North Island

North Island Latest News

A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck the North Island region of New Zealand recently.

About North Island

• It is one of the two main islands of New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean. 
• It is separated from the South Island by Cook Strait. 
• It covers an area of about 113,729 sq.km. This makes it the 14th largest island in the world. 
• The North Island is smaller than the South Island but has more people living on it.
  • About 77% of all New Zealand residents live on the North Island.
  • It is the most populated island in Polynesia.
• The island’s terrain rises to a central mountain range (a continuation of the South Island range), which parallels the east coast. 
  • The range reaches its highest point at the volcanic Mount Ruapehu (2,797 metres) within Tongariro National Park (designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990).
• Many important cities are found on the North Island. 
  • These include Auckland, which is the largest city. 
  • The capital city of New Zealand, Wellington, is also located here. 
  • Other major cities are Hamilton, Tauranga, and Rotorua.
• Important bodies of water on the island include:
  • Lake Taupō
  • Waikato River
  • Whanganui River
• The North Island has several active and dormant volcanoes:
  • Auckland Volcanic Field
  • Mount Ruapehu
  • Mount Taranaki (also called Taranaki Maunga)
  • Mount Tarawera
  • Whakaari/ White Island
  • North Island Volcanic Plateau

Source: IT

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