"

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Summary

Browse key facts about New Zealand — geography, demographics, economy, and government — all organized in a searchable reference card.

How it works

All facts are organized into thematic sections: Geography, People, Government, Economy, and Culture.
Use the search box to filter facts by keyword across all categories.
Click any fact card to copy the value to your clipboard.
Switch between categories using the tab bar to focus on a specific section.
Use the "Copy All Facts" button to copy every fact as plain text in one click.
All data is embedded in the page — no network requests are made.

Use cases

Quick lookup for students doing geography or social studies homework.
Travelers preparing for a New Zealand trip who need currency, timezone, and calling code info.
Business professionals researching New Zealand's economy and trade relationships.
Journalists or writers needing accurate demographic and political facts.
Trivia enthusiasts brushing up on Pacific country statistics.
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Researchers studying New Zealand's environment, indigenous rights, or farming industries.
Anyone curious about New Zealand's geography, government, history, or culture.

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Last updated: 2026-06-24 · Reviewed by Nham Vu