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List of islands of New Zealand

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

New Zealand consists of more than six hundred islands, mainly remnants of a larger land mass now beneath the sea.[1] New Zealand is the sixth-largest island country, and the third-largest located entirely in the Southern Hemisphere. The following is a list of islands of New Zealand.

Rangitoto Island (pictured in the distance) is a volcanic island in the Hauraki Gulf near Auckland.
Whakaari / White Island Bay of Plenty

The two largest islands – where most of the population lives – have names in both English and in the Māori language. They are the North Island or Te Ika-a-Māui and the South Island or Te Waipounamu.[2] Various Māori iwi sometimes use other names, with some preferring to call the South Island Te Waka o Aoraki.[3] The two islands are separated by the Cook Strait. In general practice, the term mainland refers to the North Island and South Island.[4][5] However, the South Island alone is sometimes called "the mainland" – especially by its residents, as a nickname – because it is the larger of the two main islands.[6][Note 1]

To the south of the South Island, Stewart Island is the largest of the smaller islands, and Waiheke Island in the urban Auckland Region has the largest population of the smaller islands.

Listed by size

The following table lists the largest islands of New Zealand proper by area.[Note 2] River delta islands such as Rakaia Island (25.7 km2 (9.9 sq mi)),[8] Fereday Island, Rangitata Island, and Inch Clutha (approximately 15 km2 (5.8 sq mi), 30 km2 (12 sq mi), and 35 km2 (14 sq mi) respectively) are omitted, as are temporary islands in braided river channels and tidal islands such as Moturoa / Rabbit Island (17 km2 (6.6 sq mi)). The country's largest island within a lake, Pomona Island, has an area of just 2.6 km2 (1.0 sq mi).[9]

More information Rank, Name of island ...
Rank Name of island [Note 3] Indigenous name [Note 4] Area (km2)[citation needed] Area (sq mi) % of NZ area Population
1 South Island or Te Waipounamu [Note 5] Te Wahi Pounamu, Te Waka a Māui, Te Waka o Aoraki 150,43758,084 56.2% 1,256,700
2 North Island or Te Ika-a-Māui [Note 6] Aotearoa 113,72943,911 42.3% 4,067,400
3 Stewart Island / Rakiura Te Punga o Te Waka-a-Māui 1,683650 0.6% 400
4 Chatham Island Rekohu (Moriori); Wharekauri (Māori) 900350 0.3% 600
5 Auckland Island Mauka Huka 510200 0.2% 0
6 Great Barrier Island (Aotea Island) 285110 0.1% 850
7 Resolution Island Mauīkatau,[11] Tau Moana 20981 0
8 Rangitoto ki te Tonga / D'Urville Island 15058 <0.1% About 52[12]
9 Campbell Island / Motu Ihupuku 11344 0
10 Adams Island 10039
11 Waiheke Island 9236 9,360
12 Secretary Island Kā Tū-waewae-o-Tū 81.431.4 0
13 Arapaoa Island 7529 50
14 Pitt Island (Rangiauria) Rangiaotea (Moriori) 6224 38
15 Matakana Island 6023 225
16 Raoul Island Rangitahua 29.411.4 0
17 Te Hauturu-o-Toi / Little Barrier Island Hauturu 2811 ~0.0%
18 Rangitoto Island 23.18.9
19 Antipodes Island 207.7
20 Kapiti Island 19.77.6
21 Kawau Island 197.3 81
22 Long Island Motu Roa 18.997.33 0
23 Cooper Island Ao-ata-te-pō 17.796.87
24 Ponui Island / Chamberlins Island Te Pounui-o-Peretū 17.76.8
25 Great Mercury Island (Ahuahu) 17.26.6
26 Ruapuke Island 166.2
27 Motutapu Island 15.15.8
28 Codfish Island / Whenua Hou 145.4
29 Mayor Island / Tūhua 135.0
30 Coal Island Te Puka-Hereka 11.64.5
31 Anchor Island Pukenui 11.374.39
32 Mōtītī Island 103.9 27
33 Taukihepa / Big South Cape Island 9.43.6 0
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Listed by highest point

The table below lists the islands of New Zealand ranked by their highest elevation. All of these islands are located in either harbours or the open sea. The country’s tallest island situated within a lake is Pomona Island, which rises to 511 metres (1,677 ft) above sea level, approximately 333 metres (1,093 ft) above the normal lake level of Lake Manapouri.

More information Rank, Name of island ...
Rank Name of island Highest point Name of peak Type of peak
1 South Island or Te Waipounamu 3,754 m (12,316 ft) Aoraki/Mount Cook Tectonic
2 North Island or Te Ika-a-Māui 2,797 m (9,177 ft) Mount Ruapehu Volcanic
3 Secretary Island 1,196 m (3,924 ft) Mount Grono Tectonic
4 Resolution Island 1,069 m (3,507 ft) Mount Clerke
5 Stewart Island 980 m (3,220 ft) Mount Anglem / Hananui
6 Rangitoto ki te Tonga / D'Urville Island 729 m (2,392 ft) Takapōtaka / Attempt Hill
7 Te Hauturu-o-Toi / Little Barrier Island 722 m (2,369 ft) Mount Hauturu Volcanic
8 Adams Island 705 m (2,313 ft) Mount Dick
9 Auckland Island 659 m (2,162 ft) Cavern Peak
10 Great Barrier Island 627 m (2,057 ft) Mount Hobson Tectonic
11 Long Island 620 m (2,030 ft) Unnamed
12 Campbell Island / Motu Ihupuku 569 m (1,867 ft) Mount Honey Volcanic
13 Arapaoa Island 559 m (1,834 ft) Narawhia Tectonic
14 Cooper Island 523 m (1,716 ft) Unnamed
15 Kapiti Island 521 m (1,709 ft) Tuteremoana
16 Raoul Island 516 m (1,693 ft) Moumoukai Peak Volcanic
17= Anchor Island 417 m (1,368 ft) Unnamed Tectonic
17= Taranga (Hen) Island The Pinnacles
19 Bauza Island 383 m (1,257 ft) Unnamed
20 Maud Island/Te Hoiere 368 m (1,207 ft)
21 Antipodes Island 366 m (1,201 ft) Mount Galloway Volcanic
22 Forsyth Island 356 m (1,168 ft) Unnamed Tectonic
23 Mayor Island / Tūhua 355 m (1,165 ft) Opuahau Volcanic
24 Moutohora Island 353 m (1,158 ft) Motu Hara
25 Breaksea Island 350 m (1,150 ft) Unnamed Tectonic
26 Solander Island / Hautere 330 m (1,080 ft) Volcanic
27 Whakaari / White Island 321 m (1,053 ft) Mount Gisborne
28 Chatham Island 299 m (981 ft) Unnamed
29 Blumine Island / Oruawairua 298 m (978 ft) Tectonic
30 Manawatāwhi/Great Island 295 m (968 ft)
31 Mangere Island (Chatham Islands) 292 m (958 ft) Whakapa
32 Stephens Island / Takapourewa 283 m (928 ft) Unnamed
33 Rangitoto Island 260 m (850 ft) Rangitoto Volcanic
34 Coal Island 251 m (823 ft) Unnamed Tectonic
35 Codfish Island / Whenua Hou 250 m (820 ft)
36 Nukuwaiata Island 247 m (810 ft)
37 Pitt Island / Rangiauria 241 m (791 ft) Waihere
38 Macauley Island 238 m (781 ft) Mount Haszard Volcanic
39 Taukihepa / Big South Cape Island 235 m (771 ft) Unnamed Tectonic
40 Whatupuke Island 234 m (768 ft)
41= Great Mercury Island (Ahuahu) 231 m (758 ft) Mount Mohi Volcanic
41= Waiheke Island Maunganui Tectonic
43 Jacquemart Island 229 m (751 ft) Unnamed Volcanic
44 Wakaterepapanui Island 225 m (738 ft) Tectonic
45 South East Island / Rangatira 224 m (735 ft)
46 Rakitu Island 220 m (720 ft)
47 Aorangi Island 216 m (709 ft)
48= Cuvier Island 214 m (702 ft)
48= Little Mangere Island Whakapa
50 Moekawa / South West Island 207 m (679 ft) Unnamed
51 Bollons Island 202 m (663 ft) Volcanic
52 Indian Island 196 m (643 ft) Tectonic
53 Tawhiti Rahi Island 191 m (627 ft)
54 Tinui Island (Rangitoto Islands) 190 m (620 ft)
55 Matapara / Pickersgill Island 186 m (610 ft)
56= Great Island 185 m (607 ft)
56= Kaikōura Island Mitre Peak
56= Pearl Island Unnamed
59 Coppermine Island 184 m (604 ft) Huarewa
60 Kawau Island 182 m (597 ft) Grey Heights
61 Te Kakaho Island 179 m (587 ft) Unnamed
62 Motukawanui Island 177 m (581 ft) Maungapouri
63 Ōhau / West Island Unnamed
64 Motutapere Island 175 m (574 ft)
65 Ponui Island 173 m (568 ft) Ponui
66 Motuoruhi Island 169 m (554 ft) Unnamed
67 Lady Alice Island 158 m (518 ft)
68 The Castle / Rangiwheau 156 m (512 ft)
69 Long Island, Marlborough 152 m (499 ft)
70 Noble Island 154 m (505 ft)
71 Chalky Island 151 m (495 ft)
72= Red Mercury Island 150 m (490 ft) Volcanic
Puangiangi Island Tectonic
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In harbours and the open sea

In rivers and lakes

Outlying

Main article: New Zealand outlying islands

New Zealand administers the following islands outside the main archipelago. Only the Chatham Islands have a permanent population although others also did in the past. Others host visitors for science, conservation, meteorological observation and tourism.

Topographical map of Antipodes Islands

The New Zealand Subantarctic Islands are designated as a World Heritage Site.

Realm of New Zealand

The following islands are part of the Realm of New Zealand, but not of the country itself:

Territorial claims

New Zealand also claims the Ross Dependency in Antarctica, including:

See also

Notes

  1. [1]
    One cultural guide advises against using the term due to sensitivity.[7]
  2. [2]
    The associated Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau, and islands of the Antarctic Ross Dependency are excluded from this list.
  3. [3]
    Name of the island as recognised by the New Zealand Geographic Board.[10] In most cases this will be an official name, however some geographic features in New Zealand do not have official names. In these instances, the name in this column is the recorded name as per the NZGB.
  4. [4]
    Other island names used by Māori or Moriori. Names that form part of a dual name or are an official name are omitted.
  5. [5]
    South Island and Te Waipounamu are both recognised as distinct official names. This is different to dual place names in which there is a single name consisting of both English and Māori origins.
  6. [6]
    North Island and Te Ika-a-Māui are both recognised as distinct official names. This is different to dual place names in which there is a single name consisting of both English and Māori origins.

References

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