"Geography of New Zealand New Zealand ("""") is an island country located in the south-western Pacific Ocean, near the centre of the water hemisphere. It is a long and narrow country and comprises around 600 islands. The two main islands by size are the North Island (or ""Te Ika-a-Māui"") and the South Island (or ""Te Waipounamu""), separated by the Cook Strait; the third-largest island, Stewart Island (or ""Rakiura""), is located off the tip of the South Island across Foveaux Strait. Significantly smaller islands include Waiheke Island, Chatham Island, Great Barrier Island and more, although many are uninhabited. New Zealand's landscape"
"Cook Strait Cook Strait () is a strait that separates the North and South Islands of New Zealand. It connects the Tasman Sea on the northwest with the South Pacific Ocean on the southeast, and runs next to the capital city, Wellington. It is wide at its narrowest point, and is considered one of the most dangerous and unpredictable waters in the world. The strait is named after James Cook, the first European commander to sail through it, in 1770. In Māori it has the name ""Raukawa"" or ""Te Moana-o-Raukawa"". ""Raukawa"" may mean ""bitter leaves"". In Māori legend, Cook Strait"
"coast of the South Island from that of the Clarence River, north of Kaikoura, to that of the Waitaki River, in South Canterbury. It is New Zealand's largest region by area, with an area of 45,346 km. Canterbury was traditionally bounded in the north by the Conway River, to the west by the Southern Alps, and to the south by the Waitaki River. The area is commonly divided into North Canterbury (north of the Rakaia River to the Conway River), Mid Canterbury (from the Rakaia River to the Rangitata River), South Canterbury (south of the Rangitata River to the Waitaki"
"islands are Stewart Island (across the Foveaux Strait), Chatham Island, Great Barrier Island (in the Hauraki Gulf), d'Urville Island (in the Marlborough Sounds) and Waiheke Island (about from central Auckland). New Zealand is long and narrow (over along its north-north-east axis with a maximum width of ), with about of coastline and a total land area of . Because of its far-flung outlying islands and long coastline, the country has extensive marine resources. Its exclusive economic zone is one of the largest in the world, covering more than 15 times its land area. The South Island is the largest landmass"
"40 minutes. Foveaux Strait Foveaux Strait (Te Ara a Kiwa (""the path of Kiwa"") or Te Ara a Kewa (""the path of the whale"") (Māori) separates Stewart Island/Rakiura, New Zealand's third largest island, from the South Island. According to a Maori legend, the strait was created by Kewa the obedient whale when traditional Maori ancestor Kiwa summoned the whale to create a waterway. Three large bays, Te Waewae Bay, Oreti Beach and Toetoes Bay, sweep along the strait's northern coast, which also hosts Bluff township and harbour. Across the strait lie the Solander Islands, Stewart Island/Rakiura, Dog Island and Ruapuke"
"Freshwater River The Freshwater River is the longest river on Stewart Island / Rakiura, the third largest of New Zealand's islands. It arises close to the island's northwestern point, from which it is separated by a ridge, and flows southeastward through the Ruggedy Flat for before reaching the Paterson Inlet on the island's central east coast. The Freshwater is the longest New Zealand river not to be located in either of the country's two main islands. The river's catchment dominates much of the island's north, forming a wide swampy basin that covers some (almost a tenth of the island's total"
"high proportion of native bush, and glaciers. The North Island is the second-largest island, and the 14th-largest in the world. It is separated from the South Island by the Cook Strait, with the shortest distance being . The North Island is less mountainous than the South Island, although a series of narrow mountain ranges form a roughly north-east belt that rises up to . Much of the surviving forest is located in this belt, and in other mountain areas and rolling hills. The North Island has many isolated volcanic peaks and New Zealand's largest lake. Besides the North and South"
"area). A tramping track runs along the lower reach of the river. Freshwater River The Freshwater River is the longest river on Stewart Island / Rakiura, the third largest of New Zealand's islands. It arises close to the island's northwestern point, from which it is separated by a ridge, and flows southeastward through the Ruggedy Flat for before reaching the Paterson Inlet on the island's central east coast. The Freshwater is the longest New Zealand river not to be located in either of the country's two main islands. The river's catchment dominates much of the island's north, forming a wide"
"Coastline of New Zealand New Zealand has of coastline making it the 9th longest in the world. The coastline borders the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The northern and southernmost points of the coastline on the two main islands are Surville Cliffs and Slope Point respectively. Cape Reinga in the north and Bluff in the south are often incorrectly given as the extremities of the coastline on the North and South Islands. Coastal development, such as buildings and marine farms, has become contentious in recent decades. The geography of the New Zealand coastline is varied. As well as sheltered"
"of which has had dramatic effects on the coastline. Palliser Bay Palliser Bay is at the southern end of the North Island of New Zealand, to the southeast of Wellington. It runs for 40 kilometres along the Cook Strait coast from Turakirae Head at the southern end of the Rimutaka Ranges to Cape Palliser, the North Island's southernmost point. Inland from the bay is the plain of the Ruamahanga River, which has its outflow in the bay. This river flows through Lake Wairarapa, 10 kilometres from the coast. There are several notable geographical features in the area, including the Putangirua"
"the installations have been restored and are open to the public. <br> Coastline of New Zealand New Zealand has of coastline making it the 9th longest in the world. The coastline borders the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The northern and southernmost points of the coastline on the two main islands are Surville Cliffs and Slope Point respectively. Cape Reinga in the north and Bluff in the south are often incorrectly given as the extremities of the coastline on the North and South Islands. Coastal development, such as buildings and marine farms, has become contentious in recent decades. The"
"New Zealand New Zealand ( ) is a sovereign island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main landmasses—the North Island (""Te Ika-a-Māui""), and the South Island (""Te Waipounamu"")—and around 600 smaller islands. New Zealand is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly south of the Pacific island areas 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 period of isolation, New Zealand developed a distinct biodiversity of animal, fungal, and plant life. The country's varied"
"South Island The South Island, also officially named Te Waipounamu, is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area; the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, and to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean. The South Island covers , making it the world's 12th-largest island. It has a temperate climate. It has a 32 percent larger landmass than the North Island so is sometimes referred to as the ""mainland"" of New Zealand, especially by"
"Foveaux Strait Foveaux Strait (Te Ara a Kiwa (""the path of Kiwa"") or Te Ara a Kewa (""the path of the whale"") (Māori) separates Stewart Island/Rakiura, New Zealand's third largest island, from the South Island. According to a Maori legend, the strait was created by Kewa the obedient whale when traditional Maori ancestor Kiwa summoned the whale to create a waterway. Three large bays, Te Waewae Bay, Oreti Beach and Toetoes Bay, sweep along the strait's northern coast, which also hosts Bluff township and harbour. Across the strait lie the Solander Islands, Stewart Island/Rakiura, Dog Island and Ruapuke Island. The"
"two principal settlements Invercargill and Gore are located on the plains. The Plains extend from the Waiau River in the west to the Mataura River to the east. It can be divided into three broad areas: the Southland plain proper, the Waimea Plains and the lower Waiau plain to the west near the Waiau river. Off the coast of Southland lies the Great South Basin which stretches over 500,000 km (covering an area 1.5 times New Zealand’s land mass). It is one of the country's largest undeveloped offshore petroleum basins with prospects for both oil and gas. Weather conditions in"
"New Zealand lies along the boundary between the Australian and Pacific plates. In the South Island most of the relative displacement between these plates is taken up along a single dextral (right lateral) strike-slip fault with a major reverse component, the Alpine Fault. In the North Island the displacement is mainly taken up along the Kermadec-Tonga subduction zone, although the remaining dextral strike-slip component is accommodated by the North Island Fault System. The Poulter Fault runs for approximately 50 km Northeast from the junction of the Bealey and Mahinga rivers to the valley of the Hurunui River. Between 16 km"
"Coast, crosses the Main Divide by means of the Otira Tunnel, between Arthur's Pass township and Otira. When opened in 1923, the tunnel was the longest in the British Empire. Arthur's Pass (mountain pass) Arthur's Pass, a mountain pass ( above sea level) in the Southern Alps of the South Island of New Zealand, marks part of the boundary between the West Coast and Canterbury regions. Located 140 km from Christchurch and 95 km from Greymouth, the pass comprises part of a saddle between the valleys of the Otira River (a tributary of the Taramakau River in the west) and"
"French Pass Te Aumiti / French Pass is a narrow and treacherous stretch of water that separates D'Urville Island, at the north end of the South Island of New Zealand, from the mainland coast. At one end is Tasman Bay, and at the other end the outer Pelorus Sound leads out to Cook Strait. French Pass has the fastest tidal flows in New Zealand, reaching 8 knots (4 m/s). When the tide changes, the current can be strong enough to stun fish. The local tribes are Ngāti Koata and Ngāti Kuia. In the oral tradition of some Māori tribes, French"
"Kaitorete Spit Kaitorete Spit is a long finger of land which extends along the coast of Canterbury in the South Island of New Zealand. It runs west from Banks Peninsula for 25 kilometres, and separates the shallow Lake Ellesmere (Waihora) from the Pacific Ocean. It is actually a barrier as it reaches landfall on either side (at Banks Peninsula/Birdlings Flat and Taumutu), though at its western end it tapers to a point less than 100 metres in width which is occasionally breached at high tide. The spit is noted for its isolation and for its pebbly beaches. The barrier is"
"Little Barrier Island Little Barrier Island, or Hauturu in Māori language (the official Māori title is Te Hauturu-o-Toi), lies off the northeastern coast of New Zealand's North Island. Located to the north of Auckland, the island is separated from the mainland to the west by Jellicoe Channel, and from the larger Great Barrier Island to the east by Cradock Channel. The two aptly named islands shelter the Hauraki Gulf from many of the storms of the Pacific Ocean. Settled by Māori sometime between 1350 and 1650, the island was occupied by those people until the New Zealand government declared the"
"North Island The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-largest island. It has a population of Twelve main urban areas (half of them officially cities) are in the North Island. From north to south, they are Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, Gisborne, New Plymouth, Napier, Hastings, Whanganui, Palmerston North, and Wellington, the capital, located at the south-west extremity of the island. About % of New Zealand's population"
"northeast of New Zealand, between French Polynesia and American Samoa. There are 15 major islands spread over of ocean, divided into two distinct groups: the Southern Cook Islands and the Northern Cook Islands of coral atolls. The islands were formed by volcanic activity; the northern group is older and consists of six atolls, which are sunken volcanoes topped by coral growth. The climate is moderate to tropical. The Cook Islands consist of 15 islands and two reefs. The table is ordered from north to south. Population figures from the 2016 census. The Cook Islands were first settled in the 6th"
"Forsyth Island (New Zealand) Forsyth Island lies in the outer Marlborough Sounds of New Zealand's South Island and is separated from the mainland by the 300m wide Allen Strait (also known as Guards Pass). The island comprises a mixture of farm land and native bush on hills rising to over with views into the Marlborough Sounds and east towards the North Island. As of 2012, it is one of the largest entirely privately owned islands in the South Pacific, and offers exclusive accommodation, accessible via helicopter and boat. Forsyth Island is connected to electricity and phone via a cable across"
"Allen Strait and is serviced weekly by a mail boat from Havelock. Forsyth Island (New Zealand) Forsyth Island lies in the outer Marlborough Sounds of New Zealand's South Island and is separated from the mainland by the 300m wide Allen Strait (also known as Guards Pass). The island comprises a mixture of farm land and native bush on hills rising to over with views into the Marlborough Sounds and east towards the North Island. As of 2012, it is one of the largest entirely privately owned islands in the South Pacific, and offers exclusive accommodation, accessible via helicopter and boat."
"Motutieke Island Motutieke Island is the largest of the many low-lying marshy islands in the delta of the Waikato River, New Zealand's longest river. Stretching for some , and close to wide at its widest, the island is in reality two islands separated by a shallow channel. The main body of the Waikato River flows to the southeast of the island, with narrow channels separating it to the north from the mainland of New Zealand's North Island. The smaller Puehunui Island lies close to the northwest. A few small properties dot the northeastern shore of Motutieke, accessible primarily by boat."
"Motutieke Island Motutieke Island is the largest of the many low-lying marshy islands in the delta of the Waikato River, New Zealand's longest river. Stretching for some , and close to wide at its widest, the island is in reality two islands separated by a shallow channel. The main body of the Waikato River flows to the southeast of the island, with narrow channels separating it to the north from the mainland of New Zealand's North Island. The smaller Puehunui Island lies close to the northwest. A few small properties dot the northeastern shore of Motutieke, accessible primarily by boat."
"due to the carriages being steam-heated. The final steam-hauled service in New Zealand, headed by a member of the J class, ran on 26 October 1971. The South Island is separated from the North Island by Cook Strait, which is wide at its narrowest point, and requires a ferry trip to cross. Dunedin was the headquarters of the Union Steam Ship Company, once the largest shipping company in the Southern Hemisphere. The South Island, with an area of , is the largest land mass of New Zealand; it contains about one quarter of the New Zealand population and is the"
"Main North Line, New Zealand The Main North Line, sometimes referred to as part of the South Island Main Trunk Railway, is a railway line that runs north from Christchurch in New Zealand up the east coast of the South Island through Kaikoura and Blenheim to Picton. It is a major link in New Zealand's national rail network and offers a connection with roll-on roll-off ferries from Picton to Wellington. It was also the longest railway construction project in New Zealand's history, with the first stages built in the 1870s and not completed until 1945. The first proposal for a"
"strait is about 130 km long (from Ruapuke Island to Little Solander Island), and it widens (from 14 km at Ruapuke Island to 50 km at Te Waewae Bay) and deepens (from 20 to 120 m) from east to west. The strait lies within the continental shelf area of New Zealand, and was probably dry land during the Pleistocene epoch. Captain Cook sighted Foveaux Strait during his circumnavigation of the South Island in March 1770, but decided to hide it. He was operating during the period of intense Anglo-French rivalry that filled the twelve years between Britain's success in the"
"Firth of Thames The Firth of Thames () is a large bay located in the north of the North Island of New Zealand. It is the firth of the rivers Waihou and Piako, the former of which was formerly named the Thames River, and the town of Thames lies on its southeastern coast. Its Maori name is ""Tikapa"". The firth lies at the southern end of the Hauraki Gulf, southeast of the city of Auckland. It occupies a rift valley or graben between the Coromandel Peninsula and Hunua Ranges which continues into the Hauraki Plains to the south. The Firth"
"the Kaipara Harbour. For most of its length, this river is tidal. Wairoa River (Northland) The Wairoa River in Northland New Zealand, sometimes referred to as The Northern Wairoa River, runs for 150 kilometres through the northern part of the North Auckland Peninsula. In the upper reaches, the river is formed from two separate rivers, the Mangakahia River and the Wairua River. The two streams meet to the northeast of Dargaville, becoming the Wairoa. It is the longest river in the Northland Region. The river flows from here firstly southwest (as far as Dargaville) and then southeast for 40 kilometres"
"Palliser Bay Palliser Bay is at the southern end of the North Island of New Zealand, to the southeast of Wellington. It runs for 40 kilometres along the Cook Strait coast from Turakirae Head at the southern end of the Rimutaka Ranges to Cape Palliser, the North Island's southernmost point. Inland from the bay is the plain of the Ruamahanga River, which has its outflow in the bay. This river flows through Lake Wairarapa, 10 kilometres from the coast. There are several notable geographical features in the area, including the Putangirua Pinnacles, Kupe's Sail and the Whatarangi Bluff, the erosion"
"Smaller islands include Stewart Island, which lies south of the South Island; Waiheke and Great Barrier islands, near the north end of the North Island; and the Chatham Islands, more than 800 km east of the South Island. New Zealand has many natural disturbances to its environment which endemic spices have evolved to tolerate. These include local events with short return times like landslides, floods, el nino and fires (rare before the arrival of humans). Long term events like massive eruptions and glacial maximums has also effected the current distribution of spices in New Zealand. New Zealand's soils are affected"