National
Estimated populations as at 30 June.
New Zealand total – 4,693,000
North Island – 3,596,200
South Island – 1,096,200
Main urban areas
Estimated populations as at 30 June.
Regal and vice-regal
Head of State – Elizabeth II
Governor-General – The Rt Hon. Sir Jerry Mateparae GNZM QSO until 31 August, then Dame Patsy Reddy from 28 September.
2016 is the second full year of the 51st Parliament, which first sat on 21 October 2014.
The Fifth National Government, first elected in 2008, continues.
Speaker of the House – David Carter
Prime Minister – John Key (until 12 December), then Bill English
Deputy Prime Minister – Bill English (until 12 December), then Paula Bennett
Leader of the House – Gerry Brownlee
Minister of Finance – Bill English, then (from 20 December) Steven Joyce
Minister of Foreign Affairs – Murray McCully
Labour – Andrew Little
Green – James Shaw and Metiria Turei
New Zealand First – Winston Peters
Māori Party – Te Ururoa Flavell and Marama Fox
ACT New Zealand – David Seymour
United Future – Peter Dunne
Main centre leaders
Mayor of Auckland – Len Brown, then from 1 November Phil Goff
Mayor of Tauranga – Stuart Crosby, then from 31 October Greg Brownless
Mayor of Hamilton – Julie Hardaker, then from 9 November Andrew King
Mayor of Wellington – Celia Wade-Brown, then from 26 October Justin Lester
Mayor of Christchurch – Lianne Dalziel
Mayor of Dunedin – Dave Cull
8 February – Operation Neptune (New Zealand) begins
14 February – Significant aftershock in Christchurch causing some cliffs to collapse
3–24 March – Second referendum on changing the country's flag – existing flag retained
5–21 August – 132 athletes from New Zealand will compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
8 October – New Zealand local elections
14 November – 2016 Kaikoura earthquake
22 November – Operation Neptune (New Zealand) ends
5 December – John Key announces he will stand down as Prime Minister and leader of the National Party on 12 December.
12 December – Bill English is sworn in as New Zealand's 39th Prime Minister.
Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Suzanne Prentice OBE.
54th Halberg Awards (awarded 9 February 2017 for the 2016 calendar year)
Supreme Award – Lisa Carrington (canoeing)
Sportsman – Mahé Drysdale (rowing)
Sportswoman – Lisa Carrington (canoeing)
Team – Men's 49er class: Peter Burling & Blair Tuke (sailing)
Disabled Sportsperson – Liam Malone (athletics)
Coach – Gordon Walker (canoeing)
Emerging Talent – Campbell Stewart (cycling)
Sprint canoeist Lisa Carrington became the first New Zealand women to win two medals in the same Olympic Games.
Swimmer Sophie Pascoe overtook Eve Rimmer to become New Zealand's most successful Paralympian in terms of medals won.
Summer Olympics
Valerie Adams won the silver medal in the women's shot put (20.42 m)
Eliza McCartney won the bronze medal in the women's pole vault (4.80 m)
Tom Walsh won the bronze medal in the men's shot put (21.36 m)
Nick Willis won the bronze medal in the men's 1500 metres (3:50.24)
Summer Paralympics
Liam Malone won gold medals in the men's 200 metres T44 and men's 400 metres T44, and the silver medal in the men's 100 metres T44
Anna Grimaldi won the gold medal in the women's long jump T47
Holly Robinson won the silver medal in the women's javelin throw F46
William Stedman won bronze medals in the men's 400 metres T36 and the men's 800 metres T36.
Jess Hamill won the bronze medal in the women's shot put F34
Rory McSweeney won the bronze medal in the men's javelin throw F44
Summer Olympics
Hamish Bond and Eric Murray won the gold medal in the men's coxless pair
Mahé Drysdale won the gold medal in the men's single sculls
Genevieve Behrent and Rebecca Scown won the silver medal in the women's coxless pair
New Zealand Secondary School Championships (Maadi Cup)
Maadi Cup (boys U18 coxed eight) – Christ's College
Levin 75th Jubilee Cup (girls U18 coxed eight) – Diocesan School for Girls
Star Trophy (overall points) – St Peter's School (Cambridge)
Ballinger Belt – Malcolm Dodson (Kaituna/Blenheim)
Summer Olympics – Natalie Rooney won the silver medal in the women's trap shooting
