ical ▁in ▁the ▁northern ▁reaches ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁Island . ▁ ▁About ▁two - third s ▁of ▁the ▁land ▁is ▁econom ically ▁useful , ▁the ▁remainder ▁being ▁mountain ous . ▁The ▁vast ▁majority ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand ' s ▁population ▁lives ▁on ▁the ▁North ▁and ▁South ▁Islands . ▁The ▁largest ▁urban ▁area ▁is ▁A uck land , ▁in ▁the ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁Island . ▁ ▁The ▁country ▁is ▁situated ▁about ▁ ▁south - east ▁of ▁Australia ▁across ▁the ▁Tas man ▁Sea , ▁its ▁closest ▁neighb ours ▁to ▁the ▁north ▁being ▁New ▁C aled onia , ▁T ong a ▁and ▁F iji . ▁It ▁is ▁the ▁southern most ▁nation ▁in ▁O ce ania . ▁The ▁relative ▁proxim ity ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand ▁north ▁of ▁Ant arct ica ▁has ▁made ▁the ▁South ▁Island ▁a ▁gateway ▁for ▁scientific ▁exped itions ▁to ▁the ▁continent . ▁ ▁Phys ical ▁ge ography ▁ ▁Over view ▁ ▁New ▁Zealand ▁is ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁South ▁Pacific ▁Ocean ▁at ▁, ▁near ▁the ▁centre ▁of ▁the ▁water ▁hem is phere . ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁long ▁and ▁narrow ▁country , ▁extending ▁ ▁along ▁its ▁north - n orth - east ▁axis ▁with ▁a ▁maximum ▁width ▁of ▁. ▁The ▁land ▁size ▁of ▁ ▁makes ▁it ▁the ▁sixth - larg est ▁island ▁country . ▁New ▁Zealand ▁consists ▁of ▁a ▁large ▁number ▁of ▁islands , ▁estimated ▁around ▁ 6 0 0 . ▁The ▁islands ▁give ▁it ▁ ▁of ▁coast line ▁and ▁extensive ▁marine ▁resources . ▁New ▁Zealand ▁claims ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁largest ▁exclusive ▁economic ▁zone ▁in ▁the