▁little ▁air ▁poll ution ▁compared ▁to ▁many ▁other ▁countries ▁and ▁the ▁high ▁sun sh ine ▁hours . ▁New ▁Zealand ▁has ▁very ▁high ▁sun sh ine ▁hours ▁with ▁most ▁areas ▁receiving ▁over ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁hours ▁per ▁year . ▁The ▁sun ni est ▁areas ▁are ▁Nelson / Mar l borough ▁and ▁the ▁Bay ▁of ▁Pl enty ▁with ▁ 2 , 4 0 0 ▁hours ▁per ▁year . ▁ ▁The ▁table ▁below ▁lists ▁climate ▁norm als ▁for ▁the ▁warm est ▁and ▁col dest ▁months ▁in ▁New ▁Zealand ' s ▁six ▁largest ▁cities . ▁North ▁Island ▁cities ▁are ▁generally ▁warm est ▁in ▁February . ▁South ▁Island ▁cities ▁are ▁warm est ▁in ▁January . ▁ ▁Human ▁ge ography ▁ ▁Political ▁ge ography ▁New ▁Zealand ▁has ▁no ▁land ▁borders . ▁However , ▁the ▁Ross ▁Dep endency , ▁its ▁claim ▁in ▁Ant arct ica , ▁nomin ally ▁borders ▁the ▁Australian ▁Ant ar ctic ▁Territ ory ▁to ▁the ▁west ▁and ▁un c laimed ▁territory ▁to ▁the ▁east . ▁Most ▁other ▁countries ▁do ▁not ▁recogn ise ▁territorial ▁claims ▁in ▁Ant arct ica . ▁ ▁New ▁Zealand ▁proper ▁is ▁sub div ided ▁into ▁six teen ▁regions : ▁seven ▁in ▁the ▁South ▁Island ▁and ▁nine ▁in ▁the ▁North . ▁They ▁have ▁a ▁ge ographical ▁link ▁with ▁regional ▁boundaries ▁being ▁based ▁largely ▁on ▁d rain age ▁bas ins . ▁Among ▁the ▁regions , ▁eleven ▁are ▁admin ister ed ▁by ▁regional ▁authorities ▁( top ▁tier ▁of ▁local ▁government ), ▁while ▁five ▁are ▁unit ary ▁authorities ▁that ▁combine ▁the ▁functions ▁of ▁regional ▁authorities ▁and