New Zealand, an island nation in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, comprises two primary landmasses, the North and South Islands, along with over 700 smaller islands. Positioned east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, New Zealand is the sixth largest island country globally. Its diverse topography, distinguished by sharp mountain peaks including the Southern Alps, results from tectonic uplift and volcanic activity. Wellington serves as the country's capital, while Auckland holds the title of the most populous city.
1907: Naming norms for New Zealand's islands established
By 1907, the use of 'North Island' and 'South Island' became the accepted norm for distinguishing New Zealand's two largest islands.
1907: Proclamation of New Zealand as a Dominion
In 1907, King Edward VII proclaimed New Zealand a Dominion within the British Empire, reflecting its self-governing status at the request of the New Zealand Parliament.
1907: New Zealand becomes a dominion
In 1907, New Zealand achieved dominion status within the British Empire, marking its self-governing status and a significant step towards full independence.
1908: New Zealand's Participation in Summer Olympics
New Zealand participated in the Summer Olympics in 1908 as a joint team with Australia.
1912: New Zealand's Participation in Summer Olympics
New Zealand participated in the Summer Olympics in 1912 as a joint team with Australia.
1920: New Zealand's First Independent Participation in Olympics
New Zealand first participated independently in the Summer Olympics in 1920.
1921: Median Center of Population in New Zealand
In 1921, the median center of New Zealand's population was located in the Tasman Sea, west of Levin in Manawatū-Whanganui.
1922: Introduction of Public Radio
Public radio was introduced in New Zealand in 1922.
1923: Imperial Conference
The 1923 Imperial Conference granted New Zealand the authority to negotiate its own political treaties.
1926: Imperial Conference
Reaffirming the decision of the 1923 conference, the 1926 Imperial Conference further solidified New Zealand's autonomy in negotiating its political treaties.
1928: First Commercial Treaty
New Zealand ratified its first independent commercial treaty with Japan in 1928.
1937: Kermadec Islands become uninhabited
Since 1937, the Kermadec Islands have been uninhabited, except for a small station on Raoul Island.
September 1939: Declaration of War
New Zealand, in solidarity with Britain, declared war on Germany in September 1939 under Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage.
1940: Development of New Zealand Recording Industry
The New Zealand recording industry began to develop from 1940 onwards.
1947: Adoption of the Statute of Westminster
In 1947, New Zealand adopted the Statute of Westminster, confirming that the British Parliament could no longer legislate for the country without its consent.
1947: New Zealand gains full statutory independence
In 1947, New Zealand adopted the Statute of Westminster, confirming that the British Parliament could no longer legislate for the country without its consent, leading to full statutory independence.
1950: Abolition of the Legislative Council
In 1950, the Legislative Council, New Zealand's upper house of Parliament, was abolished.
1951: ANZUS Treaty
New Zealand, Australia, and the United States formed the ANZUS security treaty in 1951.
1960: Start of State-Owned Television
A state-owned television service began in New Zealand in 1960.
1961: New Zealand Census: Ethnic Composition
The 1961 census in New Zealand reported that 92% of the population was European and 7% was Māori, with Asian and Pacific minorities constituting the remaining 1%.
1965: First New Zealand Music Awards
The first New Zealand Music Awards were held in 1965 by Reckitt & Colman as the Loxene Golden Disc awards.
1970: Samoan Quota Scheme
The Samoan Quota Scheme, introduced in 1970, regulated permanent migration from Samoa to New Zealand, allowing up to 1,100 Samoan nationals to become permanent residents annually.
1973: Economic Challenges
New Zealand faced economic difficulties in 1973 due to the United Kingdom joining the European Economic Community, reducing its export market, and the global oil crisis.
1975: Municipalities Consolidation
By 1975, the number of municipalities in New Zealand had been reduced from 249 to 67 territorial authorities and 11 regional councils.
1975: Establishment of the Waitangi Tribunal
In 1975, the Waitangi Tribunal was set up to investigate alleged breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi.
1978: Establishment of New Zealand Film Commission
The New Zealand Film Commission was established in 1978 to assist local filmmakers.
1979: Energy Crisis
The 1979 energy crisis further strained New Zealand's economy, contributing to a period of economic hardship.
1982: Lowest Per-Capita Income
By 1982, New Zealand had the lowest per-capita income among the developed nations surveyed by the World Bank.
1982: Impact of UNCLOS on New Zealand's economic zone
Following the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Kermadec Islands contributed significantly to New Zealand's exclusive economic zone.
1984: Agricultural Deregulation
New Zealand began deregulating its agricultural sector in 1984, phasing out subsidies over three years, marking a shift towards a liberalised economy.
1985: Waitangi Tribunal's scope extended to historic grievances
In 1985, the Waitangi Tribunal was enabled to investigate historic grievances, allowing for deeper examination of Māori claims.
1986: Removal of British legislative powers
The Constitution Act of 1986 removed the British government's residual legislative powers over New Zealand.
1987: Māori Language Declared Official Language of New Zealand
The Māori language, known as te reo Māori, was officially recognized as one of New Zealand's official languages in 1987, marking a significant step in its revitalization after a period of suppression.
1987: End of Telecom Monopoly
The New Zealand Post Office's monopoly on telecommunications ended in 1987 with the establishment of Telecom New Zealand.
1987: Share Market Crash Impacts Unemployment
The New Zealand share market crash of 1987 had a delayed impact on unemployment, leading to a surge in unemployment that peaked in 1991 and 1992.
1989: Local Government Reorganization
New Zealand's local government structure was reorganized into a two-tier system of regional and territorial authorities in 1989.
1990: Telecom New Zealand Privatized
Initially established as a state-owned enterprise, Telecom New Zealand was privatized in 1990.
1990: Dairy Farming Expansion Begins
The 1990s marked the start of a significant expansion in New Zealand's dairy farming industry, which would eventually transform it into the nation's leading export earner.
1991: Unemployment Peaks
Following the 1987 share market crash, New Zealand's unemployment rate reached a peak exceeding 10% in 1991.
1992: Establishment of Crown Research Institutes
New Zealand established Crown Research Institutes (CRIs) in 1992, transforming existing government-owned research entities.
1992: Unemployment Remains High
Unemployment in New Zealand remained above 10% in 1992, a year after reaching its peak following the 1987 share market crash.
1993: End of first-past-the-post voting system
In 1993, New Zealand held its last general election under the first-past-the-post voting system.
1993: Railway Privatization
New Zealand's railways were privatized in 1993.
1994: Freedom House Ranking of New Zealand Press Freedom
Since 1994, Freedom House has consistently ranked New Zealand's press freedom in the top twenty.
1995: New Zealand's Success in America's Cup
New Zealand has seen regular sailing success in the America's Cup regatta since 1995.
1996: Introduction of mixed-member proportional voting
Since the 1996 election, New Zealand has used a mixed-member proportional (MMP) voting system, where each voter has two votes.
2000: Growth of New Zealand Fashion Industry
Since 2000, the local fashion industry in New Zealand has grown significantly, with exports doubling and the number of established labels increasing.
2001: Venice Biennale
New Zealand art was featured at the Venice Biennale in 2001.
2002: Pacific Access Category
The Pacific Access Category, established in 2002, permitted up to 750 Pacific Islanders (excluding Samoans) to become permanent residents of New Zealand each year.
2002: Increase in International Students in New Zealand
The number of international students paying fees to study in New Zealand rose significantly in the late 1990s, with over 20,000 enrolled in public tertiary institutions by 2002.
2003: Abolition of final rights of appeal to British courts
In 2003, New Zealand abolished the final rights of appeal to British courts, further cementing its legal independence.
2004: Paradise Now Exhibition
New Zealand art was featured at the "Paradise Now" exhibition in New York in 2004.
2004: Railway Renationalization Begins
The New Zealand government initiated the re-nationalization of the country's railways in 2004, a process that would continue in stages until 2008.
2006: Discovery of ancient land mammal bones
In 2006, bones from a unique, mouse-sized land mammal at least 16 million years old were discovered in New Zealand, expanding the understanding of the country's prehistoric fauna.
2006: New Zealand Sign Language Becomes Official Language
New Zealand Sign Language gained official language status in New Zealand in 2006.
2007: Wine Overtakes Wool Exports
For the first time in New Zealand's history, wine exports surpassed wool exports in 2007, reflecting the growth of the country's wine industry.
2007: Seasonal Workers Scheme
New Zealand launched a seasonal workers scheme in 2007 to facilitate temporary migration from Pacific Island countries.
2007: Unemployment Falls to 3.7%
New Zealand's unemployment rate fell to 3.7% in 2007, the third lowest among twenty-seven comparable OECD nations at the time.
April 2008: New Zealand-China Free Trade Agreement
On April 7, 2008, New Zealand and China established a significant milestone by signing the New Zealand-China Free Trade Agreement. This marked the first instance of China entering into such an agreement with a developed nation.
2008: Railway Renationalization Completed
The re-nationalization of New Zealand's railways, which commenced in 2004, was finalized in 2008, bringing the railways back under state control.
2009: Pacific Islander Employment
Around 8,000 Pacific Islanders secured employment in New Zealand in 2009 under the seasonal workers scheme.
2009: Ultra-Fast Broadband Rollout
The year 2009 witnessed the start of a major initiative to deploy gigabit-capable fiber-to-the-premises technology across New Zealand, marketed as Ultra-Fast Broadband. This project aimed to provide coverage to 87% of the population by 2022.
2009: Global Financial Crisis Impacts Unemployment
As a consequence of the global financial crisis, unemployment in New Zealand climbed back up to 7% in late 2009.
2009: New Zealand Immigration Target
The New Zealand Immigration Service established an annual target of 45,000 to 50,000 permanent residence approvals for the period of 2009–2010, representing a rate exceeding one new migrant per 100 New Zealand residents.
2009: Geographic Board discovers unnamed islands
In 2009, the New Zealand Geographic Board discovered that the names of the North Island and South Island had never been formalised.
2011: Chorus Split from Telecom
In 2011, Chorus, the company responsible for the majority of New Zealand's telecommunications infrastructure, was separated from Telecom (later renamed Spark).
2012: NATO Partnership
New Zealand established a partnership with NATO in 2012 under the Partnership Interoperability Initiative.
2013: New Zealanders in Australia
By 2013, approximately 650,000 New Zealand citizens, representing 15% of New Zealand's population, were residing in Australia.
2013: Formalisation of island names
In 2013, the names North Island or Te Ika-a-Māui, and South Island or Te Waipounamu, were formalised by the New Zealand Geographic Board, allowing either the English or Māori names to be used.
2013: New Zealand Census
The 2013 New Zealand census served as a baseline for comparing population growth, with the 2018 census showing a 10.8% increase.
2013: New Zealand Census: Overseas-Born Population
The 2013 census in New Zealand indicated that 25.2% of the population was born overseas.
2014: Food Products Dominate Exports
In 2014, food products constituted the largest portion of New Zealand's exports, accounting for 55% of the total export value, while wood ranked as the second largest export earner at 7%.
2015: Renewable Energy Contribution
In 2015, renewable energy sources contributed 40.1% to New Zealand's total gross energy supply.
2015: R&D Spending at 1.23% of GDP
In 2015, New Zealand's gross expenditure on research and development (R&D) represented 1.23% of the nation's GDP.
2015: New Zealand's Press Freedom Ranking
As of 2015, New Zealand had the 19th freest media according to Freedom House.
2016: New Zealand Cities Rank High in Livability
In 2016, Auckland and Wellington, New Zealand, were ranked highly on the Mercer Quality of Living Survey, with Auckland placing third and Wellington placing twelfth.
2016: Establishment of the New Zealand Space Agency
The New Zealand government took a significant step in 2016 by establishing the New Zealand Space Agency. This agency was tasked with overseeing space policy, regulations, and the development of the space sector within the country.
2016: Tourism's Economic Contribution
The tourism sector played a significant role in New Zealand's economy in 2016, contributing $12.9 billion (5.6%) to the nation's total GDP and providing employment for 7.5% of the workforce.
2016: Leading Causes of Death in New Zealand
In 2016, cancer was the leading cause of death in New Zealand, accounting for 30.3% of deaths, followed by ischaemic heart disease (14.9%) and cerebrovascular disease (7.4%).
2017: Northward Shift of New Zealand's Population
By 2017, New Zealand's median center of population had shifted approximately 280 kilometers (170 miles) north to near Kawhia in Waikato, highlighting a trend of northward population drift during the 20th century.
2017: Major Exports
During the 2017-18 period, New Zealand's main exports included dairy products (17.7%), meat (8.8%), wood and wood products (6.2%), fruit (3.6%), machinery (2.2%), and wine (2.1%).
2017: Life Expectancy in New Zealand
During the period from 2017 to 2019, life expectancy in New Zealand was 80.0 years for males and 83.5 years for females.
2017: UN Ranking for ICT Development
In 2017, the United Nations International Telecommunication Union (ITU) positioned New Zealand at 13th place globally for its progress in information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure development.
2017: Human Rights Report
In 2017, the United States Department of State, while acknowledging New Zealand government's respect for individual rights, raised concerns about the socioeconomic status of the Māori population.
2017: Projected Growth in International Arrivals
Projections made in 2017 anticipated a yearly increase of 5.4% in international visitor arrivals to New Zealand, extending until 2022.
June 2018: Dairy Dominates Exports
By June 2018, dairy products had become New Zealand's top export, representing 17.7% ($14.1 billion) of total exports. Fonterra, the country's biggest company, held control over almost a third of the global dairy trade.
2018: New Zealand Census: Overseas-Born Population
The 2018 census revealed that 27.4% of individuals counted in New Zealand were born outside the country, reflecting an increase from 25.2% in the 2013 census.
2018: New Zealand Census: Median Age
The median age of the New Zealand population was recorded as 37.4 years in the 2018 census.
2018: New Zealand Census
The 2018 New Zealand census recorded a resident population of 4,699,755, marking a 10.8% increase from the previous census in 2013.
2018: New Zealand Census: Religious Affiliation
The 2018 census in New Zealand revealed that 44.7% of respondents affiliated with one or more religions, while 48.5% indicated no religious affiliation.
2018: Increase in R&D Spending
New Zealand's total gross expenditure on research and development (R&D) as a share of GDP grew to 1.37% in 2018, an increase from 1.23% in 2015.
2018: Electorates based on 2018 census data
Based on the 2018 census data, New Zealand's Parliament includes 72 electorates, with the remaining 48 of the 120 seats assigned to ensure proportional representation.
2018: New Zealand Census: Ethnic Composition
According to the 2018 census, 71.8% of New Zealand residents identified ethnically as European, while 16.5% identified as Māori.
2018: New Zealand Census: Most Spoken Non-Official Language
The 2018 census in New Zealand identified Samoan as the most prevalent non-official language, spoken by 2.2% of the population.
September 2019: New Zealand Population Reaches 5 Million
New Zealand's population reached 5 million in September 2019.
2019: Life Expectancy in New Zealand
During the period from 2017 to 2019, life expectancy in New Zealand was 80.0 years for males and 83.5 years for females.
2019: Local Elections
The voter turnout for the 2019 local council elections in New Zealand was 42%.
June 2020: New Zealand Population Growth Rate
New Zealand's population grew at an annual rate of 1.9% in the seven years leading up to June 2020.
September 2020: New Zealand Population Surpasses 5 Million
Statistics New Zealand reported that the population of New Zealand surpassed 5 million in September 2019, based on estimates derived from the 2018 census.
2020: Ethnic Disparities in Child Poverty
In 2020, poverty disproportionately impacted ethnic-minority households in New Zealand, with 23.3% of Māori children and 28.6% of Pacific Islander children experiencing poverty.
2020: New Zealand Total Fertility Rate
New Zealand recorded a total fertility rate of 1.6 in 2020, indicating sub-replacement fertility but still surpassing the OECD average.
September 2021: Youth Unemployment Rate
During September 2021, the general unemployment rate hovered around 3.2%, while the unemployment rate for young people aged 15 to 24 was significantly higher at 9.2%.
December 2021: Lowest Unemployment Rate Recorded
In December 2021, New Zealand experienced its lowest unemployment rate on record (using the current methodology) at 3.2%, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021: Human Development Index
New Zealand ranked 13th on the 2021 Human Development Index, reflecting its high level of human development.
2021: Educational Attainment in New Zealand
In 2021, among the population aged 25–64 in New Zealand, 13% had no formal qualification, 21% had a school qualification, 28% had a tertiary certificate or diploma, and 35% had a bachelor's agree or higher.
June 2022: Child Poverty Rates
As of June 2022, child poverty in New Zealand remained a significant issue, with 12% of children residing in low-income households earning less than half of the median equivalised disposable household income.
2022: Local Elections
New Zealand recorded a historically low voter turnout of 36% in the 2022 local council elections.
2022: Index of Economic Freedom
New Zealand secured the fourth position in the 2022 Index of Economic Freedom, indicating its strong adherence to free market principles.
2022: Ultra-Fast Broadband Target Year
The year 2022 marked the target year for achieving 87% coverage of New Zealand's population with Ultra-Fast Broadband, a gigabit-capable fiber-to-the-premises technology.
June 2023: New Zealand Population Distribution
As of June 2023, approximately 76.5% of New Zealand's population resided in the North Island, while 23.5% resided in the South Island.
July 2023: EU-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement
In July 2023, New Zealand and the European Union established the EU-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement. This agreement removed tariffs on a variety of goods traded between the two regions and expanded on a previous free trade agreement by reducing tariffs on meat and dairy products, responding to industry concerns.
November 2023: Appointment of Christopher Luxon as Prime Minister
On 27 November 2023, Christopher Luxon became the 42nd Prime Minister of New Zealand.
2023: Global Innovation Index Ranking
The Global Innovation Index ranked New Zealand in 27th position in 2023.
May 2024: New Zealand Population Estimate
In May 2024, New Zealand's total population was estimated to be 5,361,680.
2050: Projected Demographic Changes in New Zealand
Projections for 2050 indicate that New Zealand's median age will rise to 43 years, and the proportion of the population aged 60 years and older will increase from 18% to 29%.