WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT New Zealand ??
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main islands and numerous smaller islands. New Zealand is situated about 2000 km southeast of Australia across the Tasman Sea. The population is mostly of European descent, with the indigenous Maori being the largest minority. Asians are also significant minorities, especially in the cities. New Zealand's open economy is known for being one of the world's most free market capitalist economies.

As a major South Pacific nation, New Zealand has a close working relationship with many Pacific Island nations.

New Zealand has a modern, prosperous, developed economy with an estimated nominal GDP of US$128.1 billion (2008). The country has a relatively high standard of living with an estimated GDP per capita of US$30,234 in 2008, comparable to Southern Europe but lower than the United States. Since 2000 New Zealand has made substantial gains in median household income.

The country was ranked 1st in life satisfaction and 5th in overall prosperity in the 2007 prosperity index. New Zealand is one of the most free market capitalist economies according to economic freedom indices..

The service sector is the largest sector in the economy (68.8% of GDP), followed by manufacturing and construction (26.9% of GDP) New Zealand is a country heavily dependent on free trade, particularly in agricultural products. Exports account for around 24% of its output, which is a relatively high figure This makes New Zealand particularly vulnerable to international commodity prices and global economic slowdowns. Its principal export industries are agriculture, horticulture, fishing and forestry. Its major export partners are Australia 20.5%, US 13.1%, Japan 10.3%, China 5.4%, UK 4.9% Tourism plays a significant role in New Zealand's economy. Tourism contributes $12.8 billion (or 8.9%) to New Zealand’s GDP and supports nearly 200,000 jobs (9.9% of the total workforce in New Zealand). Tourists to New Zealand are expected to increase at a rate of 4% annually up to 2013.

The current government's economic objectives are centred on pursuing free trade agreements and building a "knowledge economy". On 7 April 2008, New Zealand and China signed a free trade agreement the first such agreement China has signed with a developed country. New Zealand has experienced a series of "brain drains" since the 1970s, as well educated youth leaving permanently for Australia, Britain or the United States. In recent years, however, a brain gain brought in educated professionals from poor countries, as well as Europe, as permanent settlers.

Seventy per cent of electricity in New Zealand is generated with renewable energy, primarily hydropower and geothermal power.

New Zealand has a population of about 4.2 million, of which 78% come or derive from Europe. New Zealand is also a predominantly urban country, with 72.2% of the population living in 16 main urban areas and more than half living in the four largest cities of Auckland, Hamilton Wellington and Christchurch.

New Zealand immigration policy is relatively open; its government is committed to increasing its population by about 1% annually. Twenty-three percent of the population was born overseas, one of the highest rates in the world. At present, immigrants from the United Kingdom and Ireland constitute the largest single group, accounting for 29% of those born overseas but immigrants are drawn increasingly from East Asia (mostly mainland China, but with substantial numbers also from other Asian countries.

English is spoken by 98% of the populations but French, Hindi, Yue and Northern Chinese are also widely spoken. New Zealand has an adult literacy rate of 99%, and 14.2% of the adult population has a bachelors degree or higher.