New Zealand is about 1,250 miles south-east of Australia and consists of two main islands and a number of smaller outlying islands, scattered that they range from tropical to antarctic. The two main islands are the North Island which consists of a volcanic part in the south-central area, with lots of hot springs and beautiful geysers. South Island has the Southern Alps along the West Coast with Mount Cook, which is the highest point.
The other inhabited islands are Chatham Islands, Stewart Island and the Great Barrier Island. The uninhabitable islands are the Auckland Islands, Campbell Island, the Antipodes Islands and the Kermadec Islands.
The longest river is Waikato on the North Island and the largest inland stretch of water is Lake Taupo also on North Island. Over 75% of New Zealand is above 200m. 30% of the land is forested, 50% is meadows and pasture and agriculture and permanent cultivation cover 15%. |
