New Zealand is not only the South and North Island , but also the New Zealand subantarctic islands - they are scattered over a vast territory of 3.5 million square kilometers.
Subantarctic islands are united in groups, each of which is characterized by a special climate, the presence of unique plants, animals, birds. At the same time, all the islands included in the groups are not habitable, many have restrictions on visits by tourists.
Let us recall in brief about the largest islands of this island state, which are the Southern and Northern. Thus, the South Island of New Zealand - the largest of those that is part of the country. However, it is home to about a quarter of the total population of the state. But the North Island of New Zealand is inferior in size to the South, but it is home to the bulk of the country's population - about 75%. Also here are the largest cities - the first largest is Oakland , and the second capital of the country is Wellington .
Subantarctic islands are not as attractive for tourists as the North and South, but they are also very interesting. They include the following groups:
- Snares;
- the Bounty Islands;
- Antipodes;
- the islands of Auckland;
- Campbell Island.
Snares
The total area of this group does not exceed 3.5 square kilometers. The islands included in it do not belong to any administrative territorial unit of the country. A special body was created to manage the group.
These islands are distinguished by the following features:
- Only here live the Snow Crested Penguin and one of the subspecies of the Oakland woodcock;
- Snars is the most southern New Zealand island on which grows a forest;
- Nearby is the underwater volcano Mahuika;
- Snars, like other subantarctic islands of the country, is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Bounty Islands
Thanks to the chocolate of the same name, this archipelago is known all over the world. However, if the advertisement shows a warm paradise with a hammock in the middle of the palm trees, then in reality the average temperature in the warmest month (January) does not exceed +11 degrees, and the climate itself is quite windy.
The Bounty archipelago has 13 islands, divided into three groups:
- Basic;
- Central;
- East.
There are many albatrosses, seals and penguins, which tempted hunters at the junction of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Bounty - uninhabited, there are no permanent residents, except for those various scientists who periodically come for research.
Antipodes
Located to the southeast of the country. As well as other subantarctic islands do not enter into any administrative-territorial unit, and for their management a special separate body has been created. Antipodes are on the World Heritage List as part of the sub-Antarctic islands.
They were discovered in the year 1800, but, notably, not by travelers and explorers, but by the military. The ship "Reliance" under the command of G.Waterhouse went to Norfolk, and along the way the team noticed an unknown group of islands.
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Only later they got their present name, which in Greek means "Upside down", and in this case the following is implied: the islands are almost diametrically opposed to Greenwich. Interestingly, on French maps they have another name - the Antipodes of Paris.
The climate here is not particularly pleasant, but rather severe, but this does not prevent the birds that live on the islands: anti-Paradise parrots and Ricek's cabbage soup.
Birds arrange real "bazaars" here - noisy and cheerful.
Auckland Islands
This archipelago consists exclusively of volcanic islands. They are not part of any particular region of the state, the archipelago is under the administration of a special body.
In total, the archipelago includes eight islands (not counting individual rocks and tiny islands), the largest of which is Adams.
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There is no special vegetation on the islands, only grass and crooked woods - this feature of trees is due to strong winds blowing almost constantly. By the way, the weather has affected the animal world - the advantage is the marine animals - seals, sea elephants, penguins.
There are birds. That is why the New Zealand authorities decided to create a marine protected area on the archipelago.
Today, no one lives on the islands of Auckland, although attempts to organize the settlement were made back in the 19th century, but the harsh climate made them unsuccessful. But the archipelago often visit research missions, and in the 40s of the last century even the Polar station was located.
Campbell Islands
These are volcanic formations that are not part of any region of the country and are managed by a specially created body. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Unfortunately, they are notorious, as their ecology was badly damaged by the ship of whalers that came to shore - from it rats came to the islands and lived here until the early 2000s. They suffered from penguins and petrels, inhabiting the island for a long time.
On the islands, only one tree grows - the Sith spruce. It is believed that it was landed in 1907, but the severe, windy climate and not the most mineral-rich soil and did not allow the tree to grow above 10 meters. It is interesting that now it is the most lonely tree in the world - the nearest to it are more than 220 kilometers away.
Finally
As you can see, any island of New Zealand is quite interesting and attractive from a tourist point of view. Even unsettled Subantarctic islands - yes, they have a harsh climate, but at the same time, rare species of animals live, and landscapes and species make sure that you are on the true edge of the world, after which there is nothing more .... Is this not an occasion, if possible, to visit these archipelagos?