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North Island of New Zealand

The grasslands and forests covering the North Island of New Zealand contrast with the waters of the South Pacific in this Envisat Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) image.

Posted by Tormod Guldvog
03 October, 2004 08:36:54

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Satellite photo of New Zealand

This MERIS (MEdium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer) image shows New
Zealand's North Island.

About 80% of the 3.9 million population of New Zealand live in urban
areas; towards the bottom of the northwest peninsula called Northland,
the linked cities of Auckland and Manukau can be seen as brown shades
adjacent to the Hauraki Gulf.

Much of the island is grassland, seen in lighter green. The darker
green signify forested zones. To the east of the island is Urewera
National Park, protecting the largest remaining native forest on the
North Island.

In the centre of the island is Tongariro National Park is New Zealand's
oldest, is more mountainous with three volcanoes rising high above the
surrounding landscape: Mounts Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu. The
latter is North Island's highest peak at 2797 metres, while Ngauruhoe
stood in for Mount Doom in the film trilogy Lord of the Rings.

At the northern boundary of the park is the circular Lake Taupo ? New
Zealand's largest body of water, formed from crater of a huge volcano.
A prominent circular feature in the southwestern part of the island is
the forested flanks of the dormant volcano Mount Taranaki situated in
Egmont National Park.

Around the island the lighter blue in the sea shows how the
currents are transporting sediment. The greener area within the Bay of
Plenty on the northern coast is also likely to be a response to the
much shallower water in this area.

This 29 March 2004 300-metre resolution image was acquired by MERIS in full resolution mode.

Photo credit: ESA

Comments (2 posted):

Michaelangelica on 05 September, 2008 09:03:33

How are the sheep? Sheepdogs happy? Any Olympic sheepdog trials coming up? What brand of sheep-wormer do you use? What do you think of crutching (very controversial )? Caught any illegal shellfish poachers today? Māoris revolting? Stopped the cows farting opps I mean burping yet? (40% of your CO2 emissions man that must be smelly) worked out your own flag yet?

What have you got against poor old Epsilon? Any chance of a palace revolution over there? (We are plotting)

What has happened to the South Island -or am I being parochial? I note the L. of T Rings Village in the USA has collapsed (sub prime) Any chance of a new Hobbit-town real Estate Complex in NZ? Shot any possums lately? What time do the lights go out? From one of your many friends across the ditch :)