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TheRealm of New Zealand is the area over which themonarch of New Zealand ishead of state. Therealm is not afederation but is a collection of states and territories united under its monarch.New Zealand is anindependent andsovereign state that has oneterritorial claim in Antarctica (theRoss Dependency), onedependent territory (Tokelau), and twoassociated states (theCook Islands andNiue).[1] The Realm of New Zealand encompasses the three autonomousjurisdictions of New Zealand, the Cook Islands, and Niue.[2]
The Ross Dependency has no permanent inhabitants, while Tokelau, the Cook Islands and Niue haveindigenous populations. TheUnited Nations formally classifies Tokelau as anon-self-governing territory; the Cook Islands and Niue areself-governing. Thegovernor-general of New Zealand represents the monarch throughout the Realm of New Zealand, though the Cook Islands have an additionalking's representative.
The four states and territories form an informalcurrency union but not acustoms union; each is in its own customs zone.[3][4][5]
Themonarch of New Zealand, personally represented by thegovernor-general of New Zealand, is thehead of state throughout the Realm of New Zealand. The New Zealand monarchy is unitary throughout all jurisdictions in the realm with the headship of state being a part of all equally.[6] The 1983Letters Patent Constituting the Office of Governor-General of New Zealand define the exact scope of the realm.[7]
ThePacific islands of the Cook Islands and Niue became New Zealand's first colonies in 1901 and thenprotectorates. From 1965 the Cook Islands became self-governing, as did Niue from 1974. Tokelau came under New Zealand control in 1925 and remains anon-self-governing territory.[8]
The Ross Dependency comprises that sector of theAntarctic continent between160° east and150° west longitude, together with the islands lying between those degrees of longitude and south of latitude60° south.[9] TheBritish (imperial) government took possession of this territory in 1923 and entrusted it to the administration of New Zealand.[10] NeitherRussia nor theUnited States recognises this claim, and the matter remains unresolved (along with all other Antarctic claims) by theAntarctic Treaty, which serves to mostly smooth over these differences.[11] The area is uninhabited, apart from scientific bases.[12]
New Zealand nationality law treats all parts of the realm equally, so most people born in New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau and the Ross Dependency before 2006 are New Zealand citizens. Further conditions apply for those born from 2006 onwards.[13]
| Area | Representative of the King | Head of the government | Legislature | Capital (orlargest settlement) | Population (year) | Land area | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km2 | sq mi | ||||||
| Sovereign state | |||||||
| New Zealand | Governor-General of New Zealand | Prime Minister | New Zealand Parliament (House of Representatives) | Wellington | 5,324,700 (2025)[14] | 268,680 | 103,740 |
| Associated states | |||||||
 Cook Islands | King's Representative | Prime Minister | Cook Islands Parliament | Avarua | 17,459 (2016)[15] | 236 | 91 |
 Niue | Representative of the King[Note 1] | Prime Minister | Niue Assembly | Alofi | 1,784 (2017)[16] | 260 | 100 |
| Dependent territories | |||||||
| Ross Dependency | Governor[Note 1] | N/A | None[Note 2] | None(Scott Base) | Scott Base: 10–85 McMurdo Station: 200–1,000 (2016–2018; varies according to season)[12] | 450,000 | 170,000 |
 Tokelau | Governor-General of New Zealand | Ulu-o-Tokelau | General Fono | None (Fakaofo) | 1,499 (2016)[17] | 10 | 4 |
The governor-general represents the head of state—Charles III, in his capacity as themonarch of New Zealand—in the area of the realm. Essentially, governors-general take on all the dignities andreserve powers of the head of state. DameCindy Kiro took office on 21 October 2021, following the end of DamePatsy Reddy's term on 28 September 2021.[18]
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Both the Cook Islands and Niue are self-governingstates in free association with New Zealand. The details of their free association arrangement are contained in several documents, such as their respectiveconstitutions, the 1983 Exchange of Letters between the governments of New Zealand and the Cook Islands, and the 2001 Joint Centenary Declaration. As such, theNew Zealand Parliament is not empowered to unilaterally pass legislation in respect of these states. In foreign affairs and defence issues New Zealand acts on behalf of these countries, but only with their advice and consent.[19]
As the governor-general is resident in New Zealand, the Cook Islands Constitution provides for the distinct position ofKing's Representative. Appointed by the Cook Islands Government, this position isde jure not subordinate to the governor-general and acts as the local representative of the King in right of New Zealand. Since 2013,Sir Tom Marsters is the King's Representative to the Cook Islands.[20]
According to Niue'sConstitution of 1974, the governor-general of New Zealand acts as the King's Representative, and exercises the "executive authority vested in the Crown".[21]
In the Cook Islands and Niue, the New Zealandhigh commissioner is the diplomatic representative from New Zealand. Catherine Graham is the New Zealand High Commissioner to the Cook Islands, and Helen Tunnah is the New Zealand High Commissioner to Niue.
Despite their close relationship to New Zealand, both the Cook Islands and Niue maintain some diplomatic relations in their own name.[22][23] Both countries maintain high commissions in New Zealand and have New Zealand high commissioners resident in their capitals. InCommonwealth practice, high commissioners represent their governments, rather than the head of state.[24]
New Zealand is a sovereign state. At theUnited Nations, the country is identified in the General Assembly as simply "New Zealand", not as the Realm of New Zealand.[25]
New Zealandproper consists of the following island groups:[26]
Tokelau has a lesser degree of self-government than the Cook Islands and Niue; it has been moving toward free association status. New Zealand's representative in Tokelau is theadministrator of Tokelau (since 2022,Don Higgins),[30] who has the power to overturn rules passed by theGeneral Fono (parliament). In referendums conducted in2006 and2007 by New Zealand at theUnited Nations' request, the people of Tokelau failed to reach the two-thirds majority necessary to attain a system of governance with equal powers to that of the Cook Islands and Niue.[31]
A 2016 poll showed 59 per cent of the population supported changing New Zealand's system of government from a monarchy to arepublic, with a New Zealand resident as head of state.[32] Should New Zealand become a republic, it would retain the Ross Dependency and Tokelau asdependent territories and the Realm of New Zealand would continue to exist without New Zealand, the Ross Dependency and Tokelau.[33] This would not be a legal hurdle to a New Zealand republic as such, and both the Cook Islands and Niue would retain their free association with New Zealand. Rights to abode and citizenship, codified in New Zealand legislation by the Citizenship Act 1977, would not change.[34]
However, a New Zealand republic would present the issue of continued allegiance to the monarch in the Cook Islands and Niue.[35] Thus, a number of options for the future of the Realm of New Zealand exist should New Zealand become a republic with the Cook Islands and Niue either:
{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)The austral winter population ranges from 150 to 200, with the summer population varying between 800 – 1,000
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