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Why So Few People Live On New Zealand's South Island
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Apr 2, 2025
Watch the podcast: @GeographyPod Listen to the podcast: https://linktr.ee/geographyiseverything Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geographybygeoff/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@geographybygeoff Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/show/geography-is-everything Linktree for everything: https://linktr.ee/geographybygeoff New Zealand is incredible to behold. Its physical geography, mostly on the South Island, is some of the most awe inspiring in the entire world. And its for this reason, that the country has gained international fame through the likes of film and television. Despite this geography, however, most New Zealanders live in the relatively more modest North Island, leaving the picturesque South Island fairly empty by comparison. So why don't more people live on New Zealand's South Island? Waitangi Signing painting by Archives New Zealand from New Zealand - Reconstruction of the Signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, Marcus King, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51249748 Christchurch earthquake photo by Greg O'Beirne - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15016159 Stock footage is acquired from www.storyblocks.com. Animation support provided by DH Designs (needahittman.com)
View Video Transcript
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New Zealand is primarily made up of two main islands along with hundreds of smaller ones
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but it's the two big islands that about 5.2 million people live, aptly named the North Island and the South Island. But while the South Island is considerably
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larger in area size, the North Island holds the vast majority of New Zealand's population
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So why don't more people live on New Zealand's big empty South Island? Welcome to Geography by Jeff. Today we're off to explore the population and geography
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of the country's two main islands. While New Zealand might be best known internationally
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for its awe-inspiring landscapes, the vast majority of its population lives in more modest surroundings
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And as usual, there's a geographic reason for this. But first, today's podcast episode
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is all about world fairs. World fairs were all the rage about 100 years ago
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as cities would host them to showcase extravagant works of art, architecture, and technology
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Today, there are still world fairs being held, but not so much in North America and Europe
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And we talk about why in today's episode. You can listen to that episode right here on YouTube
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or whatever app you use to listen to podcasts. All links are in the description below
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New Zealand is truly a remarkable country in so many different ways
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And while it definitely has an extraordinary geography and population distribution, its human history is also unique
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from almost anywhere else on the planet, mostly because, in the grand scheme of things, it's not that old
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The Maori, the indigenous peoples of the island, are believed to have arrived in New Zealand in a series of canoe voyages from eastern Polynesia
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with the most common theory suggesting that they arrived somewhere between the year 1320 and 1350
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or about the same time as the bubonic plague was ravaging Europe. The Maori discovered the islands in a period known as the Great Migration
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and established themselves across the two main islands. Over time, they developed a distinct Maori culture
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rich in mythology, arts, and a unique social structure based on tribal units known as iwi
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European contact with the Maori on New Zealand began in the late 1600s
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but it was not until the late 1700s that significant interaction occurred
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The first European to sight New Zealand was Dutch explorer Abel Tasman in 1642
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but it was Captain James Cook's voyages of exploration in the late 1760s and early 1770s
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that marked the beginning of regular European contact. Cook's comprehensive mapping and documentation of New Zealand paved the way for increased
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European interest in the region. During the 1800s, significant change and upheaval had begun to set in for the Maori as European
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settlers, primarily from Britain, began to arrive in increasing numbers. The Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840 between the British Crown and various Maori chiefs
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became a central document in New Zealand's history. The treaty intended to establish a framework for British settlement and to recognize Maori
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rights to their land. However, differing interpretations of the treaty led to disputes, particularly over land ownership
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that resulted in several conflicts known as the New Zealand Wars. But it would take until the first half of the 1900s for New Zealand to assert its national identity on the world stage As part of the British Empire the country participated in both world wars and these conflicts had a profound impact fostering a sense of independent national identity
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Post-World War II, New Zealand experienced significant social and economic changes and
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moved away from its reliance on the British market, diversifying its economy and trade
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relationships, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. Unlike most regions of the world, New Zealand has not had human settlement for a long time
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and this is partly due to how far New Zealand is away from basically everything else
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But before we explore the geography of New Zealand, if you're enjoying this video
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hit that subscribe button. More fun geography videos are just a single click away
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New Zealand, a country famed for its majestic landscapes and diverse physical geography
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is located in the South Pacific Ocean, far away from almost anything else
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The country comprises two main landmasses, the North Island and the South Island
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along with around 700 smaller islands. Stretching approximately 1,600 kilometers from north to south
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New Zealand's geography encompasses a range of climates and landscapes, from subtropical forests in the north to glaciated valleys in the south
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The North Island is characterized by its volcanic activity, a result of the Pacific and Indo-Australian plate boundary running through it
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The geothermal activity is showcased in areas like Rotorua, known for its hot springs and geysers
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And the Taupo volcanic zone, where Lake Taupo, the largest lake in New Zealand, sits within a caldera formed by a supervolcano
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The North Island also features the country's largest city, Auckland, located on an isthmus between two harbors and surrounded by volcanic hills
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The landscape of the North Island is predominantly rolling hills, with a spine of mountain ranges running through its center
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including the Ruahine, Tararua, and Kaimanawa Ranges. Meanwhile, the South Island, larger and more mountainous than its northern counterpart
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is dominated by the Southern Alps, which stretch almost its entire length
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Within these ranges lies Mount Cook, the highest peak in New Zealand
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The Southern Alps are also home to many glaciers, including the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers
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notable for being some of the most accessible glaciers in the world. The island's west coast is renowned for its rugged, untouched beauty and receives high rainfall
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contributing to its dense temperate rainforests. In contrast, the eastern side of the South Island features extensive plains
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most notably the Canterbury Plains, which is drier and more suitable for agriculture
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New Zealand's coastlines also offer a dramatic variety from the sandy beaches in the North Island
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to the fjords in the southwestern South Island, such as the famous Milford Sound and Fiordland National Park
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The country's maritime influence results in a generally mild climate, though it varies from subtropical in the far north to continental in some inland areas of the South Island
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Finally, the country is located within the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region known for its high seismic activity
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This tectonic setting results in frequent earthquakes and has shaped much of New Zealand's dramatic landscape
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Major fault lines, like the Alpine Fault in the South Island, are responsible for some of the most significant geological features in New Zealand For instance the Southern Alps have been uplifted along the Alpine Fault showcasing the powerful forces at work Earthquakes in New Zealand can range from
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minor tremors that are barely felt to major events causing significant damage and posing
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serious safety risks. Notably, the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, which resulted in considerable loss of
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life and destruction, highlighted the country's vulnerability to seismic events, which perhaps
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makes it not all that surprising that most New Zealanders live on the North Island and not the
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South Island. New Zealand's population distribution between its two main islands, the North Island and
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the South Island, is markedly uneven, with the North Island hosting about 4 million people
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or about 77% of the country's entire population. This leaves the physically larger South Island
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with only about 1.2 million people, and all of this is due to unique geographic reasons that
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have influenced where New Zealanders have chosen to live. Historically, the settlement patterns
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established during both the Maori and European colonization have played a significant role
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The Maori, New Zealand's indigenous people, settled more extensively on the North Island
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This was due to the North Island's warmer climate and its greater availability of natural resources
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conducive to traditional Maori lifestyle, including fertile lands for agriculture and more hospitable coastlines for fishing. When Europeans arrived, they also predominantly
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settled on the North Island, finding the climate more pleasant, particularly in regions like the
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Waikato and Hawke's Bay. And these historic settlement patterns would begin to influence
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modern economic factors. The North Island developed more rapidly and extensively in
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terms of both agriculture and urbanization. Cities like Auckland and Wellington, which are on the
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North Island, developed as major economic and administrative centers. Auckland, in particular
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is not only the largest city in New Zealand, but also a primary hub for commerce, finance
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in international trade. In fact, the city is especially well suited to being a primary economic
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hub because it has not one, but two natural harbors. Notably, the Waitemada Harbor is home
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to the Port of Auckland, facilitating easy trade and travel between New Zealand and the economic
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base of Asia. Geographically, the North Island also offers a wider range of environments that
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are generally more suitable for human habitation. The island's volcanic soil, especially in regions
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like Waikato is highly fertile, making it ideal for dairy farming and horticulture. In contrast
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the South Island, while larger in land area, has more challenging geography, with the Southern
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Alps covering a significant portion of the island. This mountainous range limits the amount of arable
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land and influences the island's cooler climate. And of course, the climate itself is another
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crucial factor. The North Island, with its generally warmer, more temperate climate
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is more attractive for both living and agriculture. The South Island, on the other hand
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being physically closer to the South Pole, experiences a colder climate, which can be less appealing for settlement
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and poses more challenges for growing food people need to eat. Finally, the development of infrastructure
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has historically been more concentrated in the North Island. With key political and economic institutions
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as well as transport and communication networks more developed on the North Island there has been a natural gravitation of people towards these facilities and services so they can live modern lifestyles Today the largest metropolitan areas on New Zealand North Island would be led by Auckland with about 1 million people This would be
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followed by Wellington with 440,000, Hamilton with 185,000, and Taronga with 161,000. On the South
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Island, the largest metro area would be Christchurch with 521,000 people, and Dunedin with 106,000
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people. No other city on the South Island has more than 100,000 people. But despite all this
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talk about the North Island and South Island, New Zealand itself actually has an entire realm
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of its own comprising places much farther away. The realm of New Zealand is a distinctive political
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entity that represents a collection of territories under the sovereignty of New Zealand. It includes
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not only New Zealand itself, but also the Cook Islands, Nui, Tukalao, and the Ross Dependency
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and Antarctica. The existence of the realm of New Zealand is rooted in historic ties
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geographic proximity, and unique constitutional arrangements that reflect the evolution of New
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Zealand's relationship with these territories. The concept of the realm of New Zealand was
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formalized in the latter half of the 20th century, but its origins can be traced back to New Zealand's
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colonial history and its subsequent path to becoming an independent country. Originally part
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of the British Empire, New Zealand gradually gained greater autonomy, culminating in full
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independence in 1947 with the adoption of the Statute of Westminster. As New Zealand evolved
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into a sovereign entity, it maintained close ties with certain territories in the Pacific that were
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also under British administration. The Cook Islands and Nui are key components of the realm
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and are unique in their status. Both are self-governing states in free association with
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New Zealand. This means that while they are independent and have their own governments, New Zealand is responsible for their defense and foreign affairs, a responsibility that is carried
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out in consultation with these states. Tokelau, another territory in the realm, is a group of
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atolls that remains a non-self-governing entity of New Zealand. Unlike the Cook Islands and Nui
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Tokelau has not opted for self-government and free association, but maintains a close
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administrative and constitutional relationship with New Zealand. Finally, the Ross Dependency, the final component of the realm, is a sector of Antarctica claimed by New Zealand. This claim
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recognized only by a few countries, is regulated by the Antarctic Treaty System
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which promotes scientific research and bans military activity on the continent. New Zealand's involvement in Antarctica, including its claim on the Ross dependency
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is part of its broader commitment to the region's environmental protection and scientific research
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The realm of New Zealand represents a modern approach to sovereignty and self-determination
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allowing for diverse forms of governance and relationships within a larger political framework
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New Zealand punches way above its weight in terms of global prominence
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due to its stunning geography. Despite this geography, however, most New Zealanders live within a few key urban areas
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mostly on the smaller North Island. I hope you enjoyed learning more
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about New Zealand's geography. If you did, please subscribe to my channel. If you wanna watch more of my videos, click here
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If you wanna watch the podcast, click here. Thanks for watching. See you next time
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