List of islands of New Zealand



New Zealand consists of more than six hundred islands, mainly remnants of a larger land mass now beneath the sea. New Zealand is the sixth-largest island country, and the third-largest located entirely in the Southern Hemisphere. The following is a list of islands of New Zealand.

The two largest islands – where most of the population lives – have names in both English and in the Māori language. They are the North Island or Te Ika-a-Māui and the South Island or Te Waipounamu. Various Māori iwi sometimes use other names, with some preferring to call the South Island Te Waka o Aoraki. The two islands are separated by the Cook Strait. In general practice, the term mainland refers to the North Island and South Island. However, the South Island alone is sometimes called "the mainland" – especially by its residents, as a nickname – because it is the larger of the two main islands.

To the south of the South Island, Stewart Island / Rakiura is the largest of the smaller islands, and Waiheke Island in the urban Auckland Region has the largest population of the smaller islands.

Listed by size
The following table lists the largest islands of New Zealand by area. River delta islands such as Rakaia Island (25.7 km2), Fereday Island, Rangitata Island, and Inch Clutha (approximately 15 km2, 30 km2, and 35 km2 respectively) are omitted, as are temporary islands in braided river channels and tidal islands such as Rabbit Island, Nelson (17 km2). The country's largest island within a lake, Pomona Island, has an area of just 2.6 km2.

Listed by highest point
The following table lists the islands of New Zealand by their highest elevation. These islands are all in harbours or the open sea. The country's tallest island within a lake, Pomona Island, rises to 511 m above sea level, which is about 333 m above Lake Manapouri's normal lake level.

In harbours and the open sea

 * Aiguilles Island
 * Aldermen Islands
 * Allports Island
 * Amerikiwhati Island
 * Anatakupu Island
 * Anchor Island
 * Anchorage Island
 * Aorangaia Island
 * Araara Island
 * Arakaninihi Island
 * Arapaoa Island
 * Aroha Island
 * Aua / King Billy Island
 * Awarua Rock
 * Bauza Island
 * Beehive Island / Taungamaro Island
 * Bell Island
 * Bench Island
 * Best Island
 * Blumine Island / Ōruawairua
 * Boom Rock
 * Breaksea Island
 * The Brothers
 * Motuketekete Island
 * Browns Island (Motukorea)
 * Calliope Island, Whangārei Heads
 * Catherine Island, Charles Sound
 * Cavalli Islands
 * Chalky Island


 * Chetwode Islands
 * Coal Island
 * Codfish Island / Whenua Hou
 * Cooper Island
 * Dog Island
 * Cuvier Island
 * Dragon Island
 * Eleanor Island, Charles Sound
 * Elizabeth Island
 * Fanny Island, Charles Sound
 * Fergusson Island, Southland
 * Fisherman Island
 * Forsyth Island
 * Frenchman Island, Whangārei Heads
 * Goat Island / Rakiriri
 * Great Barrier Island/Aotea
 * Great Island
 * Green Island (Okaihe)
 * Green Island
 * Guano Island, Whangārei Heads
 * Hares Ears
 * Hen and Chicken Islands
 * High Island
 * Herald Island
 * Horomaka Island
 * Indian Island
 * Jacky Lee Island
 * Kaikōura Island
 * Kapiti Island
 * Kārewa / Gannet Island
 * Karewa Island
 * Kawau Island
 * Kopuahingahinga Island, Manukau Harbour
 * Lee Island
 * Lloyd Island
 * Long Island, Marlborough
 * Long Island (Southland)
 * Māhungarape / Round Island
 * Mahurangi Island
 * Mahurangi Island (Goat Island)
 * Mākaro / Ward Island
 * Mana Island
 * Matakana Island
 * Matapara / Pickersgill Island
 * Matiu / Somes Island
 * Maud Island/Te Hoiere
 * Mauitaha Island, Whangārei Heads
 * Mayor Island / Tūhua
 * Mercury Islands
 * Mokohinau Islands
 * Mokopuna Island
 * Mōtītī Island
 * Motuara Island
 * Motuareronui / Adele Island
 * Motuarohia Island
 * Motueka Island (Pigeon Island)
 * Motuhoa Island, Tauranga Harbour
 * Motuihe Island
 * Motukaroro Island
 * Motukōrure Island / Centre Island
 * Motukawao Islands
 * Motukiore Island, Parua Bay
 * Motukōkako Island / Piercy Island
 * Motu Matakohe / Limestone Island
 * Motunau Island
 * Motunau / Plate Island
 * Motuora
 * Motuoroi Island
 * Moturaka Island
 * Moturoa / Rabbit Island
 * Moturekareka Island
 * Moturiki Island
 * Motutapu Island
 * Moutohora Island/Whale Island
 * Native Island
 * Nee Island
 * Ngarango Otainui Island
 * Shelter Island
 * Ngā Motu / Sugar Loaf Islands
 * Ninepin Rock, Manukau Harbour
 * Noble Island
 * North Island
 * Okorotere Island
 * Opahekeheke Island
 * Open Bay Islands
 * Ōtamahua / Quail Island
 * Pakatoa Island
 * Pakihi Island
 * Pararekau Island, Manukau Harbour
 * Pearl Island
 * Pepin Island (a tied island connected to the mainland)
 * Ponui Island
 * Poor Knights Islands
 * Portland Island
 * Pourewa Island
 * Puketutu Island
 * Putauhinu Island
 * Quarantine Island / Kamau Taurua
 * Rabbit Island (Bluff)
 * Rabbit Island (Coromandel, North)
 * Rabbit Island (Coromandel, South)
 * Rabbit Island (Great Barrier Island)
 * Rabbit Island (Warkworth)
 * Rat Island (Whangārei)
 * Rakino Island
 * Rakitu Island
 * Rangitoto Island
 * Rangitoto Islands, Marlborough Sounds
 * Rangitoto ki te Tonga / D'Urville Island
 * Raratoka Island
 * Resolution Island
 * Ripapa Island
 * Rotoroa Island
 * Rurima Rocks, including Rurima Island
 * Ruapuke Island
 * Secretary Island
 * Shark Island, Manukau Harbour
 * Shoe Island / Motuhoa
 * Simmonds Islands
 * Slipper Island
 * South Island
 * Stephens Island / Takapourewa
 * Stephenson Island
 * Stewart Island / Rakiura
 * Taieri Island / Moturata
 * Takangaroa Island
 * Taputeranga Island
 * Tarahiki Island
 * Tarakanahi Island
 * Tata Islands
 * Taukihepa / Big South Cape Island
 * Te Hauturu-o-Toi / Little Barrier Island
 * Te Motu-o-Kura / Bare Island
 * Te Hāwere-a-Maki / Goat Island
 * Te Tio Island
 * Tikitiki Island, (The Ninepin), Bay of Islands
 * Tiritiri Matangi Island
 * Tītī / Muttonbird Islands
 * Tonga Island
 * Ulva Island
 * Urupukapuka Island
 * Waiheke Island
 * Waikaranga Island
 * Walker Island
 * Watchman Island
 * Whakaari / White Island
 * Whanganui Island
 * Whangaokeno / East Island
 * White Island (Otago)
 * Wiroa Island, Manukau Harbour

In rivers and lakes

 * Arran Island (in Lake Te Anau)
 * Belle Vue Island (in Lake Manapouri)
 * Birch Island (in the Clutha River)
 * Bird Island (in the Pōrangahau River)
 * Black Jacks Island (in Lake Benmore)
 * Buncrana Island (in Lake Manapouri)
 * Bute Island (in Lake Te Anau)
 * Channel Islands (in Lake Manapouri)
 * Cumbrae Island (in Lake Te Anau)
 * Dome Islands (in Lake Te Anau)
 * Doubtful Island (in Lake Te Anau)
 * Centre Island
 * Entrance Island (in Lake Te Anau)
 * Erin Island (in Lake Te Anau)
 * Fereday Island (in the Rakaia River delta)
 * Harwich Island (in Lake Wānaka)
 * Hidden Island (in Lake Wakatipu)
 * Holmwood Island, (in Lake Manapouri)
 * Inch Clutha (in the Clutha / Mata-Au delta)
 * Junction Island (in Lake Benmore)
 * Karihoa Island (in Waikato River)
 * Kaiwaka No.1 Island (in Waikato River delta)
 * Kaiwaka No.2 Island (in Waikato River delta)
 * Lee Island (in Lake Te Anau)
 * Mahara Island (in Lake Manapouri)
 * Manutahi Island (in Waikato River)
 * Mary Island (in Lake Hauroko)
 * Mokoia Island (in Lake Rotorua)
 * Motakorea Island (in Waikato River)
 * Motuariki Island (in Lake Tekapo)
 * Motukakako Island (in Waikato River delta)
 * Motutaiko Island (in Lake Taupō)
 * Moutoa Island (in the Whanganui River)
 * Mou Tapu (in Lake Wānaka)
 * Mou Waho (in Lake Wānaka)
 * Motutieke Island (in Waikato River delta)
 * Namuheiriro Island (in Waikato River)
 * Ngāhinapōuri Island (in Waikato River delta)
 * Opuawhanga Island (in Waikato River)
 * Pigeon Island/Wāwāhi Waka (in Lake Wakatipu)
 * Pig Island/Mātau (in Lake Wakatipu)
 * Pomona Island (in Lake Manapouri)
 * Puehunui Island (in Waikato River delta)
 * Rabbit Island (Canterbury) (in Rakaia River)
 * Rakaia Island (in the Rakaia River delta)
 * Rangitata Island (in the Rangitata River delta)
 * Rona Island (in Lake Manapouri)
 * Ruby Island (in Lake Wānaka)
 * Silver Island (in Lake Hāwea)
 * Stevensons Island/Te Peka Karara (in Lake Wānaka)
 * Tarahanga Island (in Waikato River)
 * Tawanui Island (in Waikato River delta)
 * Te Kopura Island (in Waikato River)
 * Te Toki Island (in Waikato River)
 * Te Weranga Okapu Island (in Waikato River delta)
 * Tree Island (in Lake Wakatipu)
 * Whatamakiri Island (in Waikato River delta)

Outlying
New Zealand 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. The New Zealand Subantarctic Islands are designated as a World Heritage Site.
 * Chatham Islands
 * Chatham Island
 * Forty-Fours
 * Little Mangere Island
 * Mangere Island
 * Pitt Island
 * The Sisters
 * Rabbit Island
 * Rangatira Island
 * Star Keys
 * Kermadec Islands
 * Cheeseman Island
 * Curtis Island
 * L'Esperance Rock
 * Macauley Island
 * Nugent Island
 * Raoul Island
 * Solander Islands
 * Solander Island
 * Little Solander Island
 * Pierced Rock
 * Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands
 * Manawatāwhi / Great Island
 * Oromaki / North East Island
 * Farmer Rocks
 * Moekawa / South West Island
 * Princes Islands
 * Ōhau / West Island
 * Antipodes Islands
 * Antipodes Island
 * Bollons Island
 * Auckland Islands
 * Adams Island
 * Auckland Island
 * Disappointment Island
 * Enderby Island
 * Ewing Island
 * Rose Island
 * Bounty Islands
 * Campbell Island group
 * Campbell Island
 * Dent Island
 * Folly Island (or Folly Islands)
 * Jacquemart Island
 * The Snares
 * Broughton Island
 * North East Island
 * Western Chain

Realm of New Zealand
The following islands are part of the Realm of New Zealand, but not of the country itself:
 * 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
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