2011 was the third and last full year of the 49th Parliament, which was dissolved on 20 October. A general election was held on 26 November to elect the 50th Parliament, which saw the Fifth National Government elected for a second term.

6 February - Waitangi Day
25 April - ANZAC Day
6 June - Queen's Birthday Monday
24 October - Labour Day

For world events and topics in 2011 not specifically related to New Zealand see: 2011

Media related to 2011 in New Zealand at Wikimedia Commons

New Zealand (Māori: Aotearoa) is an island country located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main landmasses ‒ that of the North and South Islands ‒ as well as numerous smaller islands. New Zealand is situated some 1,500 kilometres (900 mi) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilometres (600 mi) south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. Because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans.

During its long isolation, New Zealand developed a distinctive biodiversity of both animal and plant life. Most notable are the large number of unique bird species, many of which became extinct after the arrival of humans and introduced mammals. With a mild maritime climate, the land was mostly covered in forest. The country's varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions caused by the Pacific and Indo-Australian Plates clashing beneath the earth's surface.

Hayley Dee Westenra (born 10 April 1987) is a New Zealand soprano, classical crossover artist, songwriter and UNICEF Ambassador. Her first internationally released album, Pure, reached No. 1 on the UK classical charts in 2003 and has sold more than two million copies worldwide. Pure is the fastest-selling international début classical album to date, having made Westenra an international star at age 16. In August 2006, she joined the Irish group Celtic Woman, was featured on their Celtic Woman: A New Journey CD and DVD, toured with them on their 2007 Spring Tour, and also was featured on their DVD, The Greatest Journey: Essential Collection, released in 2008.

Across classical music to easy listening, folk and pop style songs, Westenra has performed songs in English, Irish, Welsh, Italian, German, French, Portuguese, Latin, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Taiwanese and Māori from west to east, north to south all around the world.

Westenra has performed for dignitaries around the world. She is the second youngest UNICEF Ambassador to date and has contributed to charities around the world.

Craig Paul Joubert (born 8 November 1977) is a South African professional rugby union referee. He has officiated at international level since 2003 with the 2011 Rugby World Cup Final being his most high-profile match.

Joubert was born in 1977 to Des and Lynne Joubert who were schoolteachers in Pietermaritzburg. Joubert attended Maritzburg College and then the University of Natal to study business finance. He then went into corporate banking, a profession in which he spent five years before taking up refereeing on a full-time basis.

Joubert's father Des, a referee at provincial level, encouraged Craig to take up refereeing as a teenager. Joubert is a member of the Maritzburg sub-society of the Natal Rugby Referees society. He officiated his first IRB Test Match, Wales vs United States in Connecticut in June 2005. In 2010, he was in charge of the Super 14 final between the Bulls and the Stormers. In the 2011 Rugby World Cup Joubert took charge of several games including the semi-final between Australia and New Zealand and the final between New Zealand and France.