Geography and Climate
New Zealand is located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean about 1,200 miles southeast of its neighbor Australia, across the Tasman Sea. The country is divided into two main islands, the North Island and the South Island, separated by the Cook Strait. A number of smaller islands surrounding New Zealand also are part of this island nation. The country is about the size of Colorado, which makes it the seventy-sixth largest country in the world.
Only 250 miles at its widest point, the country stretches 990 miles from its northern tip to its southern boundary and has over 9,000 miles of scenic coastline. The South Island is the larger of the two main islands and is divided along its length by the Southern Alps. It is a land of steep mountains and deep fiords, including 18 mountain peaks that reach up to 12,316 feet. The North Island has fewer mountains but is known for its volcanic activity. The Taupo volcanic zone is home to the country’s largest lake, which is in the caldera of one of the world’s most active super volcanoes.
New Zealand’s climate is primarily maritime, but it varies from warm subtropical in the far north to a cool temperate climate in the far south, with often severe alpine conditions in the mountainous areas of the country. The mountain chains that extend the length of New Zealand divide the country into different climate regions. Mean annual temperatures range from 50 F in the south to 61 F in the north of the country. The coldest month is usually July and the warmest is January or February, although variations between summer and winter temperatures generally are small. Inland temperatures see a greater variation due to the influence of the mountain ranges. The western coast of the South Island is the wettest part of the country and the area east of the central mountain ranges is the driest. Most areas of New Zealand receive rain throughout most of the year with a dry period during the summer. The northern and central areas receive more rainfall during the winter than summer. However, in the south, winter is the season of least rainfall.
New Zealand is 19 hours ahead of the U.S. Pacific time zone. It observes daylight saving time, which begins at the end of September and ends at the beginning of April. The island nation’s geographic location places it in a very active earthquake zone. The 2011 6.3 magnitude earthquake in Christchurch was the country’s worst natural disaster in terms of loss of life since 1931. The country has also experienced typhoons (hurricanes) and has a number of active volcanoes.