Official Name: New Zealand/Aotearoa
Population: 4,280,000
Capital: Wellington - Pop. 382,000
Area: 268,680 sq. km. / 166,950 sq. miles.
Language: English, Maori
Religion: Christianity, None
Status of Homosexuality: Legal
Telephone Country Code: 64
New Zealand is notable for its geographic isolation, situated about 2000 km (1250 miles) southeast of Australia. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa. Political power is held by the democratically elected Parliament of New Zealand under the leadership of the Prime Minister. The open economy is known for being one of the world's most free market capitalist economies. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered citizens have most of the same rights as other people in New Zealand. This near-equality is a relatively recent development; sex between men was only decriminalized in 1986. New Zealand does not have specific transgender anti-discrimination laws, although New Zealand's anti-discrimination laws are now thought to cover members of the trans communities. The Property (Relationships) Act 2000 gives de facto couples, whether opposite or same sex, the same property rights as existed since 1976 for married couples. There are lively gay communities on both the North and South Islands, especially in the major cities.
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