This article lists the extreme points of New Zealand – the places that lie farther north, south, east or west than any other location in

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

State Highway 1 The following highways are numbered 1. For roads numbered A1, see list of A1 roads. For roads numbered B1, see list of B1 roads. For roads numbered M1, see List of M1 roads. For roads numbered N1, see list of N1 roads. For roads numbere ...

runs throughout the two main islands from

Cape Reinga , type =Cape , photo = Cape Reinga, Northland, New Zealand, October 2007.jpg , photo_width = 270px , photo_alt = , photo_caption = , map = New Zealand , map_width = 270px ...

in the north to Bluff in the south. Cape Reinga is sometimes popularly thought to be the northernmost point of the

North Island The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by the Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-largest ...

, but North Cape is further north, with Cape Reinga the northwesternmost point. Similarly, Bluff is sometimes thought to be the southernmost point of the

South Island The South Island, also officially named , is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman ...

, but

Slope Point Slope Point is the southernmost point of the South Island of New Zealand. Slope Point lies just south of the small settlements of Waikawa and Haldane, near the southwestern edge of the Catlins and Toetoes Bay and 71 km (40 mi) east ...

in the Catlins is slightly further south than the Bluff (the promontory that gives the town its name).

Extreme points

New Zealand overall

The northernmost, southernmost, westernmost, easternmost, highest and lowest points: * Northernmost point –

Nugent Island Nugent Island is the most northerly island in the Kermadec Islands and the most northerly part of New Zealand, being some 20 metres further to the North than nearby Napier Island. Nugent Island has a small island on the NW side with a narrow pass ...

, in the Kermadec Islands () * Southernmost point – Jacquemart Island (off the south coast of Campbell Island) in the Campbell Island group () * Westernmost point –

Cape Lovitt Auckland islands topo

Cape Lovitt is the westernmost point of New ...

, Auckland Islands () * Easternmost point – Forty-Fours / Motuhara, in the

Chatham Islands The Chatham Islands ( ) (Moriori: ''Rēkohu'', 'Misty Sun'; mi, Wharekauri) are an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean about east of New Zealand's South Island. They are administered as part of New Zealand. The archipelago consists of about te ...

, east of Chatham Island () * Highest point – Aoraki / Mount Cook, above sea level () * Lowest point – near

Momona Momona is a small town on the Taieri Plain in New Zealand's South Island. Momona School was established in 1899 and closed in 2004. The Henley Co-operative Dairy Company, established in nearby Henley, moved their cheese factory here, and was ...

, Taieri Plains, below sea level (approximately ) New Zealand's farthest inland point, at , is some northeast of the town of

Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...

. It is from the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean. The distance from northernmost to southernmost (Nugent Island to Jacquemart Island) is . The distance around the four points is . (This excludes New Zealand's claims over lands in the Ross Dependency, and its administration of the

Tokelau Islands Tokelau (; ; known previously as the Union Islands, and, until 1976, known officially as the Tokelau Islands) is a dependent territory of New Zealand in the southern Pacific Ocean. It consists of three tropical coral atolls: Atafu, Nukunonu, ...

North Island

* Northernmost point –

Surville Cliffs North Cape () is the northernmost point of New Zealand's main islands. At the northeastern tip of the Aupouri Peninsula, the cape lies east and north of Cape Reinga. The name ''North Cape'' is sometimes used to refer just to the cape that is kn ...

, North Cape * Southernmost point –

Cape Palliser Cape Palliser is a promontory on the southern coast of New Zealand's North Island and is the southernmost point of the North Island; it is in fact considerably farther south than Nelson or Blenheim in the South Island. It is located at the easte ...

* Westernmost point –

Cape Maria van Diemen Cape Maria van Diemen is the westernmost point of the North Island of New Zealand. A tombolo, it was originally an island composed mainly of basaltic-andesitic lava flows and dykes. Drifting sands joined it to the rest of the North Island during ...

* Easternmost point – East Cape * Highest point – Mount Ruapehu, 2797m above sea level * Lowest point – Lagoon Farm/Parklands,

Napier Napier may refer to: People * Napier (surname), including a list of people with that name * Napier baronets, five baronetcies and lists of the title holders Given name * Napier Shaw (1854–1945), British meteorologist * Napier Waller (1893–19 ...

, 1m below sea level. Lowest man-made point is Martha Mine pit, Waihi, 15m below sea level.

South Island

* Northernmost point –

Cape Farewell Cape Farewell ( kl, Nunap Isua; da, Kap Farvel) is a headland on the southern shore of Egger Island, Nunap Isua Archipelago, Greenland. As the southernmost point of the country, it is one of the important landmarks of Greenland. Geography Loc ...

* Southernmost point –

* Westernmost point –

West Cape West Cape is the westernmost point in the main chain of islands of New Zealand. It is located in the far southwest of the South Island, within Fiordland National Park, between Tamatea / Dusky Sound and Taiari / Chalky Inlet. The cape consists of a ...

* Easternmost point – West Head * Highest point – Aoraki / Mount Cook, 3724m above sea level * Lowest point – Taieri Plains, 2m below sea level

Centres of population

Northernmost settlements

Te Hāpua Te Hāpua is a community on the shores of the Parengarenga Harbour in Northland, New Zealand. The road to Te Hāpua leaves State Highway 1 at Waitiki Landing. Te Hāpua is the most northerly settlement in the North Island of New Zealand. The 2 ...

in the far north of the North Island is the northernmost settlement, although there is a permanently staffed station on Raoul Island, much further north. Kaitaia is the northernmost urban area with at least 1000 people. New Zealand's northernmost city is Whangārei. The northernmost settlement in the South Island is

Pūponga The tiny settlement of Pūponga in New Zealand is the northernmost settlement in the South Island. It is in the Tasman District, north of Collingwood, at the foot of Farewell Spit Farewell Spit ( mi, Onetahua) is a narrow sand spit at the ...

, close to the foot of

Farewell Spit Farewell Spit ( mi, Onetahua) is a narrow sand spit at the northern end of the Golden Bay, South Island of New Zealand. It runs eastwards from Cape Farewell, the island's northernmost point. Farewell Spit is a legally protected Nature Reserve ...

Tākaka Tākaka is a small town situated at the southeastern end of Golden Bay, at the northern end of New Zealand's South Island, located on the lower reaches of the Tākaka River. State Highway 60 runs through Takaka and follows the river valley b ...

is the northernmost South Island urban area with at least 1000 people, and Nelson is the northernmost South Island city.

Southernmost settlements

The southernmost settlement in New Zealand is

Oban Oban ( ; ' in Scottish Gaelic meaning ''The Little Bay'') is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William. During the tourist season, th ...

, on Stewart Island, although there is a meteorological station on Campbell Island, though this is no longer permanently staffed since 1995. The southernmost town in New Zealand with a population over 1000 is Bluff. New Zealand's southernmost city is

Invercargill Invercargill ( , mi, Waihōpai is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. The city lies in the heart of the wide expanse of t ...

- also its westernmost city. While New Zealand has a permanently staffed base at Scott Base in Ross Dependency, this area is not considered part of New Zealand. The southernmost settlement in the North Island is

Ngawi Ngawi may refer to: * Ngawi Regency, an administrative division of Indonesia * Ngawi (city), capital of Ngawi Regency * Ngawi railway station, a station of Paron District, Ngawi Regency * Ngawi, New Zealand, a village in New Zealand See also * ...

, near Cape Palliser.

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...

is the southernmost North Island urban area with population over 1000 and the North Island's southernmost city.

Easternmost settlements

The settlement of Waitangi on Chatham Island is New Zealand's easternmost settlement. In New Zealand's main chain, the easternmost settlement of any note is

Tikitiki Tikitiki is a small town in Waiapu Valley on the north bank of the Waiapu River in the Gisborne Region of the North Island of New Zealand. The area in which the town resides was formerly known as ''Kahukura''. By road, Tikitiki is north-northeast ...

. The town of

Ruatoria Ruatoria ( mi, Ruatōria) is a town in the Waiapu Valley of the Gisborne Region in the northeastern corner of New Zealand's North Island. The town was originally known as Cross Roads then Manutahi and was later named Ruatorea in 1913, after the Mā ...

is New Zealand's easternmost town. New Zealand's easternmost city, and urban area with a population over 1000, is Gisborne. In the South Island, Ward is the easternmost settlement of significance, Picton is the easternmost town with a population over 1000, and Nelson is the easternmost city.

Westernmost settlements

Small settlements at the head of

Doubtful Sound Doubtful Sound / Patea is a fiord in Fiordland, in the far south west of New Zealand. It is located in the same region as the smaller but more famous and accessible Milford Sound / Piopiotahi. It took second place after Milford Sound as New Zea ...

and at Manapouri Hydro are the westernmost settlements in New Zealand. The westernmost settlement of significance is Manapouri, and the westernmost town with a population over 1000 is Te Anau. New Zealand's westernmost city is

, which is also its southernmost city. In the North Island, Te Kao is the westernmost as well as the northernmost settlement of significance, Kaitaia is the westernmost town with a population over 1000, and

New Plymouth New Plymouth ( mi, Ngāmotu) is the major city of the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth, Devon from where the first English settlers to New Plymouth migrated. ...

is the westernmost city.

Most remote settlements

Waitangi on Chatham Island is New Zealand's most remote settlement of significance, being over from mainland New Zealand and the nearest other significant settlement. Twizel (population ) is the country's most remote urban area with a population over 1,000. The nearest town by road is

(population ), away.

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...

(population ) is the country's most remote city with a population over 30,000. The nearest city by great-circle distance is Nelson (population ), away; while the nearest city by road distance is Dunedin (population ), away.

Closest point to Australia

The closest point to Australia (not including Australian external territories) and Tasmania is near the Resolution Island lighthouse at 45°44'S, 166°27'E (Fiordland), a distance of approximately from a point near Tasman Island lighthouse 43°12'S, 148°E (Tasmania). The shortest distance from New Zealand territory to Australian territory outside Antarctic claims is from Auckland Island to Macquarie Island – a distance of approximately .

References

{{Oceania in topic, Extreme points of Geography of New Zealand

Extreme points of New Zealand This article lists the extreme points of New Zealand – the places that lie farther north, south, east or west than any other location in New Zealand. State Highway 1 (New Zealand), State Highway 1 runs throughout the two main islands from Ca ...