- New Zealand had one of the strongest performing and fastest growing economies in the OECD in 2002/03, with GDP growth of 4.3 per cent to 30 March 2003.
- New businesses are easily created in New Zealand. We rank 8th, ahead of countries such as the Netherlands the UK and India
- There are over 800 companies involved in the software, multi-media and Internet sectors in New Zealand.
- 88 per cent of all businesses use computers in New Zealand, compared to 84 per cent in Australia and 81 per cent in Canada.
- 79 per cent of businesses in New Zealand have access to the Internet. That ranks us above Australia and Canada.
- New Zealanders have the highest internet usage rate out of 32 countries, including the United States and Australia, according to a survey conducted in December 2003.
- More than two-thirds - 68 per cent - of New Zealand’s businesses have introduced an innovation into their products or processes sometime in the three years to June 2001.
- Our manufacturers were the most innovative - 79 per cent - but the service industry was almost as strong at 67 per cent.
- If we compare innovation in European businesses with New Zealand ones, we’re at the top of the table in both the manufacturing and service sectors.
- Our unemployment rate is lower than many countries - 4.4% compared with the OECD average of 6.9% and the lowest since 1988.
- Biotechnology exports are expected to climb to over NZ$2 billion by 2010.
- Creative industries contribute 3.1% of New Zealand’s total GDP.
- More than 4000 American teachers use educational resources developed in New Zealand by Learning Media. This is worth around US$50 million to New Zealand each year.
- There are over 350 wineries in New Zealand, and more than a third of production is exported.
- Exports of New Zealand wine earned US$100 million last year.
- The New Zealand economy has had the best decade of growth since the 1960s. At the end of 2002, the NZ economy was 40% larger than it was in 1992 and average incomes were 28% higher.
For the sources of these statistics, and more information, go to http://www.nzconnection.govt.nz/facts.asp