Geography of New Zealand
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New Zealand is an island country located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, near the centre of the water hemisphere. It consists of a large number of islands, estimated around 700, mainly remnants of
The Forty-Fours viewed from the north; the leftmost islet is the easternmost point of New Zealand.
Fiordland is dominated by steep, glacier-carved valleys.
Aoraki / Mount Cook, as seen from Hooker Valley
A portion of the Southern Alps mountain chain, as viewed from Hamilton Peak
South Island
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The South Island is the larger of the two main islands of New Zealand by surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. With a population of 1,256,700 as of June 2025, the S
Geography of New Zealand
…consists of a large number of islands, estimated around 700, mainly remnants of a larger landmass now beneath the sea. The land masses by size are the South Island (Te Waipounamu) and the North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui), separated by the Cook Strait. The third-largest is Stewart Island (Rakiura), located 30 kilometres…
First European impression of Māori, at Murderers Bay, 1642
Aoraki / Mount Cook is the tallest mountain in New Zealand.
Typical view of Milford Sound / Piopiotahi featuring Mount Pembroke