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, despite it being only a little larger and having a lower population. Stewart Island is by far the biggest of the smaller islands, although Waiheke Island has the third largest population.
The following is a list of some of the islands of New Zealand:
Main New Zealand chain
Open sea islands
Islands in rivers and lakes
Outlying Islands
New Zealand also administers the following islands outside the main archipelago. Only the Chatham Islands have a permanent population. Others host visitors for science, conservation, meteorological observation and tourism.
The New Zealand sub-antarctic islands are considered World Heritage Sites.
Self-governing territories
The following self-governing island territories are politically dependent areas of New Zealand but are not considered part of New Zealand geographically:
Territorial claims
New Zealand also claims the Ross Dependency in Antarctica, including:
See other islands of the world.
