Page last updated on February 23,

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
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 76
land: 267,710 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: NA
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
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
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
15,134 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

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
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - highest point country ranks ]

Natural resources:
natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone

Land use:
arable land: 5.54%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 6.92%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other: 87.54% (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
6,190 sq km (2008)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
397 cu km (1995)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.11 cu km/yr (48%/9%/42%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 524 cu m/yr (2000)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - per capita country ranks ]

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