Geography & environment — New Zealand
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for New Zealand: Oceania
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
Oceania
- Geographic Coordinates
41 00 S, 174 00 E
- Total Area
103,363 Square Miles 267,710 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
103,363 Square Miles 267,710 Square Kilometers
- Coastline
9,404 Miles 15,134 Kilometers
Physical geography
- Terrain
predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
- Highest Point
3,754 Meters
- Highest Point Location
Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m
- Lowest Point Location
Pacific Ocean 0 m
- Natural Resources
natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone
- Irrigated Land
2,391 Square Miles 6,193 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
- New Zealand has two time zones: New Zealand standard time (UTC+12) and Chatham Islands time (45 minutes in advance of New Zealand standard time; UTC+12:45)
- Daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April
Climate
- Climate
New Zealand lies in the Temperate Zone and has a generally mild, invigorating climate although with sharp regional contrasts. The rugged terrain of the country has a dramatic effect on the weather. Many parts of the country are subject to high winds and rains followed by sharp drops in temperature. January and February are New Zealand’s warmest months with July normally the coldest. Spells of cool, damp weather occur even in the summer, from December through February. Rainy winter days of June, July, and August are interspersed with days of brilliant sunshine and crisp, clear air. October, November, and December are particularly windy months. Winds of 60 mph are not unusual, especially in the Wellington area, and on rare occasions they exceed 100 mph. As the mountainous terrain suggests, New Zealand lies in an area of active earthquakes and volcanism ringing the Pacific Plate. A major fault line runs through Wellington. Earthquakes are sometimes felt but rarely cause damage.
- Terrain
predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
- Location
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
- Total Area
103,363 Square Miles 267,710 Square Kilometers
Environment
- Environment - Current Issues
deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by species introduced from outside
- 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