 New Zealand in theSouth Pacific Ocean | |
| Region | Oceania |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42°S174°E / 42°S 174°E /-42; 174 |
| Area | Ranked 75th |
| • Total | 268,680 km2 (103,740 sq mi) |
| • Land | 97.9% |
| • Water | 2.1% |
| Coastline | 15,134 km (9,404 mi) |
| Borders | 0 km |
| Highest point | Aoraki / Mount Cook 3,724 m (12,218 ft) |
| Lowest point | Taieri Plain −2 m |
| Longest river | Waikato River 425 km (264 mi) |
| Largest lake | Lake Taupō 3,487 km2 (1,346 sq mi) |
| Climate | Mostlytemperate, with some areas beingtundra andsubantarctic |
| Terrain | Mostly mountainous or steep hills, volcanic peaks in the central North Island, and fiords in the far south west. |
| Natural resources | Natural gas,iron,sand,coal,timber,hydropower,gold,limestone[1] |
| Natural hazards | Floods,earthquakes,volcanic activity,tsunamis,cyclones,droughts,landslides |
| Exclusive economic zone | 4,083,744 km2 (1,576,742 sq mi) |
New Zealand (Māori:Aotearoa) is anisland country located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, near the centre of thewater hemisphere. It consists of alarge number of islands, estimated around 700, mainly remnants of alarger landmass now beneath the sea. The land masses by size are theSouth Island (Te Waipounamu) and theNorth Island (Te Ika-a-Māui), separated by theCook Strait. The third-largest isStewart Island (Rakiura), located 30 kilometres (19 miles) off the tip of the South Island acrossFoveaux Strait. Other islands are significantly smaller in area. The three largest islands stretch 1,600 kilometres (990 miles) across latitudes 35° to 47° south.[2] New Zealand is thesixth-largest island country in the world, with a land size of 268,680 km2 (103,740 sq mi).[3]
New Zealand's landscapes range from thefiord-likesounds of the southwest to the sandy beaches of the subtropicalFar North. The South Island is dominated by theSouthern Alps while avolcanic plateau covers much of the central North Island. Temperatures commonly fall below 0 °C (32 °F) and rise above 30 °C (86 °F) then conditions vary from wet and cold on the South Island'swest coast to dry and continental a short distance away across the mountains and to the tundra like climate in the Deep South ofSouthland.
About two-thirds of the land is economically useful, with the remainder being mountainous. TheNorth Island is the most populous island inNew Zealand with over 4 million residents andSouth Island is the second-most populated home to over 1.2 million residents.
New Zealand is situated on the boundary of thePacific andAustraliantectonic plates, making it one of the most active earthquake and volcanic regions in the world. The country has experiencedseveral devastating earthquakes throughout its history.
The New Zealand mainland is about 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) east of the Australian mainland across theTasman Sea, the closest foreign neighbour to its main islands beingNorfolk Island (Australia) about 750 kilometres (470 miles) to the north west. Other island groups to the north areNew Caledonia,Tonga andFiji. It is the southernmost nation inOceania. The relative close proximity of New Zealand toAntarctica has made the South Island a major gateway for scientific expeditions to the continent.
New Zealand is located in theSouth Pacific Ocean at41°S174°E / 41°S 174°E /-41; 174, near the centre of thewater hemisphere.[4] It is a long and narrow country, extending 1,600 kilometres (990 mi) along its north-north-east axis with a maximum width of 400 kilometres (250 mi).[5] The land size of 268,680 km2 (103,740 sq mi) makes it the sixth-largest island country.[3] New Zealand consists of alarge number of islands, estimated around 600.[6] The islands give it 15,134 km (9,404 mi) ofcoastline and extensive marine resources. New Zealand claims the ninth largestexclusive economic zone in the world, covering 4,083,744 km2 (1,576,742 sq mi), more than 15 times its land area.[7]
TheSouth Island is the largest land mass of New Zealand, and is the12th-largest island in the world. The island is divided along its length by theSouthern Alps. The east side of the island has theCanterbury Plains while theWest Coast is famous for its rough coastlines, high rainfall, very high proportion of nativebush (forest), andglaciers.[8]
TheNorth Island is the second-largest island, and the 14th-largest in the world. It is separated from the South Island by theCook Strait, with the shortest distance being 23 kilometres (14 mi).[9][10] The North Island is less mountainous than the South Island,[8] although a series of narrow mountain ranges form a roughly north-east belt that rises up to 1,700 metres (5,600 ft). Much of the surviving forest is located in this belt, and in other mountain areas and rolling hills.[11] The North Island has many isolated volcanic peaks.
Besides the North and South Islands, the five largest inhabited islands areStewart Island (30 kilometres (19 mi) due south of the South Island),Chatham Island (Wharekauri inMāori orRēkohu inMoriori) (some 800 kilometres (500 mi) east of the South Island),[12]Great Barrier Island (in theHauraki Gulf),[13]Rangitoto ki te Tonga / D'Urville Island (in theMarlborough Sounds)[14] andWaiheke Island (about 22 km (14 mi) from centralAuckland).[15]
The phrase "From Cape Reinga to The Bluff" is frequently used within New Zealand to refer to the extent of the whole country.[16]Cape Reinga / Te Rerenga Wairua is the northwesternmost tip of theAupōuri Peninsula, at the northern end of the North Island.Bluff isInvercargill's port, located near the southern tip of the South Island, below the46th parallel south. However, the extreme points of New Zealand are in fact located in severaloutlying islands.[17]
The points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location in New Zealand are as follows:[17]
New Zealand is largely antipodal to theIberian Peninsula of Europe.[18] The northern half of the South Island corresponds toGalicia and northern Portugal.[18][better source needed] Most of the North Island corresponds to central and southern Spain, fromValladolid (opposite the southern point of the North Island,Cape Palliser), throughMadrid andToledo toCordoba (directly antipodal toHamilton),Lorca (opposite East Cape),Málaga (Cape Colville), andGibraltar. Parts of theNorthland Peninsula opposeMorocco, withWhangārei nearly coincident withTangiers. The antipodes of the Chatham Islands lie in France, just north of the city ofMontpellier.[18] TheAntipodes Islands were named for their supposed antipodal position to Britain; although they are the closest land to the true antipodes of Britain, their location 49°41′S 178°48′E is directly antipodal to a point a few kilometres to the east ofCherbourg on the north coast of France.[19]
In Europe the term "Antipodes" is often used to refer to New Zealand and Australia (and sometimes other South Pacific areas),[20] and "Antipodeans" to their inhabitants.
New Zealand is part ofZealandia, amicrocontinent nearly half the size ofAustralia that gradually submerged after breaking away from theGondwana supercontinent.[21] Zealandia extends a significant distance east into the Pacific Ocean and south towards Antarctica. It also extends towards Australia in the north-west. This submerged continent is dotted with topographic highs that sometimes form islands. Some of these, such as the main islands (North and South), Stewart Island, New Caledonia, and the Chatham Islands, are settled. Other smaller islands are eco-sanctuaries with carefully controlled access.
The New Zealand land mass has beenuplifted due totranspressionaltectonics between theIndo-Australian plate andPacific plates (these two plates are grinding together with one riding up and over the other).[22] This is the cause of New Zealand's numerous earthquakes.[23]To the east of the North Island the Pacific plate is forced under the Indo-Australian plate. The North Island of New Zealand has widespread back-arc volcanism as a result of thissubduction. There are many large volcanoes with relatively frequent eruptions. There are also several very largecalderas, with the most obvious formingLake Taupō. Taupō has a history of incredibly powerful eruptions, with theOruanui eruptionapprox. 26,500 years ago ejecting 1,170 cubic kilometres (280 cubic miles) of material and causing the downward collapse of several hundred square kilometres to form the lake.[24] Themost recent eruption occurredc. 180 CE and ejected at least 100 cubic kilometres (24 cubic miles) of material, and has been correlated with red skies seen at the time inRome andChina.[25] The associated geothermal energy from this volcanic area is used in numeroushydrothermal power plants.[26] Some volcanic places are also famous tourist destinations, such as theRotoruageysers.[27]
The subduction direction is reversed through the South Island, with the Indo-Australian plate forced under the Pacific plate. The transition between these two different styles of continental collision occurs through the top of the South Island. This area has significant uplift and manyactive faults; large earthquakes are frequent occurrences here. The most powerful in recent history, the M8.3Wairarapa earthquake, occurred in 1855. This earthquake generated more than 6 metres (20 ft) of vertical uplift in places, and caused a localised tsunami. Fortunately casualties were low due to the sparse settlement of the region. In 2013, the area was rattled by the M6.5Seddon earthquake, but this caused little damage and no injuries.[28] New Zealand'scapital city,Wellington is situated in the centre of this region.[29]
The subduction of the Indo-Australian plate drives rapid uplift in the centre of the South Island (approx. 10 millimetres (0.39 in) per year). This uplift forms the Southern Alps. These roughly divide the island, with a narrow wet strip to the west and wide and dry plains to the east. The resultingorographic rainfall enables thehydroelectric generation of most of the electricity in New Zealand.[30] A significant amount of the movement between the two plates is accommodated by lateral sliding of the Indo-Australian plate north relative to the Pacific plate. The plate boundary forms the nearly 800 kilometres (500 mi) longAlpine Fault. This fault has an estimated rupture reoccurrence interval of ~330 years, and last ruptured in 1717 along 400 kilometres (250 mi) of its length. It passes directly under many settlements on the West Coast of the South Island and shaking from a rupture would likely affect many cities and towns throughout the country.[31]
The rapid uplift and higherosion rates within the Southern Alps combine to expose high gradegreenschist toamphibolitefacies rocks, including the gemstonepounamu. Geologists visiting the West Coast can easily access high-grademetamorphic rocks andmylonites associated with the Alpine Fault, and in certain places can stand astride the fault trace of an active plate boundary.[32] The South Island also has two majorgoldfields inOtago and theWest Coast.[33]
To the south of New Zealand the Indo-Australian plate is subducting under the Pacific plate, and this is beginning to result inback-arc volcanism. The youngest (geologically speaking) volcanism in the South Island occurred in this region, forming theSolander Islands (<2 million years old).[34] This region is dominated by the rugged and relatively untouchedFiordland, an area of flooded glacially carved valleys with little human settlement.[35]
The South Island is much more mountainous than the North, but shows fewer manifestations of recent volcanic activity. There are 18 peaks of more than 3,000 metres (9,800 feet) in the Southern Alps, which stretch for 500 kilometres (310 mi) down the South Island.[36] The closest mountains surpassing it in elevation are found not in Australia, but inNew Guinea and Antarctica. As well as the towering peaks, the Southern Alps include huge glaciers such asFranz Josef andFox.[37] The country's highest mountain isAoraki / Mount Cook; its height since 2014 is listed as 3,724 metres (12,218 feet) (down from 3,764 m (12,349 ft) before December 1991, due to a rockslide and subsequent erosion).[38] The second highest peak isMount Tasman, with a height of 3,497 metres (11,473 ft).[39]TheNorth Island Volcanic Plateau covers much of central North Island with volcanoes,lava plateaus, andcrater lakes. The three highest volcanoes areMount Ruapehu (2,797 metres (9,177 ft)),Mount Taranaki (2,518 metres (8,261 ft)) andMount Ngauruhoe (2,287 metres (7,503 ft)). Ruapehu's major eruptions have historically been about 50 years apart,[40] in 1895, 1945 and 1995–1996. The1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera, located nearRotorua, was New Zealand's largest and deadliest eruption in the last 200 years, killing over 100 people.[41] Another long chain of mountains runs through the North Island, from Wellington to East Cape. The ranges includeTararua andKaimanawa.[42]
The lower mountain slopes are covered in native forest. Above this are shrubs, and thentussock grasses.Alpine tundra consists of cushion plants andherbfields; many of these plants have white and yellow flowers.[43]
New Zealand's cave systems have three main origins, the chemical weathering of limestone by water (karst),lava caves and erosion by waves (sea caves). Therefore, the distribution of limestone, marble (metamorphosed limestone) and volcanoes defines the location of caves in inland New Zealand.[44] The main regions of karst topography are theWaitomo District[45] andTakaka Hill in theTasman District. Other notable locations are on theWest Coast (Punakaiki),Hawke's Bay andFiordland.[46]
Lava caves (lava tubes) usually form inpāhoehoe lava flows, which are less viscous and typical formed frombasalt. When an eruption occurs the outer layer of the lava flow hardens, while the interior remains liquid. The liquid lava flows out as it is insulated by the hardened crust above. These caves are found where there are relatively recent basaltic volcanoes in New Zealand, such as theAuckland volcanic field particularly onRangitoto,Mount Eden andMatukutūruru.[47]
The distribution of sea caves is more sporadic, with their location and orientation being controlled by weakness in the underlying rock. As cave systems take many thousands of years to develop they can now be isolated from the water that formed them, whether through change in sea level or groundwater flow.[48] If as a cave grows it breaks through to the surface somewhere else it becomes anatural arch, like theŌpārara Basin Arches nearKaramea.[49]
The proportion of New Zealand's area (excludingestuaries) covered by rivers, lakes and ponds, based on figures from the New Zealand Land Cover Database, is (357526 + 81936) / (26821559 – 92499–26033 – 19216) = 1.6%.[50] If estuarine open water, mangroves, andherbaceous saline vegetation are included, the figure is 2.2%.[50]
The mountainous areas of the North Island are cut by many rivers, many of which are swift and unnavigable. The east of the South Island is marked by widebraided rivers, such as theWairau,Waimakariri andRangitata; formed from glaciers, they fan out into many strands on gravel plains. The total length of the country's rivers is over 180,000 kilometres (110,000 mi). TheWaikato, flowing through the North Island, is the longest, with a length of 425 km (264 mi).[51] New Zealand's rivers featurehundreds of waterfalls; the most visited set of waterfalls are theHuka Falls that drain Lake Taupō.[52]Lake Taupō, located near the centre of the North Island, is the largest lake by surface area in the country. It lies in acaldera created by theOruanui eruption, the largest eruption in the world in the past 70,000 years. There are 3,820 lakes with a surface area larger than onehectare.[53] Many lakes have been used as reservoirs forhydroelectric projects.[30]
Wetlands support the greatest concentration of wildlife out of any other habitat. New Zealand has six sites covering almost 551 square kilometres (213 sq mi) that are included in theList of Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar sites), including theWhangamarino Wetland.[54]
A 2016 global remote sensing analysis suggested that there were 1,191 square kilometres (460 sq mi) oftidal flats in New Zealand, making it the 29th ranked country in terms of tidal flat area.[55]
The main geographic factors that influence New Zealand's climate are the temperatelatitude, withprevailing westerly winds; theoceanic environment; and the mountains, especially the Southern Alps. The climate is mostly temperate with mean temperatures ranging from 8 °C (46 °F) in the South Island to 16 °C (61 °F) in the North Island.[56] January and February are the warmest months, July the coldest. New Zealand does not have a large temperature range, apart from central Otago, but the weather can change rapidly and unexpectedly. Nearsubtropical conditions are experienced inNorthland.[57]Most settled, lowland areas of the country have between 600 and 1,600 mm (24 and 63 in) ofrainfall, with the most rain along the west coast of the South Island and the least on the east coast of the South Island and interior basins, predominantly on theCanterbury Plains and the Central Otago Basin (about 350 mm (14 in)PA).Christchurch is the driest city, receiving about 640 mm (25 in) of rain PA, whileHamilton is the wettest, receiving more than twice that amount at 1,325 mm (52.2 in) PA, followed closely by Auckland. The wettest area by far is the rugged Fiordland region, in the south-west of the South Island, which has between 5,000 and 8,000 mm (200 and 310 in) of rain PA, with up to 15,000 mm in isolated valleys, amongst the highest recorded rainfalls in the world.[58]
TheUV index can be very high and extreme in the hottest times of the year in the north of the North Island. This is partly due to the country's relatively littleair pollution compared to many other countries and the highsunshine hours. New Zealand has very high sunshine hours with most areas receiving over 2000 hours per year. The sunniest areas are Nelson/Marlborough and the Bay of Plenty with 2,400 hours per year.[59]The table below lists climate normals for the warmest and coldest months in New Zealand's six largest cities. North Island cities are generally warmest in February. South Island cities are warmest in January.
| Location | Jan/Feb (°C) | Jan/Feb (°F) | July (°C) | July (°F) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | 23/16 | 74/60 | 14/7 | 58/45 |
| Wellington | 20/13 | 68/56 | 11/6 | 52/42 |
| Christchurch | 22/12 | 72/53 | 10/0 | 51/33 |
| Hamilton | 24/13 | 75/56 | 14/4 | 57/39 |
| Tauranga | 24/15 | 75/59 | 14/6 | 58/42 |
| Dunedin | 19/11 | 66/53 | 10/3 | 50/37 |
The combinedeffects ofclimate change in New Zealand will result in a multitude of irreversible impacts; by the end of this century New Zealand will experience higher rainfalls, more frequent extreme weather events and higher temperatures.[61] In 2021, theMinistry for the Environment estimated that New Zealand's gross emissions were 0.17% of the world's total grossgreenhouse gas emissions. However, on a per capita basis, New Zealand is a significant emitter, the sixth highest within theAnnex I countries, whereas on absolute gross emissions New Zealand is ranked as the 24th highest emitter.[62][63]
New Zealand has no landborders.[1] However, theRoss Dependency, its claim in Antarctica, notionally borders theAustralian Antarctic Territory to the west andunclaimed territory to the east. Most other countries do not recogniseterritorial claims in Antarctica.[64]
New Zealandproper is divided administratively intosixteen regions: seven in the South Island and nine in the North.[65] There is a physical geographical link, with regional boundaries being based largely ondrainage basins.[66] Among the regions, eleven are administered by regional authorities (top tier oflocal government), while five areunitary authorities that combine the functions of regional authorities and those ofterritorial authorities (second tier). Regional authorities are primarily responsible forenvironmental resource management,land management, regionaltransport, andbiosecurity and pest management. Territorial authorities administer local roading and reserves,waste management, building consents, the land use and subdivision aspects of resource management, and other local matters.[66]
TheChatham Islands is not a region, although its council operates as a region under theResource Management Act. There are a number ofoutlying islands that are not included within regional boundaries. TheKermadecs and theSubantarctic Islands are inhabited only by a small number ofDepartment of Conservation staff.[67]
Over the course of the 20th century, thepopulation centre of New Zealanddrifted to the north. Today the South Island contains a little under one-quarter of the population. Over three-quarters of New Zealand's population live in the North Island, with half living north ofLake Rotorua,[68] and one-third of the total population living in theAuckland Region.[69] Auckland is the fastest-growing region and is projected to account for half of New Zealand'spopulation growth by 2050.[70] The majority of the indigenousMāori people live in the North Island (87%), although a little under a quarter (24%) live in Auckland. New Zealand is a predominantly urban country, with 84.5% of the population living in anurban area. About 65.0% of the population live in the 20 main urban areas (population of 30,000 or more) and 44.3% live in the four largest cities ofAuckland,Christchurch,Wellington, andHamilton.[69] (Other major urban areas includeTauranga,Dunedin, andPalmerston North.) New Zealand'spopulation density of around 20 inhabitants per square kilometre (or 51 persq mi)[69] isamong the lowest in the world.[71]
New Zealand's peoples have been defined by their immigrant origin, the ongoing process of adaptation to a new land, being changed and changing those who came before. This process has led to a distinct distribution of culture across New Zealand. Here language and religion are used as markers for the far richer concept of culture. These metrics unfortunately exclude the political rural-urban divide[72] and also the full effects of theChristchurch earthquakes on New Zealand's cultural distribution.[73][74]
New Zealand's most widely spoken language is English (89.8%); however, language, dialect and accent vary spatially both within and betweenethnic groups. TheMāori language (3.5%)[1] is spoken more commonly in areas with large Māori populations (Gisborne,Bay of Plenty andNorthland).[75] There are many sub dialects of Māori, the most pronounced division being between the northern and southerntribes.[76] While migration (typically from north to south) was constant throughout the 16–18th centuries, the south maintained a distinct culture largely due to lack of cultivation possible at that latitude. English is spoken with regionalaccents relating to the origin of immigrants; for example Scottish and English 19th century immigration inSouthland andCanterbury respectively.[77][78] This has also occurred with more recent immigration, with a wide variety of accents being common in larger cities where immigrant groups have preferentially settled. These immigrant groups change location with time and accents fade over generations.[79][80]
A wide variety of other languages make up the remaining approximately 6 percent of New Zealanders—withSamoan,Hindi, French and various Chinese dialects being the most common.[1] These minority foreign languages are concentrated in the main cities, particularly Auckland where recent immigration groups have settled.[81]
A relatively small proportion of New Zealand's land isarable (1.76 percent), and permanent crops cover 0.27 percent of the land. 7,210 square kilometres (2,780 sq mi) of the land isirrigated.[1] As the world's largest exporter of sheep, New Zealand's agricultural industry focuses primarily onpastoral farming, particularly dairy and beef, as well as lambs. Dairy, specifically, is the top export.[82] In addition to pastoral farming, fisherman harvest mussels, oysters and salmon, and horticulture farmers growkiwifruit, as well as peaches, nectarines and other fruits.[83] New Zealand's distance from world markets and spatial variation in rainfall, elevation and soil quality have defined the geography of its agriculture industry.
As of 2007, almost 55 percent of New Zealand's total land area was being used for farming, which is standard compared to most developed countries. Three-fourths of it was pastoral land using for raising sheep, cows, deer and other animals. The amount of farmland has decreased since 2002.[84]
New Zealand's isolated location has simultaneously led to fewerpests and an agriculture industry with a greater susceptibility to introduced diseases and pests.[85] A major concern for New Zealand farmers is the rapidly growing wild rabbit population. Wild rabbits have been an agricultural nuisance since their introduction to the country in the 1930s. They cause significant damage to farm lands: eating the grass, crops, and causingsoil degradation. Many farmers are worried about their livelihoods and the effects that the rabbits will have on food supply and trade, as their numbers are quickly growing out of control. An illegal rabbit-killing virus called therabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) was released in 1997 by a group of vigilante farmers, and was very effective initially.[86] After twenty years, however, the rabbits became immune to it. A new strain of the virus was released in March 2018, a Korean form of the strain called the K5 virus, or RHDV1-K5. This virus was introduced with the goal of exterminating 40 percent of the rabbit population. The new virus works much faster than the last one, expected to kill rabbits within two to four days of exposure. The virus has become a subject of debate among animal rights activists, due to the inhumane manner in which it kills the rabbits. However, farmers unanimously seem to be very grateful for the release of the virus.[87]
Almost half of New Zealand's climate change emissions are generated bygreenhouse gases, mainly methane and nitrous oxide, which come from farming and agriculture. Organisms that grow inside of grazing animals' stomachs turn New Zealand's grass into methane. The increase of carbon dioxide in the air helps the plants to grow faster, but the long-term effects of climate change threaten farmers with the likelihood of more frequent and severe floods and droughts.[88]Growers of kiwifruit, a major export in the horticulture industry of New Zealand, have experienced difficulties as a result of climate change. In the 2010s, warm winters did not provide the adequate cool temperatures needed for the flowering of kiwifruit, and this resulted in a reduction of the yield sizes. Droughts have also decreased apple production by causing sunburns and a lack of water available for irrigation. In contrast, thedairy industry has not been affected, and has adjusted well to the effects of climate change.[89]
Flooding is the most regular natural hazard.[90] New Zealand is swept by weather systems that bring heavy rain; settlements are usually close to hill-country areas which experience much higher rainfall than the lowlands due to theorographic effect. Mountain streams which feed the major rivers rise rapidly and frequently break their banks covering farms with water and silt.[91] Close monitoring, weather forecasting,stopbanks, dams, and reafforestation programmes in hill country have ameliorated the worst effects.[92]
New Zealandexperiences around 14,000 earthquakes a year,[93] some in excess ofmagnitude 7 (M7). Since 2010, several large (M7, M6.3, M6.4, M6.2) and shallow (all <7 km) earthquakes have occurred immediately beneath Christchurch.[94] These have resulted in 185 deaths, widespread destruction of buildings and significant liquefaction.[95] These earthquakes are releasing distributed stress in the Pacific plate from the ongoing collision with the Indo-Australian plate to the west and north of the city. Volcanic activity is most common on the central North Island Volcanic Plateau.Tsunamis affecting New Zealand are associated with the PacificRing of Fire.[96]
Droughts are not regular and occur mainly in Otago and the Canterbury Plains and less frequently over much of the North Island between January and April. Forest fires were rare in New Zealand before the arrival of humans.[97] During a designated summer season, lighting a fire in the open is banned on public conservation land.[98]
New Zealand's geographic isolation for 80 million years[99] and islandbiogeography has influenced evolution of the country's species ofanimals,fungi andplants. Physical isolation has not caused biological isolation, and this has resulted in a dynamic evolutionary ecology with examples of very distinctive plants and animals as well as populations of widespread species.[100][101] There has been long-distance dispersal of plant life between mainland Australia and New Zealand, despite the 2,000 km (1,200 mi) separation.[102] Evergreens such as the giantkauri and southern beech dominate thebush (native forests).[103] The country also has adiverse range of birds, several of which are flightless such as thekiwi (a national symbol), thekākāpō, thetakahē and theweka,[104] and several species ofpenguins.[105] Around 30 bird species are currently listed as endangered orcritically endangered.[106] Conservationists recognised that threatened bird populations could be saved on offshore islands, where, once predators were exterminated, bird life flourished again.[107]Many bird species, including the giantmoa, became extinct after the arrival of Polynesians, who brought dogs and rats, and Europeans, who introduced additional dog and rat species, as well as cats, pigs, ferrets, and weasels.[108] Native flora and fauna continue to be hard-hit byinvasive species. New Zealand conservationists have pioneered several methods to help threatened wildlife recover, including island sanctuaries, pest control, wildlife translocation, fostering, and ecologicalrestoration of islands andother selected areas.[109]
Massivedeforestation occurred after humans arrived,[110] with around half the forest cover lost to fire after Polynesian settlement.[111] Much of the remaining forest fell after European settlement, being logged or cleared to make room for pastoral farming, leaving forest occupying only 23% of the land.[112] New Zealand had a 2019Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 7.12/10, ranking it 55th globally out of 172 countries.[113]
Pollution, particularlywater pollution, is one of New Zealand's most significant environmental issues. Fresh water quality is under pressure from agriculture, hydropower, urban development, pest invasions and climate change,[114] although much of the country's household and industrial waste is now increasingly filtered and sometimes recycled.
Some areas of land, the sea, rivers or lakes areprotected by law, so their special plants, animals, landforms and other distinctive features are sheltered from harm. New Zealand has threeWorld Heritage Sites,[115] 13national parks, 34marine reserves, and thousands of scenic, historic, recreation and other reserves.[116] TheDepartment of Conservation is responsible for managing 8.5 million hectares of public land (approximately 30% of New Zealand's total land area).[117]
New Zealand is party to severalmultilateral environmental agreements.[118] The major agreements are listed below.
New Zealand's varied landscape has appeared in television shows, such asHercules: The Legendary Journeys andXena: Warrior Princess. An increasing number of feature films have been shot on location in New Zealand for its scenery, including theLord of the Rings trilogy.[119]
New Zealand is often mistakenly omitted fromworld maps due to the country's physical geographic isolation, relatively small size (compared to Australia), and its positioning on the extreme bottom-right in many map projections such as theMercator.[120][121] The phenomenon has been popularly referenced and has a dedicatedReddit community.[121][122]
They are to the east of New Zealand – 862 kilometres from Christchurch but only 772 kilometres from Napier.
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake occurred 20 km east of Seddon, New Zealand on Sun Jul 21 2013 5:09 PM
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromThe World Factbook.CIA.
