Realm of New Zealand

The Realm of New Zealand is the area over which the monarch of New Zealand is head of state. The realm is not a federation but is a collection of states and territories united under its monarch. New Zealand is an independent and sovereign state that has one territorial claim in Antarctica (the Ross Dependency), one dependent territory (Tokelau), and two associated states (the Cook Islands and Niue).^[1] The Realm of New Zealand encompasses the three autonomous jurisdictions of New Zealand, the Cook Islands, and Niue.^[2]

The Ross Dependency has no permanent inhabitants, while Tokelau, the Cook Islands and Niue have indigenous populations. The United Nations formally classifies Tokelau as a non-self-governing territory; the Cook Islands and Niue are internally self-governing, with New Zealand retaining responsibility for defence and for most foreign affairs. The governor-general of New Zealand represents the monarch throughout the Realm of New Zealand, though the Cook Islands have an additional king's representative.

The four states and territories form an informal currency union but not a customs union; each is in its own customs zone.^[3]^[4]^[5]

the , South Island, Stewart Island, and the neighbouring coastal islands such as the Solander Islands, all contained within the 16 regions of New Zealand;

North Island

the to the east, contained within the Chatham Islands Territory;

Chatham Islands

the and the Three Kings Islands to the north and the New Zealand Subantarctic Islands to the south, all outside local authority boundaries and inhabited only by a small number of research and conservation staff;

Kermadec Islands

the , which forms a part of Antarctica, according to the New Zealand government, is constitutionally a part of New Zealand.^[27] However, New Zealand's claim to this part of Antarctica is recognised by only four other countries.^[28] In addition, New Zealand's claim to sovereignty is subject to the Antarctic Treaty, which it signed in 1959.^[29]

Ross Dependency

remaining in free association with New Zealand, but retaining the King or Queen as their head of state;

having the "republican" New Zealand head of state as their head of state and becoming independent states;

having their own heads of state, but retaining their status of free association with New Zealand.

[33]

A 2016 poll showed 59 per cent of the population supported changing New Zealand's system of government from a monarchy to a republic, with a New Zealand resident as head of state.^[32] Should New Zealand become a republic, it would retain the Ross Dependency and Tokelau as dependent 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:

Dominion of New Zealand

– a country where New Zealand was nominal co-trustee during a period of League of Nations mandate and later UN Trust Territory

History of Nauru

– a country formerly under New Zealand administration as League of Nations mandate and UN Trust Territory

History of Samoa

Monarchy of the Cook Islands

Monarchy of New Zealand

Monarchy of Niue

– New Zealand is involved in several aspects of Pitcairn governance, such as law enforcement and the Pitcairn Supreme Court. The UK high commissioner to New Zealand is governor of Pitcairn.