As we all know ,New Zealandis one of the world's main island groups, extending1,700 kmacross theSouth Pacific Ocean, midway between the Equator and the South Pole.
The NorthIslandand the South Island make up most of New Zealand's 268,000 sq km, an area similar to that of the United Kingdom. Its has a coastline 10，000 kmlong and no inland locality is more than 110 kmfrom the sea.
New Zealand is full of every kind of physiognomy (地形，地貌), but is especially for the fact that about three-quarters of the country lies more than 200 meters above sea level. Much of the North Island's shape has been created by volcanic activity. The country lies across the "mobile" belt of the earth's crust which circles the Pacific Ocean. This represents the shape of the land by features all common to the New Zealand landscape — volcanoes, hot springs, mountain chains and active fault lines.
The centre of theNorthIsland is crowned by mildly active volcanoes reaching a height of2,797m onMountRuapehu. New Zealand's famous thermal (温泉的) region runs northeast from here, through the country's largest lake, Taupo, and Rotorua to White Island in the Bay of Plenty. It is the centre point of the500 km longSouthern Alps, a wild region of spectacular alpine peaks, lakes and remote "sounds". Beyond the mountain areas lie extensive rolling downlands in regions such as South Canterbury in the south andHawkesBay in the north.
