![New Zealand [Shutterstock]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20210105023425im_/https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/new-zealand-2.jpg)
International Travel Information
What you need to know before you go: visas, Embassy & Consulate locations, vaccinations, etc.
International Travel Information: Learn MoreHighlights
November 18, 2020
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November 6, 2020
U.S. Relationship
U.S.-New Zealand Relations
New Zealand is a strong partner and friend of the United States. The U.S. diplomatic presence in New Zealand dates back to the commissioning of the first U.S. Consul in 1838. Formal diplomatic relations were established in 1942, following the United Kingdom's recognition of New Zealand's domestic and external autonomy within the British Empire. During World War II, U.S. military personnel were stationed in New Zealand to prepare for battles such as Guadalcanal and Tarawa. The U.S. and New Zealand share common elements of history and culture and a commitment to democratic principles. New Zealand's relationship with the U.S. in the post-World War II period was closely associated with the 1951 Australia-New Zealand-United States (ANZUS) security treaty, under which signatories agreed to consult in case of an attack in the Pacific and to "act to meet the common danger." This changed in the 1980s, when New Zealand's implementation of a policy barring nuclear-armed and nuclear-powered warships from its ports effectively prevented practical alliance cooperation under ANZUS. In 1986, the U.S. suspended its ANZUS security obligations to New Zealand.
Bilateral Economic Relations
Commercial ties between the U.S. and New Zealand are strong and growing. U.S. goods exports to New Zealand totaled $3.59 billion in 2016, and the U.S. imported $4.07 billion in goods from New Zealand. Bilateral trade in services stands at $4.3 billion annually, yielding total annual bilateral trade of goods and services at approximately $12 billion. U.S. exports to New Zealand include aircraft, machinery, agricultural products, vehicles, and optic and medical instruments. U.S. imports from New Zealand include frozen beef, caseins, milk protein concentrate, wine, and machinery. The U.S. and New Zealand have had a bilateral trade and investment agreement in place since 1992.
![New Zealand Flag: Blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross constellation [CIA World Fact Book]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20210105023425im_/https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/nz-lgflag.gif){kind=small}