| Geography | New Zealand |  = Fields  = World Records  = Dictionary  = Bar graph  = Distribution map  = Fields History  = Definitions |
| | | | |
Location:
|
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia |
Geographic coordinates:
|
41 00 S, 174 00 E |
Map references:
|
Oceania |
Area:
|
total: 267,710 sq km
land: 267,710 sq km
water: NA
note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands |
Area - comparative:
|
about the size of Colorado |
Land boundaries:
|
0 km |
Coastline:
|
15,134 km |
Maritime claims:
|
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 |
Climate:
|
temperate with sharp regional contrasts |
Terrain:
|
predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains |
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m |
Natural resources:
|
natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone |
Land use:
|
arable land: 5.54%
permanent crops: 6.92%
other: 87.54% (2005) |
Irrigated land:
|
6,190 sq km (2008) |
Total renewable water resources:
|
397 cu km (1995) |
Total renewable water resources - per capita:
|
92,534 cubic meters per capita |
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
|
total: 2.11 cu km/yr (48%/9%/42%)
per capita: 524 cu m/yr (2000) |
Natural hazards:
|
earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity
volcanism: New Zealand experiences 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 |
Environment - current issues:
|
deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by invasive species |
Environment - international agreements:
|
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 |
Geography - note:
|
almost 90% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world |
| = Fields = World Records = Dictionary = Bar graph = Distribution map = Fields History = Definitions | |
|
|
|
This page was last updated on 3 February, 2012 |
|
|
Home 
Geographic Names
Chiefs of State
Intl. Organizations
Intl. Environmental Agree.
Other References
