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| Geography of New Zealand |
New Zealand has two main islands that is known as the North and South Islands in English. The Maori names are Te-Ika-a-Maui and Te Wai Pounamu. There are also a number of small islands that are located near the centre of the water hemisphere. The Geography of New Zealand is predominated by these two main landforms.
The total land area of New Zealand is 268,680 square kilometers or 103,738 sq miles. The land area is just a little less than the area of Italy and Japan. New Zealand is a little more in size than the United Kingdom.
Geographical facts of New Zealand
New Zealand extends more than 1,600 kilometers along its main, north-north-east axis. The coastline stretches for about 15,134 km. The geography of New Zealand is predominated by the small inhabited islands that include Great Barrier Island, Stewart Island/Rakiura, Waiheke Island, in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf; east of the Hauraki Gulf; and the Chatham Islands, named Rekohu by Moriori.
New Zealand also has huge marine resources and it is the seventh-largest Exclusive Economic Zone in the world. The EEC covers an area of over four million square kilometers and this also acts as a major tourist attraction as well.
The South Island of New Zealand is the largest land mass and it is by the Southern Alps, the highest peak of which is Aoraki or Mount Cook at 3754 meters. There are eighteen peaks over 3,000 meters that you can find in the South Island. The North Island is predominantly volcanic but it is much less mountainous than the South. The highest North Island volcanic mountain is Mount Ruapehu, 2,797 meters.
The effect of the Geography of New Zealand on its climate
There are several mountainous regions where temperatures are cooler. But there are also some semi arid regions in the Mackenzie Basin of inland Canterbury that is the driest. The Aoraki/Mount Cook is the tallest mountain in New Zealand and the climate throughout the country is mild and temperate predominantly maritime, with temperatures rarely falling below 0 °C (32 °F) or rising above 30 °C (86 °F) in the populated areas.
Authentic online information on Geography of New Zealand is offered only at travel.mapsofworld
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