▁a ▁large ▁number ▁of ▁islands , ▁estimated ▁around ▁ 6 0 0 , ▁mainly ▁rem n ants ▁of ▁a ▁larger ▁land ▁mass ▁now ▁beneath ▁the ▁sea . ▁The ▁two ▁main ▁islands ▁by ▁size ▁are ▁the ▁North ▁Island ▁( or ▁Te ▁I ka - a - M ā ui ) ▁and ▁the ▁South ▁Island ▁( or ▁Te ▁Wa ip oun am u ), ▁separated ▁by ▁the ▁Cook ▁Stra it . ▁The ▁third - larg est ▁is ▁Stewart ▁Island ▁( or ▁R aki ura ), ▁located ▁ ▁off ▁the ▁tip ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁Island ▁across ▁F ove aux ▁Stra it . ▁Other ▁islands ▁are ▁significantly ▁smaller ▁in ▁area . ▁The ▁three ▁largest ▁islands ▁stretch ▁ ▁across ▁lat itudes ▁ 3 4 ° ▁to ▁ 4 7 ° ▁south . ▁New ▁Zealand ▁is ▁the ▁sixth - larg est ▁island ▁country ▁in ▁the ▁world , ▁with ▁a ▁land ▁size ▁of ▁. ▁ ▁New ▁Zealand ' s ▁terrain ▁ranges ▁from ▁the ▁fi ord - like ▁sounds ▁of ▁the ▁south west ▁to ▁the ▁sand y ▁be aches ▁of ▁the ▁far ▁north . ▁The ▁South ▁Island ▁is ▁domin ated ▁by ▁the ▁Southern ▁Al ps ▁while ▁a ▁vol can ic ▁plate au ▁covers ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁central ▁North ▁Island . ▁Tem per atures ▁rarely ▁fall ▁below ▁ 0   ° C ▁or ▁rise ▁above ▁ 3 0   ° C ▁and ▁conditions ▁vary ▁from ▁wet ▁and ▁cold ▁on ▁the ▁South ▁Island ' s ▁west ▁coast ▁to ▁dry ▁and ▁contin ental ▁a ▁short ▁distance ▁away ▁across ▁the ▁mountains ▁and ▁near ▁subt rop