Destinations › Oceania · The Destination Index · universal template · every figure sourced
New Zealand.
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia. 268,838 sq km and 5,324,700 people, 15,134 km of coastline, temperate with sharp regional contrasts.
Region · OceaniaPopulation · ~5,324,700Languages · English, te reo Maori (official), New Zealand Sign Language (official), SamoanEco Index · 80/100 · Good
The Eco Index across 12 pillars · scored 0 to 5 · World Bank, OWID, WHO/UNICEF JMP, FiBL, Protected Planet, IUCN, UNESCO (2023-24)
Conservation
Wildlife
Water
Food & farming
Organic & clean
Climate & energy
Waste
Health
Heritage
Ownership
Governance
Future
The History of New Zealand.
Maori living culture sits at the centre of national life, from the haka and kapa haka performance to waiata song, poi and the carved marae that anchor communities. Ancestral knowledge, matauranga Maori, and living spirituality through karakia, whakapapa and a deep relationship to land and ancestors remain widely honoured.
Where the name comes from
Aotearoa in Māori, most often read as 'land of the long white cloud'. 'New Zealand' comes from Nova Zeelandia, after the Dutch province of Zeeland. Source: national and regional toponymic records.
The land itself: predominantly mountainous, with large plains along the coasts. Its high point is Aoraki / Mount Cook, 3,724 m, reduced from 3,764 m by a rock and ice avalanche in 1991 and subsequent erosion of the ice cap. Source: national mapping and survey records.
Where it starts
The last land settled
The ancestry here runs back to the Lapita voyaging tradition of around 1500 BC, but Aotearoa itself was reached late. High-precision radiocarbon dating places Polynesian landfall between about AD 1250 and 1300, in the last great pulse of Pacific settlement, making these islands the last large landmass on earth to be settled by people. Early sites such as Wairau Bar hold burials, adzes and evidence of continuing ties back to East Polynesia.
How it got here
Two texts, and a river
Iwi and hapu structures, pa fortifications, carving, weaving and an oral record tracing descent to named canoes developed over the following centuries. Dutch and then British ships recorded the islands in 1642 and 1769. Te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed in 1840, and its Maori and English texts differ in what they cede. War and confiscation from the 1860s took much of the land, and the Waitangi Tribunal was set up in 1975 to hear claims. New Zealand was the first self-governing country in the world where women won the vote, in 1893, and in 2017 the Whanganui River became the first river in the world granted legal personhood.
The timeline
c. 1500 BC
The voyaging line begins.
The Lapita tradition carries seafarers east from the Bismarck archipelago, the ancestry that eventually reaches these islands. ↗
c. AD 1250 to 1300
Landfall.
Polynesian voyagers reach Aotearoa in the last great pulse of Pacific settlement, the last large landmass on earth to be settled by people. ↗
c. AD 1300 onward
Wairau Bar and the first settlements.
Early sites in the South Island hold burials, adzes and evidence of long-distance ties back to East Polynesia. ↗
c. AD 1350 to 1800
Iwi and hapu.
Tribal structures, pa fortifications, carving, weaving and an oral record tracing descent to named canoes. ↗
1642 and 1769
European sighting.
Tasman records the coast in 1642 and leaves after a fatal encounter; Cook charts the islands in 1769. Maori had by then been settled here for roughly four centuries. ↗
1840
Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The treaty is signed, and its Maori and English texts differ in what they cede. ↗
1860s onward
Land wars and confiscation.
War and confiscation take much of the land, and the Waitangi Tribunal is later set up in 1975 to hear claims. ↗
1893
Votes for women.
New Zealand becomes the first self-governing country in the world where women win the vote. ↗
2017
Te Awa Tupua.
The Whanganui River is granted legal personhood, the first river in the world recognised this way. ↗
About a third of the country, some 33.4% of the land, is protected conservation estate managed by the Department of Conservation (World Bank, 2024), backed by the Predator Free 2050 programme, fenced ecosanctuaries and offshore island refuges. The roughly 30% marine protected figure is mostly benthic protection area, however, and true no-take marine reserves cover well under 1%.
Is wild New Zealand protected? 33.4% of the land is, already past the 30% target for 2030
How protected is nature in New Zealand?
Forest cover37.8%
Terrestrial protected area33.4%
Marine protected area30.4%
145 (mammals, birds, fish & plants) listed as threatened.
Recorded in New Zealand and named in the open record. Endemic status is stated per species, not implied by this list.
Kiwi
Ki
Kakapo
Ka
Tuatara
Tu
Weta
We
The watchlist
ThreatenedLong-tailed Bat (Chalinolobus tuberculatus)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in New Zealand in GBIF occurrence data (mammal).
ThreatenedBlack Stilt (Himantopus novaezelandiae)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in New Zealand in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
ThreatenedGaleorhinus galeusCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in New Zealand in GBIF occurrence data (shark or ray).
ThreatenedRama rama (Lophomyrtus bullata)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in New Zealand in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
ThreatenedEldons Galaxias (Galaxias eldoni)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in New Zealand in GBIF occurrence data (species).
ThreatenedDeconica baylisianaCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in New Zealand in GBIF occurrence data (species).
ThreatenedMalherbe's Parakeet (Cyanoramphus malherbi)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in New Zealand in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
ThreatenedChatham Shag (Leucocarbo onslowi)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in New Zealand in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in New Zealand. GBIF holds 10 verified occurrence records.
Black Stilt (Himantopus novaezelandiae)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in New Zealand. GBIF holds 45 verified occurrence records.
Galeorhinus galeus
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in New Zealand. GBIF holds 25 verified occurrence records.
Rama rama (Lophomyrtus bullata)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in New Zealand. GBIF holds 209 verified occurrence records.
Species named here are drawn from GBIF occurrence records for New Zealand filtered to the IUCN Red List threatened categories. Species are listed where GBIF holds occurrence records for them in this country. Record counts are not published here because the figure cannot be reproduced from a public GBIF query.
Botanical garden in Canterbury, mapped and named in the open record for New Zealand. OpenStreetMap.
Water and Ocean in New Zealand.
New Zealand has abundant alpine rivers, lakes, snowmelt and aquifers, and about 100% of people use safely managed drinking water (World Bank, 2020). The 2016 Havelock North campylobacter outbreak drove major drinking water reform, and dairy intensification has raised nitrate levels in many lowland rivers, but overall supply security is very high.
Does New Zealand have enough fresh water? Yes, with headroom
100% of people here have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Tap water is safe for a visitor nearly everywhere.
Cleanest water: Te Waikoropupu (Pupu) Springs, among the clearest freshwater on Earth.
How much fresh water does New Zealand have, per person?
64,349 m³
New Zealand
1,000 m³
the UN “water scarce” line
New Zealand withdraws about 9,875 million cubic metres of fresh water a year (2022). That is 8.0% of the fresh water actually available to it, which FAO counts as no water stress. Of what is taken, farming takes 65%, homes and towns 11%, industry 24%. Source: FAO AQUASTAT.
What are the rules on New Zealand beaches?
✓Tap water: Drinkable.
✓Plastic rules: Single-use plastic bags banned in 2019, with further single-use plastics phased out through 2022 and 2023..
✓Solo travel: rated easy on the record for this destination.
✓Marine protection: 30.4% of the sea is protected. The 30x30 pledge is met.
Named on the open map: Allans Beach, Bathing Beach, Bells Beach, Big Rock Beach, Boulder Beach, Bradleys Beach, Bush's Beach, Campbells Beach. That is 23 named beaches in the public record for New Zealand, each one a place you can look up before you go. OpenStreetMap.
Where does the sewage go?
88.8%
of people have safely managed sanitation
88.8% of people here use a safely managed sanitation service, meaning waste is contained, emptied and treated rather than reaching the ground or the sea untreated (2024, World Bank / WHO-UNICEF JMP, SDG 6.2.1). The rest is what the rivers and the coast receive.
How is the sea around New Zealand doing?
One cross-section, every answer measured.
Surface
What the coast carries
Four seasons in a day, strong UV; the alpine passes need caution in winter.
Nearshore
Protected water
30.4% of territorial waters are protected, against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Cleanest
Where the water is cleanest
Te Waikoropupu (Pupu) Springs, among the clearest freshwater on Earth..
The record
Measured
New Zealand has abundant alpine rivers, lakes, snowmelt and aquifers, and about 100% of people use safely managed drinking water (World Bank, 2020). The 2016 Havelock North campylobacter outbreak drove major drinking water reform, and dairy intensification has raised nitrate levels in many lowland rivers, but overall supply security is very high.
Sea protected
30.4%
Against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Threatened species
145 (mammals, birds, fish & plants)
Mammals, birds, fish and higher plants on the IUCN list.
Cleanest water
here
Te Waikoropupu (Pupu) Springs, among the clearest freshwater on Earth..
Is the tap water safe in New Zealand?
100% of people have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Renewable fresh water works out at about 64,349 cubic metres per person a year (World Bank).
How hard is the water supply being pushed?
Of every 10 buckets nature refills, 0 are already taken. Withdrawals run at 3.0% of what New Zealand renews internally each year (2022, World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT). That is inside the 25% mark generally treated as water stress, so the supply has headroom.
When is the best time to visit New Zealand? Tap your month.
Tap your month.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
.
How much fresh water does New Zealand actually have?
Nature renews about 64,349 cubic metres of fresh water per person per year here. That ranks New Zealand 200 of 208 countries measured, placing it among the 10 best-watered countries measured. The UN treats anything under 1,000 cubic metres as water scarce, and this is above that line. World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT.
New Zealand is a major net food exporter of dairy, lamb, beef, kiwifruit, apples and wine and is highly self-sufficient in food.
Where does the food in New Zealand come from?
12.8% imported
about US$6,092m a year
On the plate: Kumara (sweet potato), potatoes, kiwifruit and apples.
How often each food is on the plate
Share of people eating each one regularly. These overlap, so they do not add up to 100%.
Potatoes51%
1 of 10
bites are imported
The island buys in more food energy than it eats. About US$6,092m a year leaves the country to pay for it. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
About 12.8% of everything New Zealand buys in from abroad is food, roughly 1 in every 10 imported items on the dock (2025, World Bank). Farming itself is 4% of the economy and 36.9% of the land is agricultural, of which 2% is arable. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
What is killing people in New Zealand? The imported diet.
Cause of death, and the diet behind it.
Non-communicable diseases, all combined89.5%
Diabetes6.7%
Adults living with overweight or obesity. 67.4%.
Can New Zealand feed itself?
2.0%
Arable land
36.9%
Agricultural land
166,684
Farmers
1,284,946
Arable acres
4.0%
Agriculture, share of GDP
Harvest: Autumn (February to April) for fruit and wine, with kiwifruit and apples in autumn.
Feeding itself
New Zealand is a major net food exporter of dairy, lamb, beef, kiwifruit, apples and wine and is highly self-sufficient in food.
Certification
Certified organic land is about 0.8% of farmland (FiBL, 2020), a small but export-focused and growing sector.
Water for crops
New Zealand has abundant alpine rivers, lakes, snowmelt and aquifers, and about 100% of people use safely managed drinking water (World Bank, 2020). The 2016 Havelock North campylobacter outbreak drove major drinking water reform, and dairy intensification has raised nitrate levels in many lowland rivers, but overall supply security is very high.
Why the organic number looks like that. Certified-organic farmland is not separately reported for New Zealand, and that is a certification gap rather than proof nothing is grown cleanly. What the official land record does show: 36.9% of the country is agricultural land and 2% is arable (2023, World Bank). Certification is paid for per farm per year by a foreign body, which prices out smallholders, so the organic number reads worse than the practice.
What actually grows here
KiwifruitApplesGrapesPotatoesWheatBarley
The food that already fits
The plant-based kitchen here is not an import. By tonnage, the largest crops grown in New Zealand are kiwi fruit, apples, potatoes, wheat and grapes (FAO, FAOSTAT crop production, 2024). That is what the land itself puts on a plate.
Buy direct where residents buy: Akaroa Farmers Market, Albert Street Market (Saturday), Auckland Night Market, Avondale Sunday Market, Bay of Islands Farmers Market, Christchurch Farmers' Market. Each is a mapped, named marketplace, so the money stays with the seller rather than the importer. OpenStreetMap.
New Zealand generated about 85.5% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2024, chiefly hydropower, geothermal and a fast growing wind fleet, according to the government's Energy in New Zealand 2025 report. Its carbon dioxide emissions were roughly 6.23 tonnes per person in 2024, a moderate figure lifted by transport and by a dry hydro year that raised coal use. The Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019 legislates net zero for long lived greenhouse gases by 2050 and the country runs an Emissions Trading Scheme. Gross emissions remain high once agricultural methane is counted, which tempers the score despite the clean grid.
What powers New Zealand?
Renewable 88.5%Fossil 11.5%
Climate pollution per person
The safe amount, what the planet can absorb
2 tonnes
One person here
6.01 tonnes
The world average, for comparison
4.7 tonnes
The worst it ever got
7.84 tonnes
The grid
New Zealand generated about 85.5% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2024, chiefly hydropower, geothermal and a fast growing wind fleet, according to the government's Energy in New Zealand 2025 report. Its carbon dioxide emissions were roughly 6.23 tonnes per person in 2024, a moderate figure lifted by transport and by a dry hydro year that raised coal use.
Pollution
New Zealand banned single-use plastic shopping bags in 2019 and phased out further single-use plastics through 2022 and 2023, and its air is among the cleanest measured at about 5.1 micrograms per cubic metre PM2.5 (IQAir, 2025), though rural waterways carry farm run-off and some inland towns get winter woodsmoke.
Water stress
New Zealand has abundant alpine rivers, lakes, snowmelt and aquifers, and about 100% of people use safely managed drinking water (World Bank, 2020). The 2016 Havelock North campylobacter outbreak drove major drinking water reform, and dairy intensification has raised nitrate levels in many lowland rivers, but overall supply security is very high.
What pollutes most here
1The gridThe share of electricity still generated from fossil fuel.11%
2IndustryIntensive dairy farming and its freshwater nitrate run-off..named
3AirModelled annual mean against a WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.5.1
4On the recordNew Zealand banned single-use plastic shopping bags in 2019 and phased out further single-use plastics through 2022 and 2023, and its air is among the cleanest measured at about 5.1 micrograms per cubic metre PM2.5 (IQAir, 2025), though rural waterways carry farm run-off and some inland towns get winter woodsmoke.
What has New Zealand promised on climate?
Net zero, whole economy2050
Electricity renewable today81.4% (2021)
Land protected, against a 30% target33.4% by 2025
Sea protected, against a 30% target30.4% by 2025
The net-zero target year on file with Climate Watch is 2050, status: in policy document; in law. Measured against it, 81.4% of electricity is already renewable (2021, World Bank), so 18.6% of the grid is still to be converted. The pledge on file is measured here against what has actually been delivered, not taken on its own (UNFCCC NDC Registry, CBD Kunming-Montreal Target 3).
The biggest line item
One return flight against a whole year of living.
A resident's entire year6.01 t CO2e
Safe-climate budget, per year2 t CO2e
Paris return, economy3.42 t CO2e
London return, economy3.39 t CO2e
Frankfurt return, economy3.35 t CO2e
New York return, economy2.6 t CO2e
Dubai return, economy2.56 t CO2e
How much CO2 does flying to New Zealand emit?
Tap where you would fly from. One return flight, economy.
Every prompt runs on a machine in a building on somebody’s grid. What that costs the planet depends less on the prompt than on what is burning to power it. Here is what would power one in New Zealand.
Data centres
93
Registered colocation and interconnection facilities, PeeringDB, 2026
Grid renewable
88.5 %
What a machine here runs on.
What powers a data centre in New Zealand?
Running AI here is about as clean as it currently gets.
Renewable 88.5%Fossil 11.5%
Cooling water. Every one of those halls runs on the national grid, which is 81.4% renewable today (World Bank). A data centre is only as clean as the electricity behind it, so the same figure that decides this country's climate score also decides the footprint of the AI running inside it. Cooling water use is not separately published by facility, and no operator here reports it.
The rules. New Zealand has 93 colocation and interconnection facilities on the public PeeringDB register, concentrated in Auckland (22), Wellington (12), Christchurch (11), alongside 12 internet exchanges (APE, WIX-NZ, CHIX-NZ, AKL-IX (Auckland NZ)). Named sites include Sky Tower, 2degrees Auckland, Albany, Xtreme Networks, Wellington DC, Mayoral Drive Exchange (MDR).
Where the cables land. 19 landing points · Auckland, Christchurch, Fighting Bay, Invercargill
58% residents to 42% visitors across a year. 3,888,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 5,324,700 people who live here (2025, World Bank / UN Tourism).
Where a visitor dollar goes in New Zealand
996k
Visitors a year
0.2
Visitors per resident
How deep in debt is New Zealand?· for every $100 New Zealand earns in a year, it owes…
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · the 1986 peak
$ 68The worst year on the IMF record. New Zealand owed $68 for every $100 it earned.
IMF World Economic Outlook, 1986signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · today
$ 57What is owed now, for every $100 of national income (2026).
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · projected 2031
$ 55The IMF's own forecast has this falling to $55 by 2031.
IMF World Economic Outlook projection, 2031signed, the forecast
For every $100 New Zealand earns in a year, it owes $57 (2026, IMF World Economic Outlook). The interest on that is paid before schools, clinics or coastline get their turn.
Where does a tourist dollar actually go in New Zealand?
Play one tourist dollar around the board. Every square is a measured fact from this page.
START!
1
GO: a visitor lands
$100 goes on the table. 3,888,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 5,324,700 residents, 0.7 visitors for every resident (World Bank / UN Tourism).
$100 in play
2
The bed
Who owns the largest places to stay in New Zealand is not published in the records we can check, so this square is left open rather than guessed. Where a listing names its owner, it is shown in the ownership table below.
not published
3
The plate
Food is only 12.8% of everything New Zealand imports (2025, World Bank), so most of a meal is bought from producers inside the country. Eating what the land here actually grows, kiwifruit, apples, grapes, potatoes, wheat, barley, keeps that money with the grower.
mostly home-grown
4
The power
81.4% of the electricity is renewable (2021, World Bank), so the energy on the bill is mostly generated inside the country rather than shipped in.
made at home
5
What actually stays
Of the two parts of a visitor's bill that can be measured here, the plate and the power stay inside New Zealand. This is not an economy where a visitor's money drains away, and the board is shorter for it.
most of it
6
Pay the bank first
New Zealand owes $57 for every $100 it earns (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). The interest is paid before anything else on this board.
$57 per $100
7
No plan B
28.9% of everything New Zealand sells abroad is dairy, eggs and honey (2023, UN Comtrade). One market moving takes the whole board with it.
28.9% one export
8
Community chest
Tourism earns 18.8% of everything New Zealand makes from exports (2018, World Bank / UN Tourism). That is how much of the economy depends on the game continuing.
18.8% of exports
9
The flight
Getting here is usually the biggest single line on the bill. From Paris a return economy seat is 3.42 t CO2, on the UK Government's published conversion factors. It is the one part of the trip this board cannot reduce.
3.42 t CO2
10
Back to GO
The economy turns over about US$279 billion a year (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). Every lap of this board is a choice about how much of it stays.
US$279bn
GDPUS$264.1bn
Agriculture, share of GDP4%
Visitors a year996,000
Visitors per resident0.2
Residents~5,324,700
Agriculture
Farming is 4% of the economy. New Zealand is a major net food exporter of dairy, lamb, beef, kiwifruit, apples and wine and is highly self-sufficient in food.
Natural materials
A living wool tradition in merino and strong wool runs alongside Maori harakeke flax weaving, known as raranga, and possum-merino craft, all still made today.
Energy
New Zealand generated about 85.5% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2024, chiefly hydropower, geothermal and a fast growing wind fleet, according to the government's Energy in New Zealand 2025 report. Its carbon dioxide emissions were roughly 6.23 tonnes per person in 2024, a moderate figure lifted by transport and by a dry hydro year that raised coal use.
Who owns the biggest hotels in New Zealand?
By rooms · company records and press.
Beaconstone Eco Stay · ~4 roomsIndependentnot published
Fiordland Retreat · ~1 roomsIndependentnot published
Visitors, over time
20153,129k
20163,494k
20173,723k
20183,858k
20193,888k
2020996k
International tourism receipts run at about US$10.96 billion in 2018 (World Bank / UN Tourism). That is 18.8% of everything the country earns from exports.
How much of your money actually stays here?
Tap the holiday you are planning.
All-inclusive resortForeign-owned hotel and tourist restaurantsLocally owned stay and local restaurantsGuesthouse, markets and public transport
Resort guest, villa renter, family, nomad or backpacker. The honest playbook for each, from the same sourced numbers.
Already booked a resort? · the rescue list
Five swaps that move your money back on-island
1. Eat where the country eats Choose kitchens cooking what the land here grows, kiwifruit, apples, grapes, potatoes, wheat and barley, over an imported menu. The checked list →
2. Book with a local operator Never the lobby desk. The margin on a tour is the part that stays. Eco tours →
3. Stay somewhere locally owned Ownership decides where the room rate books. Eco stays →
4. Use the transport residents use Self-drive or campervan, domestic flights, and the Cook Strait ferry between the islands.
5. Buy the craft, not the souvenir Natural-materials work made here pays the maker directly; imported gifts pay a shipping line.
swipe →
First time here
A pair of Pacific islands with extraordinary endemic wildlife, near-fully renewable electricity and Maori-led conservation, balanced against farm-driven freshwater pressures.
Best time: Summer and early autumn.
Getting around
Self-drive or campervan, domestic flights, and the Cook Strait ferry between the islands.
Transport is where the fare either stays or leaves.
Eating here
The everyday plate that actually grows here is kiwifruit, apples, grapes, potatoes, wheat and barley. Ordering those keeps the money with the grower and cuts the imported share of the meal.
Eating what the country grows is the cheapest way to cut the import bill.
Good to know
Cards everywhere; NZD. Drive on the left; give way to campervans.
Rate my hotel. Tap yours for the honest verdict.
Ownership from company records and press.
Beaconstone Eco StayFiordland Retreat
.
Who owns the places to stay
Beaconstone Eco StayIndependent · 4 rooms
Fiordland RetreatIndependent · 1 rooms
None of the 2 properties listed here publishes who ultimately owns it, so no claim is made either way. Ownership is what decides how much of a room rate stays in the country, which is why we show it when a listing states it.
Society and Governance in New Zealand.
How well is New Zealand actually run?
Governance, measured · World Bank WGI
Four measured answers, none of them opinion. Averaged across corruption control, delivery and accountability, New Zealand scores 87 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That is a state that generally does what it says it will do, which is what makes a climate pledge worth reading.
How well is New Zealand run? · each scored out of 100, higher is better
Clean government, scored 87 of 100
Control of corruption scores 86.9 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That puts it in the cleanest quarter of governments measured.
87
Freedom and rights, scored 86 of 100
Voice and accountability, which measures free expression, free media and the ability to choose a government, scores 86.4 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Citizens here can question their government openly.
86
Government effectiveness, scored 87 of 100
Government effectiveness, which measures the quality of public services and how well policy is actually delivered, scores 87.3 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Delivery is rated among the strongest measured.
87
LGBTQ+ status: HighSolo female travel: EasyIndustry to avoid: Intensive dairy farming and its freshwater nitrate run-off.
What is daily life in New Zealand really like? Measured
Getting around, breathing, throwing away, learning. The honest checklist.
TransportAirWaterWastePower
✓How you get around Self-drive or campervan, domestic flights, and the Cook Strait ferry between the islands.
✓Air quality, measured Modelled annual mean 5.1. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³.
✓Where the air is cleanest Fiordland and the Southern Alps.
✓Tap water Drinkable
✓What to drink Tap water is safe almost everywhere; boil stream water when tramping.
✓Plastic rules Single-use plastic bags banned in 2019, with further single-use plastics phased out through 2022 and 2023.
✓Sockets and voltage Type I, 230V
Made in New Zealand.
A living wool tradition in merino and strong wool runs alongside Maori harakeke flax weaving, known as raranga, and possum-merino craft, all still made today. Every step of processing done at home is value that stops leaving the country.
What New Zealand actually sells the world
The single biggest thing New Zealand sells the world is dairy, eggs and honey, 28.9% of all exports in 2023 (about US$12.18 billion, UN Comtrade). The next four are meat at 12.7%, wood and wood articles at 6.9%, fruit and nuts at 5.1%, beverages, spirits and vinegar at 3.7%.
Made now · natural materials
Living wool tradition in merino
Worked in New Zealand from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Worked in New Zealand from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Known as raranga
Worked in New Zealand from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
All still made today
Worked in New Zealand from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Buys in · 14.4% of imports
Mineral fuels and oils
New Zealand imported US$7.29 billion of mineral fuels and oils in 2023, 14.4% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 13.8% of imports
Vehicles
New Zealand imported US$6.95 billion of vehicles in 2023, 13.8% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 13.5% of imports
Machinery and mechanical appliances
New Zealand imported US$6.84 billion of machinery and mechanical appliances in 2023, 13.5% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 8.9% of imports
Electrical machinery and electronics
New Zealand imported US$4.49 billion of electrical machinery and electronics in 2023, 8.9% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
The maths for an entrepreneur. New Zealand produces about US$264 billion a year, which is roughly US$49,591 per person (2025, World Bank). Farming is 4% of that, while food is 12.8% of everything the country imports. The country buys in more food than its own farms contribute to the economy, and every point of that gap is a business someone could build here rather than ship in.
A living tradition of New Zealand, still practised rather than archived.
Kapa haka
A living tradition of New Zealand, still practised rather than archived.
Waiata
A living tradition of New Zealand, still practised rather than archived.
Whakairo carving
A living tradition of New Zealand, still practised rather than archived.
Raranga flax weavingA living tradition of New Zealand, still practised rather than archived.
Marae protocolA living tradition of New Zealand, still practised rather than archived.
Does New Zealand protect its heritage by law?
Partly, and the gaps say as much as the protections.
What is kept alive. Maori living culture sits at the centre of national life, from the haka and kapa haka performance to waiata song, poi and the carved marae that anchor communities. Ancestral knowledge, matauranga Maori, and living spirituality through karakia, whakapapa and a deep relationship to land and ancestors remain widely honoured. The Maori language, te reo, is an official language in active revitalisation, taught in kohanga reo and celebrated nationally.
Who it belongs to. Maori culture is living and central, with iwi co-governance of conservation, legal personhood granted to the Whanganui River, the guardianship ethic of kaitiakitanga and a strong Maori-led tourism sector that keeps benefits with communities.
Only here. The tuatara, the last surviving member of an ancient reptile lineage, found only here..
Three futures for New Zealand, every one run forward from measured data.
Where the making actually happens
Named cultural and craft sites on the open map: Avice Hill Arts and Craft Centre (Christchurch), Ward Park Arts & Craft Centre (Hamilton City), Tauranga Art and Craft Centre (Tauranga), JJ's Craft (Napier), Christchurch Botanic Gardens (Linwood-Central-Heathcote Community). OpenStreetMap. Named craft workshops on the open map: All You Needle, Art Zone, Artworks, Beadazzle, Crafting Around, Creative Genius.
Every measured trend on one line
Run forward at the pace already recorded.
+4%
Forest cover
1995: 36.5 % → 2023: 37.8 %
-2%
Renewable electricity
1995: 83.1 % → 2021: 81.4 %
-23%
CO2 per person
1995: 7.84 t → 2024: 6.01 t
-29%
Tourist arrivals
1995: 1409 k → 2020: 996 k
+22%
Protected land
2013: 27.3 % → 2025: 33.4 %
-44%
Farm workforce
1995: 9.67 % → 2025: 5.42 %
+9%
Protected sea
2013: 27.9 % → 2025: 30.4 %
-26%
Agricultural land
1995: 49.9 % → 2023: 36.9 %
-2%
Urban population
1995: 85.4 % → 2025: 84 %
-16%
Air pollution
1995: 8.21 µg/m³ → 2023: 6.88 µg/m³
-28%
Fresh water per person
1995: 89018.3 m³ → 2022: 64348.5 m³
+30%
Adult overweight
1995: 51.9 % → 2022: 67.4 %
+0%
Electricity access
1995: 100 % → 2024: 100 %
+185%
GDP per person
1995: 17400 → 2025: 49591
+45%
Population
1995: 3673 k → 2025: 5325 k
+1%
Renewable energy use
1995: 28.7 % → 2021: 28.9 %
-13%
Energy per person
1995: 4092 kg → 2024: 3557 kg
+10%
Protected area, total
2013: 27.9 % → 2025: 30.6 %
+7%
Life expectancy
1995: 76.7 yrs → 2024: 82 yrs
+62%
Cereal yield
1995: 5625 ha → 2024: 9102 ha
-25%
Fertiliser use
1995: 1732 ha → 2023: 1291 ha
+10%
Rural population
1995: 14.6 % → 2025: 16 %
-40%
Water productivity
1995: 36.9 $/m3 → 2022: 22 $/m3
+35%
Health spending
2000: 7.5 % → 2024: 10.1 %
+4%
Forest area
1995: 96114 km2 → 2023: 99503 km2
-13%
Electric power use
1995: 9200 kWh → 2024: 7989 kWh
-9%
Emissions: Agriculture
1990: 44.2 e → 2023: 40.5 e
+24%
Emissions: Building
1990: 1.54 e → 2023: 1.91 e
-3%
Emissions: Electricity/Heat
1990: 4.57 e → 2023: 4.43 e
+27%
Emissions: Energy
1990: 23.2 e → 2023: 29.6 e
+54%
Emissions: Industrial Processes
1990: 1.64 e → 2023: 2.52 e
-1%
Emissions: Manufacturing/Construction
1990: 5.95 e → 2023: 5.88 e
World Bank open data, recorded series
How much forest is left?
Forest cover moved from 36.5% to 37.8% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.ZS
How clean is the grid?
Renewable electricity moved from 83.1% to 81.4% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.RNEW.ZS
How much climate pollution per person?
CO2 per person moved from 7.8 t to 6.0 t across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5
How many people visit?
Tourist arrivals moved from 1409k to 996k across 25 recorded years.
World Bank ST.INT.ARVL
How much land is protected?
Protected land moved from 27.3% to 33.4% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.LND.PTLD.ZS
How many people still farm?
Farm workforce moved from 9.7% to 5.4% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
How much sea is protected?
Protected sea moved from 27.9% to 30.4% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.MRN.PTMR.ZS
How much land is farmed?
Agricultural land moved from 49.9% to 36.9% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.AGRI.ZS
How fast is it urbanising?
Urban population moved from 85.4% to 84.0% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS
Is the air getting cleaner?
Air pollution moved from 8.2 µg/m³ to 6.9 µg/m³ across 28 recorded years.
World Bank EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3
Is water getting scarcer?
Fresh water per person moved from 89018.3 m³ to 64348.5 m³ across 27 recorded years.
World Bank ER.H2O.INTR.PC
Is diet-related disease rising?
Adult overweight moved from 51.9% to 67.4% across 27 recorded years.
World Bank SH.STA.OWAD.ZS
Who has power?
Electricity access moved from 100.0% to 100.0% across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS
Is income rising?
GDP per person moved from 17400 to 49591 across 30 recorded years.
World Bank NY.GDP.PCAP.CD
How fast is it growing?
Population moved from 3673k to 5325k across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.POP.TOTL
What share of all energy is renewable?
Renewable energy use moved from 28.7% to 28.9% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank EG.FEC.RNEW.ZS
How much energy does one person use?
Energy per person moved from 4092 kg to 3557 kg across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.PCAP.KG.OE
How much land and sea is protected together?
Protected area, total moved from 27.9% to 30.6% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.PTD.TOTL.ZS
How long do people live?
Life expectancy moved from 76.73 yrs to 82.01 yrs across 29 recorded years.
World Bank SP.DYN.LE00.IN
How much does a hectare of cereal produce?
Cereal yield moved from 5625 kg/ha to 9102 kg/ha across 29 recorded years.
World Bank AG.YLD.CREL.KG
How much fertiliser goes on the land?
Fertiliser use moved from 1732 kg/ha to 1291 kg/ha across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.CON.FERT.ZS
How many people still live rurally?
Rural population moved from 14.61% to 16.0% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS
How much value per cubic metre of water?
Water productivity moved from 36.94 $/m3 to 21.98 $/m3 across 27 recorded years.
World Bank ER.GDP.FWTL.M3.KD
How much goes on health?
Health spending moved from 7.47% to 10.06% across 24 recorded years.
World Bank SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS
How much forest is there in total?
Forest area moved from 96114 km2 to 99503 km2 across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.K2
How much electricity per person?
Electric power use moved from 9200 kWh to 7989 kWh across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.ELEC.KH.PC
How have agriculture emissions moved?
Agriculture emissions moved from 44.21 to 40.45 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have building emissions moved?
Building emissions moved from 1.54 to 1.91 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have electricity/heat emissions moved?
Electricity/Heat emissions moved from 4.57 to 4.43 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have energy emissions moved?
Energy emissions moved from 23.21 to 29.55 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have industrial processes emissions moved?
Industrial Processes emissions moved from 1.64 to 2.52 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have manufacturing/construction emissions moved?
Manufacturing/Construction emissions moved from 5.95 to 5.88 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
Worst caseCurrent pathBest case
Worst case
Every measured decline continues at the pace already recorded. The weakest pillar, organic farming at 2/5, is the one that gives way first.
Computed from: recorded series extended with no policy change
Current path
Every line above is a recorded World Bank series for this country. The current path is simply those series continuing at the pace already measured.
Computed from: recorded series, no policy change assumed
Best case
The pledges are met on their own stated timetables and the weakest pillars are lifted to match the strongest. New Zealand already shows it can do this: water scores 5/5.
Computed from: each published target delivered on its own date
What the best case actually asks for
Lift organic farming
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of New Zealand's record. Certified organic land is about 0.8% of farmland (FiBL, 2020), a small but export-focused and growing sector. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift natural fibres
It scores 3 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of New Zealand's record. A living wool tradition in merino and strong wool runs alongside Maori harakeke flax weaving, known as raranga, and possum-merino craft, all still made today. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift plant-based eating
It scores 3 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of New Zealand's record. Wellington and Auckland have a lively and growing plant-based scene, but the national food culture is strongly built on meat and dairy. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Government and Goals in New Zealand.
Who is in charge of New Zealand now · office-holders and institutions as published by the state itself; scores from the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators 2024
Christopher Luxon
Prime Minister
Christopher Luxon is the head of government of New Zealand, in office since 27 November 2023. Every climate, protection and energy pledge on this page is delivered, or not, under this administration.
Public opinion, measured
Voice and accountability, the freedom to question government: 86.4 / 100. Among the strongest measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Control of corruption: 86.9 / 100. Among the strongest measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Political stability and absence of violence: 85.5 / 100. Among the strongest measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Rule of law: 85.7 / 100. Among the strongest measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Regulatory quality: 84 / 100. Among the strongest measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Christopher LuxonPrime Minister
House of RepresentativesLegislature, unicameral
Constitutioncurrent text dates from 1986
Government typeparliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealt
New Zealand national goals: climate commitments on record · as recorded by Climate Watch, World Resources Institute
2050
Net zero
In Policy Document<br>In Law
Net-zero target as recorded by Climate Watch. Status: In Policy Document (1/31/2025, 11/4/2021) In Law (11/13/2019) ↗
The questions people actually type, answered in full sentences from the sourced data above.
swipe →
Is New Zealand sustainable?
New Zealand scores 80 out of 100 on the Throne Eco Index, across twelve equally weighted pillars. A pair of Pacific islands with extraordinary endemic wildlife, near-fully renewable electricity and Maori-led conservation, balanced against farm-driven freshwater pressures.
Is the water in New Zealand safe and plentiful?
New Zealand has abundant alpine rivers, lakes, snowmelt and aquifers, and about 100% of people use safely managed drinking water (World Bank, 2020). The 2016 Havelock North campylobacter outbreak drove major drinking water reform, and dairy intensification has raised nitrate levels in many lowland rivers, but overall supply security is very high.
Can New Zealand feed itself?
New Zealand is a major net food exporter of dairy, lamb, beef, kiwifruit, apples and wine and is highly self-sufficient in food.
Is it easy to eat plant-based in New Zealand?
Wellington and Auckland have a lively and growing plant-based scene, but the national food culture is strongly built on meat and dairy.
How much of New Zealand is actually protected?
About a third of the country, some 33.4% of the land, is protected conservation estate managed by the Department of Conservation (World Bank, 2024), backed by the Predator Free 2050 programme, fenced ecosanctuaries and offshore island refuges. The roughly 30% marine protected figure is mostly benthic protection area, however, and true no-take marine reserves cover well under 1%.
What wildlife is left in New Zealand?
New Zealand has extraordinary endemism, from kiwi, kakapo and kea to the tuatara, with no native land mammals except bats, and it leads the world in predator eradication and island rewilding. That same isolation leaves it with one of the longest lists of threatened birds anywhere.
Is New Zealand on clean energy?
New Zealand generated about 85.5% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2024, chiefly hydropower, geothermal and a fast growing wind fleet, according to the government's Energy in New Zealand 2025 report. Its carbon dioxide emissions were roughly 6.23 tonnes per person in 2024, a moderate figure lifted by transport and by a dry hydro year that raised coal use. The Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019 legislates net zero for long lived greenhouse gases by 2050 and the country runs an Emissions Trading Scheme.
How polluted is New Zealand?
New Zealand banned single-use plastic shopping bags in 2019 and phased out further single-use plastics through 2022 and 2023, and its air is among the cleanest measured at about 5.1 micrograms per cubic metre PM2.5 (IQAir, 2025), though rural waterways carry farm run-off and some inland towns get winter woodsmoke.
Does recycling work in New Zealand?
Kerbside recycling is modest and New Zealand sends a high volume of waste to landfill per person, among the higher rates in the developed world.
Is the farming in New Zealand organic?
Certified organic land is about 0.8% of farmland (FiBL, 2020), a small but export-focused and growing sector.
Are there natural materials and craft in New Zealand?
A living wool tradition in merino and strong wool runs alongside Maori harakeke flax weaving, known as raranga, and possum-merino craft, all still made today.
Is there living culture in New Zealand?
Maori culture is living and central, with iwi co-governance of conservation, legal personhood granted to the Whanganui River, the guardianship ethic of kaitiakitanga and a strong Maori-led tourism sector that keeps benefits with communities.
What heritage does New Zealand keep alive?
Maori living culture sits at the centre of national life, from the haka and kapa haka performance to waiata song, poi and the carved marae that anchor communities. Ancestral knowledge, matauranga Maori, and living spirituality through karakia, whakapapa and a deep relationship to land and ancestors remain widely honoured. The Maori language, te reo, is an official language in active revitalisation, taught in kohanga reo and celebrated nationally.
So is New Zealand actually green? The measured answer
What is working: land protected at 33.4%, sea protected at 30.4%, renewable electricity at 81.4%.
What is not: the gaps are narrower here than in most of the directory, and each remaining one is named below.
New Zealand sits 1 of 77 at 80/100. Every name links to its own destination page, built exactly like this one. The full ranking →
What is New Zealand particularly good at?
✓Conservation, scored 5/5. About a third of the country, some 33.4% of the land, is protected conservation estate managed by the Department of Conservation (World Bank, 2024), backed by the Predator Free 2050 programme, fenced ecosanctuaries and offshore island refuges. The roughly 30% marine protected figure is mostly benthic protection area, however, and true no-take marine reserves cover well under 1%.
✓Culture, scored 5/5. Maori culture is living and central, with iwi co-governance of conservation, legal personhood granted to the Whanganui River, the guardianship ethic of kaitiakitanga and a strong Maori-led tourism sector that keeps benefits with communities.
✓Food and farming, scored 5/5. New Zealand is a major net food exporter of dairy, lamb, beef, kiwifruit, apples and wine and is highly self-sufficient in food.
Where does New Zealand score worst?
✕Recycling, scored 3/5. Kerbside recycling is modest and New Zealand sends a high volume of waste to landfill per person, among the higher rates in the developed world.
✕Wildlife, scored 3/5. New Zealand has extraordinary endemism, from kiwi, kakapo and kea to the tuatara, with no native land mammals except bats, and it leads the world in predator eradication and island rewilding. That same isolation leaves it with one of the longest lists of threatened birds anywhere.
✕Organic farming, scored 2/5. Certified organic land is about 0.8% of farmland (FiBL, 2020), a small but export-focused and growing sector.
Similar countries doing it better and worse
FijiScored on the same twelve pillars as New Zealand.72
AustraliaScored on the same twelve pillars as New Zealand.70
Papua New GuineaScored on the same twelve pillars as New Zealand.68
French PolynesiaScored on the same twelve pillars as New Zealand.62
A note from the lens of mother natureswipe →
Energy, 4/5
New Zealand generated about 85.5% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2024, chiefly hydropower, geothermal and a fast growing wind fleet, according to the government's Energy in New Zealand 2025 report. Its carbon dioxide emissions were roughly 6.23 tonnes per person in 2024, a moderate figure lifted by transport and by a dry hydro year that raised coal use.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of New Zealand's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Food and farming, 5/5
New Zealand is a major net food exporter of dairy, lamb, beef, kiwifruit, apples and wine and is highly self-sufficient in food.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of New Zealand's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Heritage, 5/5
Maori living culture sits at the centre of national life, from the haka and kapa haka performance to waiata song, poi and the carved marae that anchor communities. Ancestral knowledge, matauranga Maori, and living spirituality through karakia, whakapapa and a deep relationship to land and ancestors remain widely honoured.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of New Zealand's record, so it is where the score moves first.
The New Zealand Directory.
Everything on Hold The Throne that sits in New Zealand, checked and listed.
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Government effectiveness
87.3 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Rule of law
85.7 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Political stability
85.5 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Voice and accountability
86.4 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Environmental Performance Index
57.3 / 100 · 33 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 33 of 180 countries assessed.
Ecosystem vitality
50.0 / 100 · 87 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 87 of 180 countries assessed.
Biodiversity and habitat
38.5 / 100 · 123 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 123 of 180 countries assessed.
Air pollution
69.1 / 100 · 104 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 104 of 180 countries assessed.
Terrestrial biomes protected
86.8 / 100 · 32 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 32 of 180 countries assessed.
Marine protected areas
61.2 / 100 · 74 of 131
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 74 of 131 countries assessed.
How New Zealand Is Scored. The Throne Standard.
Every destination on the index is scored the same way, so a 4 in Barbados means exactly what a 4 means in Iceland. No self-declared data and no brochure claims are accepted. Every figure on this page carries its named source and year, and the history on each page names what empire took as plainly as it scores the present.
The 12 pillars every destination is scored on, equally weighted
01
Conservation
Land and sea actually protected, not pledged
02
Wildlife
What survives, what is endemic, what is lost
03
Water
Fresh water per person, and the ocean’s health
04
Food & farming
Whether the place can feed itself
05
Organic & clean
Certified land and pesticide reality
06
Climate & energy
Emissions per person, how the grid is powered
07
Waste
Where the rubbish goes, what comes back
08
Health
What people eat and die of
09
Heritage
Living culture, and what the law keeps standing
10
Ownership
Who owns the economy, how much of a dollar stays
11
Governance
Freedom, honesty, promises kept
12
Future
Measured trends run forward, pledges against pace
What each 0 to 5 pillar score means, in plain words
One index, every destination. This same sectioned page renders for all 77 scored destinations, each with its own researched history, comparison charts and three-way future. Read the full methodology
