New Zeland Geography
New Zealand is located in Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean. The geographic coordinates of New Zealand is 41 00S. 174 00E. New Zealand comprises of two main islands. the North Island and the South Island. In Maori the two islands are known as Te-Ika-a-Maui and Te Wai Pounamu. New Zealand has a total area of land of 268.680 km square which includes the Campbell Island Group, Chatham Islands. Bounty Islands. Auckland Islands. Kermadec Islands and Antipodes Islands. In area New Zealand can be compared to Italy. United Kingdom or Colorado. New Zealand has 15.134 km of coast. New Zealand has a temperate climate. Earthquakes are quite common in New Zealand.
It is not often that the temperature falls under 0 degree or rise above 30 degrees. In general the climate throughout New Zealand is mild; it goes from cool to warm temperate. New Zealand may have in one day the four seasons. Christchurch is considered to be the one of the driest area located in the South Island of New Zealand. Auckland is considered as the wettest area located in the North Island of New Zealand.
Eighty percent of the land of the land of New Zealand was covered of forests before the arrival of human on the island. As New Zealand was for a long time isolated from the rest of the world. it has an amazing flora and fauna. There is about 80% of the flora of New Zealand unique to the island. Before the arrival of human the forest was home of variety of extinct animals now. The Moa was of the first inhabitants of New Zealand. It was large flightless big bird. The Haast’s Eagle also a big bird and was one of the largest birds prey. also extinct now.
The Kiwi. the kakapo and takahe are considered as endangered and are unique to New Zealand. There is no snakes on the island but one spider, the katipo and is a venomous one but quite rare and mostly found on coastal regions.
The North Island is 113,729km square and is considered as the fourteenth largest island in the world. In maps of the nineteenth century North Island was named ‘New Munster-. The North Island has a population of around three million and the rest being on the South Island. The North Island is not as mountainous as the South Island. In the North Island you may visit several important cities. Auckland and Wellington are known to the largest cities. Wellington is the capital of New Zealand and is located at the southern part of the Island. The longest river is also in the North Island and it is the Waikato. 425 km long. The largest lake is the Lake Taupo also on the North Island.
The tallest mount on the North Island is the Mount Ruapehu which is an active cone volcano. The mount is located at the end of the south part of the Taupo Volacanic Zone. In Maori, Ruapehu means exploding pit or pit of noise.
In the belief of the Maori. the indigenous people of New Zealand it is said that the North and South Islands came from the Maui time, Maui was a mythical hero. The North Island consists of nine regions which are Auckland. Northland, Gisborne. Bay of Plenty, Waikato. Manawatu-Wanganui. Hawke’s Bay, Wellington and Taranaki.
The South Island is the other major island of New Zealand. Maori called the Island Te Wai Pounamu which means “the water of Greenstone-. It is also known as Te Waka a Maui which means “Maui’s Canoe-. In the maps of the nineteenth century the South Island was called Middle Island or New Ulster. The island has an area of 151.215 km square and is known as the twelfth world largest island. The South Island is more mountainous than the North Island. The highest point is the Mount Cook, also known as Aoraki, with 3,754 meters. The Mount Cook is a very popular attraction to tourists. those who love mountain climbing, nature and adventure will love it there.
The Mount Cook is located within the Mount Cook National Park. Aoraki was given by the Maori which means Cloud Piercer. The name Aoraki comes exactly from the Kai Tahu dialect from the Maori language. The English name was given after Captain James Cook. In New Zealand they use to call the South Island the Mainland just because it is larger than the North Island and it seems from the Maori legend that the South Island existed before the North Island. The South Island has seven regions known as Marlborough. Canterbury. Nelson, Otago, Southland. Tasman and the West Coast.
The land has natural resources as timber, oil, sand. iron ore, natural gas. coal. hydropower, gold, silver. jade. and limestone.
The people coming from New Zealand are usually known as the Kiwis. The name comes from the Kiwi. native to new Zealand. which is a flightless bird and is the national bird of New Zealand.