▁world , ▁covering ▁, ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 5 ▁times ▁its ▁land ▁area . ▁ ▁The ▁South ▁Island ▁is ▁the ▁largest ▁land ▁mass ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand , ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁ 1 2 th - larg est ▁island ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁The ▁island ▁is ▁divided ▁along ▁its ▁length ▁by ▁the ▁Southern ▁Al ps . ▁The ▁east ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁island ▁has ▁the ▁Can ter bury ▁Pla ins ▁while ▁the ▁West ▁Coast ▁is ▁famous ▁for ▁its ▁rough ▁coast lines , ▁high ▁ra inf all , ▁very ▁high ▁proportion ▁of ▁native ▁bush , ▁and ▁gla ci ers . ▁ ▁The ▁North ▁Island ▁is ▁the ▁second - larg est ▁island , ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 4 th - larg est ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁It ▁is ▁separated ▁from ▁the ▁South ▁Island ▁by ▁the ▁Cook ▁Stra it , ▁with ▁the ▁short est ▁distance ▁being ▁. ▁The ▁North ▁Island ▁is ▁less ▁mountain ous ▁than ▁the ▁South ▁Island , ▁although ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁narrow ▁mountain ▁ranges ▁form ▁a ▁roughly ▁north - east ▁bel t ▁that ▁r ises ▁up ▁to ▁. ▁Much ▁of ▁the ▁surv iving ▁forest ▁is ▁located ▁in ▁this ▁bel t , ▁and ▁in ▁other ▁mountain ▁areas ▁and ▁rolling ▁hills . ▁The ▁North ▁Island ▁has ▁many ▁isolated ▁vol can ic ▁pe aks . ▁ ▁Besides ▁the ▁North ▁and ▁South ▁Islands , ▁the ▁five ▁largest ▁inhab ited ▁islands ▁are ▁Stewart ▁Island ▁( ▁due ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁Island ), ▁Ch ath am ▁Island ▁( some ▁ ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁Island ), ▁Great ▁Bar rier ▁Island ▁( in