New Zealand is a highly efficient producer of agricultural products. The mainstay of its market-based economy is the export of wool, meat, and dairy products. An expanding manufacturing sector is engaged primarily in food processing, metal fabrication, and the production of wood and paper products. Tourism is also a significant sector of the economy, and niche industries are developing in such high technology sectors as software production. Disparities in wealth are small but increasing.
Most citizens enjoy a comfortable standard of living.
The Government respects the human rights of its citizens, and the law and judiciary provide effective means of dealing with instances of abuse. The Government has taken steps to address the problems of overcrowded prisons, violence against women, and societal discrimination against indigenous people. There were no reports of political or other extrajudicial killings. There were no reports of politically motivated disappearances. The law prohibits torture and other forms of mistreatment, and the Government respects these prohibitions in practice.