Portal:New Zealand/Intro

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

New Zealand (Aotearoa in Māori), is a country of two large islands and many much smaller islands in the south-western Pacific Ocean. Among South Pacific nations, New Zealand has the largest and most industrialised economy and is second only to Papua New Guinea in population. New Zealand is notable for its isolation, being separated from Australia on the northwest by the Tasman Sea, some 2,000 km wide. The closest neighbours to the north are New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga.

Elizabeth II is the current Queen of New Zealand and is represented in the country by a non-partisan Governor-General. De facto political power is held by the Prime Minister who, as leader of the government, requires the confidence of the democratically elected New Zealand House of Representatives. The Realm of New Zealand also includes the Cook Islands and Niue, which are entirely self-governing; Tokelau, and New Zealand's claim in Antarctica.