South Island
The larger of New Zealand’s two main islands, separated from the North Island by Cook Strait. It is also known by its Māori name, Te Waipounamu.
Southern Alps: A mountain range running along much of New Zealand’s South Island. They form the island’s dominant mountain spine and divide its wetter west from its drier east.
Christchurch: The largest city in New Zealand’s South Island, located on the Canterbury Plains. It is the island’s largest urban center and a principal gateway to the east coast.
Māori settlement of New Zealand: The settlement of New Zealand by Polynesian voyagers, whose descendants are Māori. Māori communities established enduring connections to the South Island before European arrival.
South Island tourism: Travel to the South Island, especially for its landscapes, outdoor recreation, and heritage. Tourism draws on the island’s mountains, fjords, coastlines, and established resort towns.
North Island: The northern of New Zealand’s two main islands, separated from the South Island by Cook Strait. It is the South Island’s counterpart, with a larger population and more active volcanic landscapes.
Cook Strait: A strait separating New Zealand’s North Island and South Island. It separates the South Island from the North Island and connects the Tasman Sea with the Pacific Ocean.
Dunedin: A city in southeastern New Zealand, known for its Scottish heritage and Victorian architecture. Its history and coastal setting distinguish the island’s southeast.
Kupe: A legendary Polynesian navigator associated in Māori traditions with the discovery of New Zealand. Stories of Kupe belong to the wider traditions explaining Māori arrival and voyaging.
New Zealand agriculture: The production of food and other goods through farming in New Zealand. The island’s plains and pastoral regions make farming a major land use.
Stewart Island / Rakiura: A large island south of New Zealand’s South Island, separated from it by Foveaux Strait. Its smaller scale and more southerly position distinguish it from the main island.