Location:
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
Geographic coordinates:
41 00 S, 174 00 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
Area - comparative: Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline: Maritime claims:
Climate: Terrain: Elevation extremes:
Natural resources: Land use:
Irrigated land: Total renewable water resources: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Natural hazards: Environment - current issues: Environment - international agreements:
Geography - note:
total:
267,710 sq km
country comparison to the world: 76
land:
267,710 sq km
water:
NA
note:
includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
Area comparison map:
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
15,134 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea:
12 nm
contiguous zone:
24 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
continental shelf:
200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
temperate with sharp regional contrasts
More Climate Details
predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m
natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone
arable land:
1.76%
permanent crops:
0.27%
other:
97.98% (2011)
6,193 sq km (2007)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
327 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
total:
4.75 cu km/yr (23%/5%/72%)
per capita:
1,200 cu m/yr (2010)
earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity
volcanism:
significant volcanism on North Island; Ruapehu (elev. 2,797 m), which last erupted in 2007, has a history of large eruptions in the past century; Taranaki has the potential to produce dangerous avalanches and lahars; other historically active volcanoes include Okataina, Raoul Island, Tongariro, and White Island
deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by invasive species
party to:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation
almost 90% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world