Area - comparative:
about the size of Colorado
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
15,134 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
temperate with sharp regional contrasts
Terrain:
predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m
Natural resources:
natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold,
limestone
Land use: arable land: 5.6% permanent crops: 6.99% other: 87.41% (2001)
Irrigated land:
2,850 sq km (1998 est.)