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Information About

Geography Of New Zealand




Location:
Oceania , islands in the South Pacific Ocean , southeast of Australia

Geographic Coordinates :

Map references:
Oceania

Area:

''total:''
268,680 Km²

''note:''
includes Antipodes Islands , Auckland Islands , Bounty Islands , Campbell Island Group , Chatham Islands , and Kermadec Islands

Area - comparative:
about the size of the United Kingdom , Italy , or Colorado

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:

15,134 Km

Maritime claims:

''continental shelf:''
200 Nautical Mile s (370 km) or to the edge of the continental margin

''exclusive economic zone:''
200 nautical miles (370 km)

''territorial sea:''
12 nautical miles (22 km)

Climate:
Temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Terrain:
predominantly mountainous with some large coastal plains

Elevation extremes:

''lowest point:''
Pacific Ocean 0 m

''highest point:''
Aoraki/Mount Cook 3754 m

Natural resources:
Natural Gas , Iron Ore , Sand , Coal , Timber , Hydropower , Gold , Limestone , Oil , Silver , Jade

Land use:

'' Arable Land :''
5.8%

''permanent crops:''
6.44%

''other:''
87.76% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:
2,850 km² (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
Earthquake s are common, though usually not severe; Volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:
Deforestation ; Water Pollution ; Soil Erosion ; native flora and fauna hard-hit by introduced species.

Environment - international agreements:

''party to:''
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol , Antarctic-Marine Living Resources , Antarctic Treaty , Basel Convention Biodiversity , Climate Change , Desertification , Endangered Species , Environmental Modification , Hazardous Wastes , Law Of The Sea , Marine Dumping , Nuclear Test Ban , Ozone Layer Protection , Ship Pollution , Tropical Timber 83 , Tropical Timber 94 , Wetlands , Whaling

''signed, but not ratified:''
Antarctic Seals , Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol , Marine Life Conservation

Geography - notes:

Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world.


SEE ALSO