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Country profile

New Zealand

🇳🇿 Australia and New Zealand

5,324,700
Population
#122 of 193
270,467 km²
Land area
#75 of 195
$264.06B
GDP (nominal)
#52 of 192
0.938
HDI
#17 of 191

How New Zealand ranks globally

Population5,324,700 #122 of 193
Land area270,467 km² #75 of 195
GDP (nominal)$264.06B #52 of 192
Life expectancy82.0 yrs #29 of 193
HDI0.938 #17 of 191

About New Zealand

New Zealand is a country in Australia and New Zealand, with Wellington as its capital. It is home to roughly 5.32 million people, giving a population density of about 20 people per square kilometre. The country covers 270,467 km² of land and has no shared land borders. Its economy is valued at approximately $264.06B in nominal GDP (2025), and it records a Human Development Index of 0.938. The official currency is the New Zealand dollar (NZD), and the main languages are English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language.

Key indicators

World Bank · UNDP

💹 Economy

$293.73B
GDP (PPP)
$55,551
GDP/capita (PPP)
0.5%
GDP growth
2.8%
Inflation
5.1%
Unemployment

👥 People

82.0 yrs
Life expectancy
1.57
Fertility rate
0.7%
Pop. growth
84.0%
Urban population
4
Infant mortality /1k

🌍 Quality of Life

93.5%
Internet users
3.61
Physicians /1k
28.9%
Renewable energy

GDP over time

New Zealand's GDP over time (nominal, US$)
$0$69.32B$138.63B$207.95B$277.26B197019982025 New Zealand

How New Zealand measures up

Development profile (each axis 0–100%, higher is stronger)
WealthHealthHuman dev.InternetUrbanSurvival

How New Zealand is governed

🏛 Constitutional monarchy (parliamentary)
Head of State
Monarch (represented by the Governor-General)

Ceremonial head of state.

Head of Government
Prime Minister

Holds executive power; leads the government.

Legislature
Parliament (House of Representatives)

Unicameral — House of Representatives — ~120 seats, elected by MMP

Who holds the power?

New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy with an uncodified constitution, similar to the UK. The monarch is head of state, represented by the Governor-General, but power rests with the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Its single-chamber Parliament is elected by mixed-member proportional representation (MMP), which usually produces coalition or minority governments.

Did you know?

New Zealand is the 122nd most populous country in the world, with about 5.32 million people.

By land area it is the 75th-largest country in the world, covering 270,467 km².

It has the world's 52nd-largest economy by nominal GDP ($264.06B).

New Zealand has no land borders with other countries.

It is classed by the UN as a country of very high human development, with an HDI of 0.938.

New Zealand has a population density of about 20 people per square kilometre.

Quick quiz — do you know New Zealand?

What is the capital of New Zealand?

Travel & practical

Wellington
Capital
NZD
Currency
+64
Dialing code
.nz
Internet TLD

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