module 7 New Zealand Symbol: kiwi Unit New Zealand Coat of Arms BEFORE READING Do you know a. the name of the native people of New Zealand? b. why are New Zealanders known as Kiwis? c. the name of the New Zealand rugby team? d. which film trilogy was filmed in New Zealand? The Southern Cross In the Southern Hemisphere, at night, stars can be seen which are always below the horizon in northern lands the best known being the constellation of the Southern Cross which is shown on the New Zealand flag. The Southern Cross is never visible to most of the Northern Hemisphere and it has therefore become a celestial symbol of the antipodes with its long axis pointing to the south pole. Basic facts New Zealand consists of two large islands, North Island and South Island, plus several smaller islands, of which Stewart Island is often called our third island. North and South Islands are separated by the 32 kilometre Cook Strait. To the north and east lies the Pacific Ocean and between New Zealand and Australia lies the Tasman Sea. The total land area is about 270,535 square kilometres, about the size of Italy. North Island is volcanically active with a central plateau. South Island has high snow covered mountain peaks and glaciers: the Southern Alps, a range running almost 500 kilometres along the island. The longest river is the Waikato on North Island (425 km) and the largest inland stretch of water is Lake Taupo, also on North Island. The highest point is Mount Cook on South Island (3754 m). Over 75% of New Zealand is above 200 metres. Like Australia, New Zealand is in the Southern Hemisphere, so mid-summer is at Christmas time and mid-winter is in June/July. The climate is oceanic temperate and seasonal variations are minimal. North Island has a warm mild climate, almost sub-tropical in the extreme north. Auckland has an average summer temperature (January) of about 21° C and in winter the average temperature is around 11° C. Annual rainfall is between 125 and 150 cm. South Island is colder. Dunedin has average summer temperatures of about 15° C and winter around 6° C. There is a much greater contrast in rainfall due to the Southern Alps: 300 cm on the west coast and 65 cm on the Canterbury Plains and Christchurch. ACTIVITIES 1 What do these numbers refer to? 32 km ...................................................... 270,535 sq. km .................................... 500 km .................................................... 425 km .................................................... 3754 m .................................................... 75% ......................................................... 125 - 150 cm ....................................... 300 cm ....................................................