South Island (New Zealand)

New Zealand's larger island with fjords, glaciers, and the Southern Alps/Islands

The South Island of New Zealand (Te Waipounamu) is the 12th-largest island in the world at 150,437 square kilometers. It is dominated by the Southern Alps mountain range running along its spine, with the highest peak, Aoraki / Mount Cook, reaching 3,724 m. Despite being larger than the North Island, it has only about one-quarter of New Zealand's population. The island's western coast features dramatic fjords (Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound), temperate rainforests, and glaciers that descend almost to sea level.