New Zealand sub-antarctic islands
Encyclopedia
The five southernmost groups of the New Zealand Outlying Islands
form the New Zealand Sub-Antarctic islands. These islands are collectively designated as an UNESCO
World Heritage Site
.
Most of the islands are located near the southeast edge of the largely submerged continent
centred on New Zealand
called Zealandia
, which rift
ed away from Australia
60-85 million years ago and from Antarctica between 130 and 85 million years ago.
Until 1995, scientific research staff were stationed permanently at a meteorological station on Campbell Island
. Since then, the islands are uninhabited.
The islands are:
They share some features with Australia
's Macquarie Island
to the west.
New Zealand also has territorial claims, held in abeyance under the Antarctic Treaty System
, over several islands close to the Antarctic mainland, including:
Of these, Ross Island is inhabited by the scientific staff of several research stations, notably at McMurdo Sound
and Scott Base
.
New Zealand Outlying Islands
The New Zealand outlying islands comprise nine island groups, located in the subtropics and subantarctic, which are part of New Zealand but lie outside of the New Zealand continental shelf. Although considered as integral parts of New Zealand, seven of the nine island groups are not part of any...
form the New Zealand Sub-Antarctic islands. These islands are collectively designated as an UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
.
Most of the islands are located near the southeast edge of the largely submerged continent
Continent
A continent is one of several very large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, with seven regions commonly regarded as continents—they are : Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.Plate tectonics is...
centred on New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
called Zealandia
Zealandia (continent)
Zealandia , also known as Tasmantis or the New Zealand continent, is a nearly submerged continental fragment that sank after breaking away from Australia 60–85 million years ago, having separated from Antarctica between 85 and 130 million years ago...
, which rift
Rift
In geology, a rift or chasm is a place where the Earth's crust and lithosphere are being pulled apart and is an example of extensional tectonics....
ed away from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
60-85 million years ago and from Antarctica between 130 and 85 million years ago.
Until 1995, scientific research staff were stationed permanently at a meteorological station on Campbell Island
Campbell Island, New Zealand
Campbell Island is a remote, subantarctic island of New Zealand and the main island of the Campbell Island group. It covers of the group's , and is surrounded by numerous stacks, rocks and islets like Dent Island, Folly Island , Isle de Jeanette Marie, and Jacquemart Island, the latter being the...
. Since then, the islands are uninhabited.
The islands are:
- Antipodes IslandsAntipodes IslandsThe Antipodes Islands are inhospitable volcanic islands to the south of—and territorially part of—New Zealand...
: main island, plus Bollons Island, the Windward Islands, Orde Lees Island, Leeward Island, and South Islet, plus minor rocksIsletAn islet is a very small island.- Types :As suggested by its origin as islette, an Old French diminutive of "isle", use of the term implies small size, but little attention is given to drawing an upper limit on its applicability.... - Auckland IslandsAuckland IslandsThe Auckland Islands are an archipelago of the New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands and include Auckland Island, Adams Island, Enderby Island, Disappointment Island, Ewing Island, Rose Island, Dundas Island and Green Island, with a combined area of...
: Auckland IslandAuckland IslandAuckland Island is the main island of the Auckland Islands, an uninhabited archipelago in the south Pacific Ocean belonging to New Zealand. It is inscribed in the together with the other subantarctic New Zealand islands in the region as follows: 877-004 Auckland Isls, New Zealand S50.29 E165.52...
, Adams IslandAdams Island, New ZealandAdams Island is part of Auckland Islands archipelago. The southern end of Auckland Island broadens to a width of where a narrow channel, known as Carnley Harbour or the Adams Straits, separates it from the roughly triangular Adams Island , which is even more mountainous, reaching a height of at...
, Disappointment IslandDisappointment IslandDisappointment Island is one of seven uninhabited islands of the archipelago Auckland Islands. It is from the north-west end of Auckland Island and south of New Zealand. It is home to the White-capped Albatross. About 65,000 pairs - nearly the entire world population - nest on Disappointment...
, Enderby IslandEnderby Island, New Zealand-External links:***...
, Ewing IslandEwing Island, New ZealandEwing Island is an uninhabited island, part of the Auckland Islands group, a subantarctic chain that forms part of the New Zealand Outlying Islands....
and Rose IslandRose Island, New ZealandRose Island is an uninhabited island, part of the Auckland Islands group, a subantarctic chain that forms part of the New Zealand Outlying Islands....
, plus minor rocks - Bounty IslandsBounty IslandsThe Bounty Islands at are a small group of 13 granite islets and numerous rocks, with a combined area of , in the south Pacific Ocean that are territorially part of New Zealand. They are located between 47°44'35" and 47°46'10" S, and 179°01' and 179°04'20" E, southeast of the South Island of New...
: two small groups of islets, the Western Group and the Eastern Group, plus minor rocks - Campbell Island groupCampbell Island groupThe Campbell Island group is a group of subantarctic islands, belonging to New Zealand. The group has a total area of , consisting of one big island, Campbell Island , and several small islets, notably Dent Island , Isle de Jeanette Marie , Jacquemart Island , and Monowai Island 1...
: Campbell IslandCampbell Island, New ZealandCampbell Island is a remote, subantarctic island of New Zealand and the main island of the Campbell Island group. It covers of the group's , and is surrounded by numerous stacks, rocks and islets like Dent Island, Folly Island , Isle de Jeanette Marie, and Jacquemart Island, the latter being the...
, the main island, plus several minor rocks and small isletIsletAn islet is a very small island.- Types :As suggested by its origin as islette, an Old French diminutive of "isle", use of the term implies small size, but little attention is given to drawing an upper limit on its applicability....
s surrounding Campbell IslandCampbell Island, New ZealandCampbell Island is a remote, subantarctic island of New Zealand and the main island of the Campbell Island group. It covers of the group's , and is surrounded by numerous stacks, rocks and islets like Dent Island, Folly Island , Isle de Jeanette Marie, and Jacquemart Island, the latter being the...
, including New Zealand's southernmost point, Jacquemart IslandJacquemart IslandJacquemart Island, one of the islets surrounding Campbell Island in New Zealand, lies south of Campbell Island and is the southernmost island of New Zealand.... - The SnaresThe SnaresSnares Islands/Tini Heke is a small island group situated approximately 200 kilometres south of New Zealand's South Island and to the south-south-west of Stewart Island/Rakiura. The Snares consist of the main island North East Island and the smaller Broughton Island as well as the somewhat...
: Northeast Island, High Island, Broughton IslandBroughton Island, New ZealandBroughton Island is the second largest island of The Snares, at just off the South Promontory of the main island North East Island, which lies approximately south of New Zealand's South Island. The island is some long in SW direction, and the highest elevation is...
, Alert Stack, Tahi, Rua, Toru, Wha, and Rima, plus minor rocks
They share some features with Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's Macquarie Island
Macquarie Island
Macquarie Island lies in the southwest corner of the Pacific Ocean, about half-way between New Zealand and Antarctica, at 54°30S, 158°57E. Politically, it has formed part of the Australian state of Tasmania since 1900 and became a Tasmanian State Reserve in 1978. In 1997 it became a world heritage...
to the west.
New Zealand also has territorial claims, held in abeyance under the Antarctic Treaty System
Antarctic Treaty System
The Antarctic Treaty and related agreements, collectively called the Antarctic Treaty System or ATS, regulate international relations with respect to Antarctica, Earth's only continent without a native human population. For the purposes of the treaty system, Antarctica is defined as all of the land...
, over several islands close to the Antarctic mainland, including:
- Ross IslandRoss IslandRoss Island is an island formed by four volcanoes in the Ross Sea near the continent of Antarctica, off the coast of Victoria Land in McMurdo Sound.-Geography:...
and the rest of the Ross ArchipelagoRoss ArchipelagoRoss Archipelago is a convenient name for that group of islands which, together with the ice shelf between them, forms the eastern and southern boundaries of McMurdo Sound. The most northerly is Beaufort Island, then comes Ross Island, the Dellbridge Islands, and Black Island and White Island... - Balleny IslandsBalleny IslandsThe Balleny Islands are a series of uninhabited islands in the Southern Ocean extending from 66°15' to 67°35'S and 162°30' to 165°00'E. The group extends for about in a northwest-southeast direction. The islands are heavily glaciated and are of volcanic origin. Glaciers project from their slopes...
: Young IslandYoung IslandYoung Island is the northernmost and westernmost of the three main islands in the uninhabited Balleny Islands group located in the Southern Ocean...
, Buckle IslandBuckle IslandBuckle Island is one of the three main islands in the uninhabited Balleny Islands group located in the Southern Ocean. It lies northwest of Sturge Island and southeast of Young Island, some north-northeast of Belousov Point on the Antarctic mainland....
, and Sturge IslandSturge IslandSturge Island is one of the three main islands in the uninhabited Balleny Islands group located in the Southern Ocean. It lies southeast of Buckle Island and northeast of Belousov Point on the Antarctic mainland...
, plus several smaller isletIsletAn islet is a very small island.- Types :As suggested by its origin as islette, an Old French diminutive of "isle", use of the term implies small size, but little attention is given to drawing an upper limit on its applicability....
s - Roosevelt IslandRoosevelt Island, AntarcticaRoosevelt Island is an ice-covered island, about long in a NW-SE direction, wide and about in area, lying in the eastern part of the Ross Ice Shelf of Antarctica...
- Scott IslandScott IslandScott Island is a small uninhabited island of volcanic origin in the Ross Sea, Southern Ocean, northeast of Cape Adare, the northeastern extremity of Victoria Land, Antarctica. It is long north-south, and between and wide, reaching a height of and covering an area of...
and Haggits PillarHaggits PillarHaggits Pillar is a stack high in the South Pacific Ocean at the northwestern edge of Ross Sea, lying west of Scott Island and some north-northeast of Cape Adare, Victoria Land, Antarctica...
Of these, Ross Island is inhabited by the scientific staff of several research stations, notably at McMurdo Sound
McMurdo Sound
The ice-clogged waters of Antarctica's McMurdo Sound extend about 55 km long and wide. The sound opens into the Ross Sea to the north. The Royal Society Range rises from sea level to 13,205 feet on the western shoreline. The nearby McMurdo Ice Shelf scribes McMurdo Sound's southern boundary...
and Scott Base
Scott Base
Scott Base is a research facility located in Antarctica and is operated by New Zealand. It was named after Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Royal Navy, leader of two British expeditions to the Ross Sea area of Antarctica...
.
External links
- Subantarctic islands, Department of Conservation
- UNESCO classification for the sub-antarctic islands
- Castaways: Wrecked on a subantarctic island, Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand