Editing South Island (section)

==Geography==
{{Main|Geography of the South Island}}
[[File:Satellite image of South Island New Zealand.jpg|thumb|right|A true-colour image of the South Island, after a powerful winter storm swept across New Zealand on 12 June 2006]]
[[File:Lake Ohau Lodge lupin field, NZ.jpg|thumb|left|Lake Ōhau]]
[[File:Aoraki-Mount Cook from Hooker Valley.jpg|thumb|left|[[Aoraki / Mount Cook]] is the tallest mountain in New Zealand.]]

The South Island, with an area of {{cvt|150437|km2|sqmi}}, is the largest landmass of New Zealand; it contains about one-quarter of the New Zealand population and is the [[List of islands by area|world's 12th-largest island]]. It is divided along its length by the [[Southern Alps]], the highest peak of which is [[Aoraki / Mount Cook]] at {{convert|3724|m}}, making it [[List of islands by highest point|9th-highest island]], with the high [[Kaikōura Ranges]] to the northeast. There are eighteen peaks of more than {{convert|3000|m|-2}} in the South Island. The east side of the island is home to the [[Canterbury Plains]] while the [[West Coast, New Zealand|West Coast]] is renowned for its rough coastlines such as [[Fiordland]], a very high proportion of native [[forest|bush]], and [[Fox Glacier|Fox]] and [[Franz Josef Glacier]]s.
The dramatic landscape of the South Island has made it a popular location for the production of several films, including [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' trilogy]] and ''[[The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe]]''. It lies at similar latitudes to [[Tasmania]] (an island south of the Australian mainland), and parts of [[Patagonia]] in South America.

===Geology===
{{main|2010 Canterbury earthquake|2011 Christchurch earthquake}}
On 4 September 2010, the South Island was struck by a 7.1 [[Moment magnitude scale|magnitude]] earthquake, which caused extensive damage, several power outages, and many reports of aftershocks. Five and a half months later, 22 February [[February 2011 Christchurch earthquake|Christchurch earthquake]] of 6.3 magnitude caused far more additional damage in Christchurch, resulting in 181 deaths.<ref name="listdeceased">{{cite web |url=http://www.police.govt.nz/list-deceased |title=List of deceased – Christchurch earthquake |publisher=New Zealand Police |date=7 April 2011 |access-date=8 April 2011 }}</ref> This quake struck at about lunchtime and was centred closer at [[Lyttelton, New Zealand|Lyttelton]], and shallower than the prior quake, consequently causing extensive damage.<ref name="current death toll">{{cite web |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-earthquake/4721042/Christchurch-earthquake-Latest-news-Wednesday |title=Christchurch earthquake: Latest news – Wednesday |work=stuff.co.nz |date=2 March 2011 |access-date=2 March 2011 }}</ref>

===Climate===

The [[climate]] in the South Island is mostly [[temperate climate|temperate]]. The mean temperature for the South Island is {{convert|8|C}}.<ref>From NIWA Science [http://www.niwascience.co.nz/edu/resources/climate/overview/ climate overview].</ref> January and February are the warmest months, while July is the coldest. Historical [[maxima and minima]] are {{convert|42.4|C}} in [[Rangiora]], [[Canterbury Region|Canterbury]] and {{convert|-25.6|C|F}} in [[Ranfurly, New Zealand|Ranfurly, Otago]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 June 2017 |title=New Zealand's coldest recorded temperature |url=https://niwa.co.nz/news/new-zealands-coldest-recorded-temperature |access-date=15 March 2024 |website=NIWA |language=en }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=15 March 2024 |title=NZ's temperature record hits new low – minus 25.6degC |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/nzs-temperature-record-hits-new-low-minus-256degc/QLZUFM4XQ45CRGHSHGNVH7ZQWE/ |access-date=15 March 2024 |website=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |language=en-NZ }}</ref>

Conditions vary sharply across the regions, from extremely wet on the [[West Coast, New Zealand|West Coast]] to [[semi-arid]] in the [[Mackenzie Basin]] of inland [[Canterbury Region|Canterbury]]. Most areas have between {{cvt|600|and(-)|1600|mm}} of [[precipitation (meteorology)|rainfall]] with the most rain along the West Coast and the least rain on the East Coast, predominantly on the [[Canterbury Plains]]. [[Christchurch]] is the driest city, receiving about {{convert|640|mm}} of rain per year, while [[Invercargill]] is the wettest, receiving about {{convert|1150|mm}}. The southern and south-western parts of South Island have a cooler and cloudier climate, with around 1,400–1,600 hours of [[sunshine]] annually; the northern and north-eastern parts of the South Island are the sunniest areas and receive about 2,400–2,500 hours.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.niwascience.co.nz/__data/assets/file/0006/44655/sunshine.xls |title=Mean monthly sunshine hours |publisher=[[National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research]] |format=XLS |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015102420/http://www.niwascience.co.nz/__data/assets/file/0006/44655/sunshine.xls |archive-date=15 October 2008 }}</ref>

{{Wide image|Southern Alps from Hamilton Peak.jpg|1080px|Panoramic view of some of the Southern Alps in winter from the summit of Hamilton Peak in the [[Craigieburn Range]]}}

===Natural geographic features===

====Fiords====
{{Main|Fiords of New Zealand}}

[[File:00 1371 New Zealand - Milford Sound.jpg|thumb|Typical view of [[Milford Sound / Piopiotahi]] featuring [[Mount Pembroke]]]]
[[File:A View from the Top (Unsplash).jpg|thumb|[[Fiordland National Park]]]]

The South Island has 15 named maritime [[fjord|fiords]] which are all located in the southwest of the island in a mountainous area known as [[Fiordland]]. The spelling 'fiord' is used in New Zealand rather than 'fjord', although all the maritime fiords use the word [[Sound (geography)|Sound]] in their name instead.

A number of lakes in the Fiordland and [[Otago]] regions also fill [[glacial valley]]s. [[Lake Te Anau]] has three western arms, which are fiords (and are named so). [[Lake McKerrow / Whakatipu Waitai]] to the north of [[Milford Sound / Piopiotahi]] is a fiord with a silted-up mouth. [[Lake Wakatipu]] fills a large glacial valley, as do lakes [[Lake Hakapoua|Hakapoua]], [[Lake Poteriteri|Poteriteri]], [[Lake Monowai|Monowai]] and [[Lake Hauroko|Hauroko]] in the far south of Fiordland. [[Lake Manapouri]] has fiords as its west, north and south arms.

The [[Marlborough Sounds]], a series of deep indentations in the coastline at the northern tip of the South Island, are in fact [[ria]]s, drowned river valleys.

====Glaciers====
{{Main|Glaciers of New Zealand}}

[[File:Franz Josef glacier.JPG|right|thumb|[[Franz Josef Glacier]]]]

Most of New Zealand's [[glacier]]s are in the South Island. They are generally found in the [[Southern Alps]] near the Main Divide.

An inventory of South Island glaciers during the 1980s indicated there were about 3,155 glaciers with an area of at least {{convert|1|ha|spell=in}}.<ref>Chinn, Trevor J.H., (1988), [http://pubs.usgs.gov/prof/p1386h/nzealand/nzealand.html Glaciers of New Zealand], in ''Satellite image atlas of glaciers of the world'', U.S. Geological Survey professional paper; 1386, {{ISBN|978-0-607-71457-9}}.</ref> About a sixth of these glaciers covered more than 10&nbsp;hectares. These include the [[Fox Glacier|Fox]] and [[Franz Josef Glacier|Franz Josef]] glaciers on the West Coast, and the [[Tasman Glacier|Haupapa / Tasman]], [[Hooker Glacier (New Zealand)|Hooker]], [[Mueller Glacier|Mueller]] and [[Murchison Glacier|Murchison]] glaciers in the east.

====Lakes====
{{Main|Lakes of New Zealand}}

[[File:Lake hauroko.jpg|right|thumb|[[Lake Hauroko]]]]

There are some 3,820 lakes in New Zealand with a [[surface area]] larger than one hectare. Much of the higher country in the South Island was covered by ice during the [[glacial period]]s of the last two million years. Advancing glaciers eroded large steep-sided valleys, and often carried piles of [[moraine]] (rocks and soil) that acted as natural dams. When the glaciers retreated, they left basins that are now filled by lakes. The level of most glacial lakes in the upper parts of the [[Waitaki River|Waitaki]] and [[Clutha River / Mata-Au|Clutha / Mata-Au]] rivers are controlled for electricity generation. Hydroelectric reservoirs are common in [[South Canterbury]] and [[Central Otago]], the largest of which is [[Lake Benmore]], on the [[Waitaki River]].

The South Island has 8 of New Zealand's 10 biggest lakes. They were formed by [[glaciers]] and include [[Lake Wakatipu]], [[Lake Tekapo]] and [[Lake Manapouri]]. The deepest (462&nbsp;m) is [[Lake Hauroko]], in western [[Southland, New Zealand|Southland]]. It is the 16th deepest lake in the world. Millions of years ago, [[Central Otago]] had a huge lake – [[Lake Manuherikia]]. It was slowly filled in with mud, and [[fossil]]s of fish and crocodiles have been found there.

====Volcanoes====
{{Main|Volcanoes in New Zealand}}

[[File:Banks Peninsula from space.jpg|thumb|right|[[Banks Peninsula]] is roughly circular, with many bays and two deep harbours]]
There are four [[extinct]] volcanoes in the South Island, all located on the east coast.

[[Banks Peninsula]] forms the most prominent of these volcanic features. Geologically, the peninsula comprises the eroded remnants of two large [[shield volcano]]es (Lyttelton formed first, then Akaroa). These formed due to intraplate volcanism between about eleven and eight million years ago ([[Miocene]]) on a continental crust. The peninsula formed as offshore islands, with the volcanoes reaching to about 1,500&nbsp;m above sea level. Two dominant craters formed [[Lyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō|Lyttelton / Whakaraupō]] and [[Akaroa Harbour|Akaroa]] Harbours.

The [[Canterbury Plains]] formed from the erosion of the [[Southern Alps]] (an extensive and high mountain range caused by the meeting of the [[Indo-Australian Plate|Indo-Australian]] and [[Pacific Plate|Pacific tectonic plates]]) and from the [[alluvial fan]]s created by large [[braided river]]s. These plains reach their widest point where they meet the hilly sub-region of Banks Peninsula. A layer of [[loess]], a rather unstable fine silt deposited by the [[foehn wind]]s which bluster across the plains, covers the northern and western flanks of the peninsula. The portion of the crater rim lying between Lyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō and Christchurch city forms the [[Port Hills]].

The [[Otago Harbour]] was formed from the drowned remnants of a giant [[shield volcano]], centred close to what is now the town of [[Port Chalmers]]. The remains of this violent origin can be seen in the [[basalt]] of the surrounding hills. The last eruptive phase ended some ten million years ago, leaving the prominent peak of [[Mount Cargill]].

[[Timaru]] was constructed on rolling hills created from the lava flows of the extinct Mount Horrible, which last erupted many thousands of years ago.

====Te Wāhipounamu World Heritage Site====

'''[[Te Wahipounamu|Te Wāhipounamu]]''' ([[Māori language|Māori]] for "the place of [[Pounamu|greenstone]]") is a [[World Heritage Site]] in the south-west corner of the South Island.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/551 |title=UNESCO World Heritage official website listing }}</ref>

Inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1990, it covers {{convert|26000|km2}} and incorporates the [[Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park|Aoraki / Mount Cook]], the [[Fiordland National Park|Fiordland]], the [[Mount Aspiring National Park|Mount Aspiring]] and the [[Westland Tai Poutini National Park|Westland Tai Poutini]] National Parks.

It is thought to contain some of the best modern representations of the original [[flora]] and [[fauna]] present in [[Gondwanaland]], one of the reasons for listing as a World Heritage Site.

===Protected areas===

====Forest parks====

[[File:Broken River down main tow Stevage.jpg|thumb|right|[[Broken River Ski Area]] in the [[Craigieburn Forest Park]]]]

There are six forest parks in the South Island that are on public land administered by the Department of Conservation.
; [[Catlins Forest Park]] : Situated in the [[Southland, New Zealand|Southland]] region.
; [[Craigieburn Forest Park]] : Situated in the [[Canterbury Region]], its boundaries lie in part alongside {{NZlSH|73}} and is adjacent to the eastern flanks of the [[Southern Alps]]. The [[Broken River Ski Area]] and the [[Craigieburn Valley Ski Area]] lie within its borders. The [[New Zealand Forest Service]] had used the area as an experimental forestry area and there is now an [[environmental issues|environmental issue]] with the spread of [[wilding conifer]]s.
; [[Hanmer Forest Park]] : Situated in the [[Canterbury Region]].
; [[Lake Sumner Forest Park]] : Situated in the [[Canterbury Region]].
; [[Mount Richmond Forest Park]] : Situated in the [[Marlborough Region|Marlborough region]].
; [[Victoria Forest Park]] : Situated in the [[West Coast, New Zealand|West Coast]] region.

====National parks====
[[File:AbelTasmanNP.jpg|thumb|right|[[Abel Tasman National Park]]]]
[[File:Pancake Rocks Paparoa.jpg|thumb|right|The famous "Pancake Rocks" at Paparoa National Park]]
The South Island has ten [[national parks]] established under the [[National Parks Act 1980 (New Zealand)|National Parks Act 1980]] and which are administered by the [[Department of Conservation (New Zealand)|Department of Conservation]].

From north to south, the National Parks are:
; [[Kahurangi National Park]] : (4,520&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, established 1996) Situated in the north-west of the South Island, Kahurangi comprises spectacular and remote country and includes the Heaphy Track. It has ancient landforms and unique flora and fauna. It is New Zealand's second-largest national park.
; [[Abel Tasman National Park]] : (225&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, established 1942) Has numerous tidal inlets and beaches of golden sand along the shores of [[Tasman Bay]]. It is New Zealand's smallest national park.
; [[Nelson Lakes National Park]] : (1,018&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, established 1956) A rugged, mountainous area in Nelson Region. It extends southwards from the forested shores of [[Lake Rotoiti, Nelson|Lake Rotoiti]] and [[Lake Rotoroa, Nelson|Rotoroa]] to the [[Lewis Pass National Reserve]].
; [[Paparoa National Park]] : (306&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, established 1987) On the West Coast of the South Island between [[Westport, New Zealand|Westport]] and [[Greymouth]]. It includes the celebrated Pancake Rocks at [[Punakaiki]].
; [[Arthur's Pass National Park]] : (1,144&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, established 1929) A rugged and mountainous area straddling the main divide of the [[Southern Alps]].
; [[Westland Tai Poutini National Park]] : (1,175&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, established 1960) Extends from the highest peaks of the Southern Alps to a wild, remote coastline. Included in the park are [[glacier]]s, scenic lakes and dense [[rainforest]], plus remains of old [[gold mining]] towns along the coast.
; [[Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park]] : (707&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, established 1953) An [[Wiktionary:Alpine|alpine]] park, containing New Zealand's highest mountain, [[Aoraki / Mount Cook]] (3,754&nbsp;m) and its longest glacier, [[Haupapa / Tasman Glacier]] (29&nbsp;km). A focus for [[mountaineering]], [[ski touring]] and scenic flights, the park is an area of outstanding natural beauty. Together, the Aoraki / Mount Cook and Westland Tai Poutini National Parks have been declared a [[World Heritage Site]].
; [[Mount Aspiring National Park]] : (3,555&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, established 1964) A complex of impressively glaciated mountain scenery centred on [[Mount Aspiring / Tititea]] (3,036&nbsp;m), New Zealand's highest peak outside of the main divide.
; [[Fiordland National Park]] : (12,519&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, established 1952) The largest national park in New Zealand and one of the largest in the world. The grandeur of its scenery, with its deep [[fiord]]s, its lakes of glacial origin, its mountains and [[waterfall]]s, has earned it international recognition as a world heritage area.
; [[Rakiura National Park]] : (1,500&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, established 2002) On [[Stewart Island / Rakiura]].

Other native reserves and parks
* [[Hakatere Conservation Park]]<ref>[http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/PlaceProfile.aspx?id=45070 Hakatere Conservation Park] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014012512/http://doc.govt.nz/templates/PlaceProfile.aspx?id=45070 |date=14 October 2008 }}, Department of Conservation website. Retrieved 21 January 2008.</ref>

{{Wide image|Hooker Valley in Aoraki-Mount Cook National Park.jpg|1080px|Hooker Valley at [[Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park]], with [[Aoraki / Mount Cook]], the highest mountain in New Zealand at 3,724 metres (12,218 feet), and [[Hooker Lake]] in the background}}