List of islands of New Zealand | New Zealand Tourism

List of islands of New Zealand | New Zealand Tourism

New Zealand consists of a large number of islands. The two main islands, which are much larger than the rest and where most of the population lives, are the North Island and the South Island. The latter is often referred to as the "mainland", especially by its residents, it being somewhat larger but having a lower population. Stewart Island/Rakiura is by far the biggest of the smaller islands, although Waiheke Island has the largest population of the smaller islands.

The following is a list of some of the islands of New Zealand:

Listed by size of islands of New Zealand:


The following table lists the largest islands of New Zealand by size. The Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau, and islands of the Ross Dependency are excluded. Delta islands such as Rakaia Island (25.7 km2), Rangitata Island and Inch Clutha (approximately 30 km2 and 35 km2 respectively) are also currently omitted, as are temporary islands in braided river channels and tidal islands such as Rabbit Island, Nelson (17km2). The country's largest island within a lake, Pomona Island, has an area of just 2.6 km2.


Rank English name Māori name km2  % of NZ Area
1 South Island Te Wai Pounamu 151215 0.56
2 North Island Te Ika-a-Māui 113729 0.42
3 Stewart Island Rakiura 1746 0.01
4 Chatham Island Rekohu (Moriori); Wharekauri (Māori) 900 0
5 Auckland Island Motu Maha 510 0
6 Great Barrier Island Aotea 285 0
7 Resolution Island Taumoana 208 0
8 d'Urville Island Rangitoto Ki Te Tonga 150 <0.1%
9 Campbell Island Motu Ihupuku 115 <0.1%
10 Adams Island Whakatina[citation needed] 100 <0.1%
11 Waiheke Island
92 <0.1%
12 Secretary Island Rangitoa 81 <0.1%
13 Arapawa Island
75 <0.1%
14 Pitt Island Rangiaotea (Moriori) or Rangiauria (Maori) 62 <0.1%
15 Matakana Island
60 <0.1%
16 Raoul Island Rangitahua 29.4 <0.1%
17 Little Barrier Island Hauturu 28
18 Rangitoto Island
23.1
19 Antipodes Island
20
20 Kapiti Island
19.7
21 Kawau Island
19
22 Long Island, Southland
18.8
23 Cooper Island
17.8
24 Ponui Island
17.7
25 Great Mercury Island Ahuahu 17.2
26 Ruapuke Island
16
27 Anchor Island Puke Nui 15.2
28 Motutapu Island
15.1
29 Codfish Island Whenua Hou 14
30 Mayor Island Tuhua 13
31 Coal Island
11.6
32 Motiti Island
10
33 Big South Cape Island Taukihepa 9.4


In harbours and the open sea islands of New Zealand:


  • Aiguilles Island
  • Alderman Islands
  • Allports Island
  • Amerikiwhati Island
  • Anatakupu Island
  • Anchor Island
  • Anchorage Island
  • Aorangaia Island
  • Araara Island
  • Arakaninihi Island
  • Arapawa Island
  • Aroha Island
  • Bare Island
  • Bells Island
  • Bench Island
  • Bests Island
  • Big South Cape Island
  • Blumine Island
  • Breaksea Island, New Zealand
  • The Brothers
  • Browns Island, Auckland
  • Cavalli Islands
  • Chalky Island
  • Codfish Island/Whenuahou
  • Cuvier Island
  • D'Urville Island
  • Dragon Island
  • East Island/Whangaokeno
  • Gannet Island
  • Goat Island, Auckland
  • Goat Island, Otago Harbour
  • Goat Island/Te Mapoutahi
  • Great Barrier Island/Aotea
  • Green Island
  • Hen and Chicken Islands
  • Herald Island, Waitemata Harbour
  • Kaikoura Island
  • Kapiti Island
  • Kawau Island
  • King Billy Island
  • Kopuahingahinga Island, Manukau Harbour
  • Little Barrier Island (Hauturu)
  • Long Island, Marlborough
  • Long Island, Southland
  • Makaro/Ward Island
  • Mana Island
  • Matakana Island
  • Matiu/Somes Island
  • Maud Island/Te Hoiere
  • Mayor Island/Tuhua
  • Mercury Islands
  • Mokohinau Islands
  • Mokopuna Island
  • Motiti Island
  • Motuihe Island
  • Motukawao Islands
  • Motunau Island
  • Motuoroi Island
  • Moturata/Taieri Island
  • Motutapu Island
  • Native Island
  • Ngarango Otainui Island, Manukau Harbour
  • Ninepin Rock, Manukau Harbour
  • Noble Island
  • North Island
  • Opahekeheke Island
  • Open Bay Islands
  • Pakatoa Island
  • Pararekau Island, Manukau Harbour
  • Pearl Island
  • Pepin Island
  • Piercy Island
  • Ponui Island
  • Poor Knights Islands
  • Portland Island
  • Pourewa Island
  • Puketutu Island, Manukau Harbour
  • Quail Island
  • Quarantine Island/Kamau Taurua
  • Rabbit Island
  • Rakino Island
  • Rangitoto Island
  • Rangitoto Islands, Marlborough
  • Raratoka Island
  • Resolution Island
  • Ripapa Island
  • Rotoroa Island
  • Rurima Rocks, including Rurima Island
  • Ruapuke Island
  • Quarantine Island/Kamau Taurua
  • Secretary Island
  • Shark Island, Manukau Harbour
  • Slipper Island
  • South Island
  • Stephens Island/Takapourewa
  • Stewart Island/Rakiura
  • Sugar Loaf Islands
  • Takangaroa
  • Tapu Te Ranga Motu
  • Tarahiki Island
  • Tiritiri Matangi Island
  • Titi/Muttonbird Islands
  • Tonga Island
  • Ulva Island
  • Waiheke Island
  • Walker Island, New Zealand
  • Watchman Island, Waitemata Harbour
  • Whakaari/White Island
  • Whale Island
  • Whanganui Island
  • White Island, Otago
  • Wiroa Island, Manukau Harbour

  • Island in rivers and lakes of New Zealand:


  • Channel Islands (in Lake Manapouri)
  • Dome Islands (in Lake Te Anau)
  • Entrance Island (in Lake Te Anau)
  • Harwich Island (in Lake Wanaka)
  • Hidden Island (in Lake Wakatipu)
  • Inch Clutha (in the Clutha River delta)
  • Mokoia Island (in Lake Rotorua)
  • Motuariki Island (in Lake Tekapo)
  • Motutaiko Island (in Lake Taupo)
  • Moutoa Island (in the Whanganui River)
  • Pigeon Island (in Lake Wakatipu)
  • Pig Island (in Lake Wakatipu)
  • Pomona Island (in Lake Manapouri)
  • Rakaia Island (in the Rakaia River delta)
  • Rangitata Island (in the Rangitata River delta)
  • Rona Island (in Lake Manapouri)
  • Tree Island (in Lake Wakatipu)

Outlying islands of New Zealand:


New Zealand also administers the following islands outside the main archipelago. Only the Chatham Islands have a permanent population although others also did in the past. Others host visitors for science, conservation, meteorological observation and tourism.

Chatham Islands
  • Chatham Island/Rekohu
  • Forty-Fours/Motuhara
  • Little Mangere Island
  • Mangere Island
  • Pitt Island/Rangiauria
  • The Sisters/Rangitatahi
  • South East Island/Rangatira
  • Star Keys/Motuhope
Kermadec Islands
  • Cheeseman Island
  • Curtis Island
  • Macauley Island
  • Raoul Island
Solander Islands
Three Kings Islands

The New Zealand sub-antarctic islands are considered World Heritage Sites.

Antipodes Islands
Auckland Islands
  • Adams Island
  • Auckland Island
  • Enderby Island
  • Rose Island
Bounty Islands
Campbell Island group
  • Campbell Island
  • Dent Island
  • Folly Island (or Folly Islands)
  • Jacquemart Island
The Snares

Realm of New Zealand:


The following islands are part of the Realm of New Zealand, but are not part of New Zealand proper:

Cook Islands
  • Aitutaki
  • Atiu
  • Mangaia
  • Manihiki
  • Manuae
  • Mauke
  • Mitiaro
  • Nassau
  • Palmerston Island
  • Penrhyn Island/Tongareva
  • Pukapuka
  • Rakahanga
  • Rarotonga
  • Suwarrow
  • Takutea
Niue
Tokelau
  • Atafu
  • Nukunonu
  • Fakaofo

Territorial claims of New Zealand Tourism:


New Zealand also claims the Ross Dependency in Antarctica, including:

the Balleny Islands
  • Buckle Island
  • Sabrina Island
  • Sturge Island
  • Young Island
Scott Island
Roosevelt Island
Coulman Island
the Ross Archipelago
  • Ross Island
  • Beaufort Island
  • White Island
  • Black Island
  • the Dellbridge Islands
  • Inaccessible Island
  • Tent Island
  • Big Razorback
  • Little Razorback

List of islands of New Zealand, New Zealand Tourism, New Zealand Outlying Islands, Territorial claims, Realm of New Zealand, In rivers and lakes, In harbours and the open sea, largest islands of New Zealand by size