South Island

The South Island forms one of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the North Island. The Maori name for the South Island is Te Wai Pounamu which means "The Greenstone Water" (greenstone being jade).

It has an area of 58,093 square miles (151,215 square km), making it the world's 12th largest island. Along its west coast runs the mountain chain of the Southern Alps; Mount Cook is the highest point, 12,283.3 feet (3,754 m) above sea level.

Historical Note: In the 19th century, today's South Island bore the name Middle Island, and the name South Island referred to today's Stewart Island.

Historical provinces of the South Island:

• Nelson
• Otago
• Canterbury
• Marlborough
• Westland
• Southland

Cities and towns in the South Island

• Ashburton
• Blenheim
• Christchurch
• Dunedin
• Invercargill
• Greymouth
• Hokitika
• Kaikoura
• Nelson
• Oamaru
• Omarama
• Te Anau
• Timaru
• Queenstown
• Wanaka
• Westport

Geographic features

A true-colour image of the South Island. The scene was acquired by NASA's Terra satellite, on October 23, 2002.

• Arthur's Pass
• Banks Peninsula
• Catlins
• Doubtful Sound
• Fox Glacier
• Farewell Spit
• Franz Josef Glacier
• Haast Pass
• Lake Manapouri
• Lake Wakatipu
• MacKenzie Basin
• Milford Sound

Shibboleth Warning: maps and non-New Zealanders say "South Island"; but genuine Kiwis say "THE South Island", with a definite article. Maps, headings or tables, and adjectival expressions use "South Island"; whereas "the South Island" is used after a preposition or before or after a verb; eg "my mother lives in the South Island", "the North Island is smaller than the South Island", "I'm visiting the South Island". Note also the use "IN the South Island" rather than "ON the South Island".

The South Island is often called the Mainland (somewhat humorously) by some New Zealanders because it is the largest of the islands of New Zealand, and because the North Island is considered to be somewhat peripheral to South Islanders. NOTE: the North Island contains (most of) the largest cities, and the bulk of New Zealand's population.

Also those from the North Island (especially Aucklanders) often seem to refer to the South Island as though it were some sort of single town. For example, you will hear about some event that occurred in the South Island without being more specific about a particular town or city.

de:Südinsel (Neuseeland) es:Isla Sur it:South Island mi:Te Waipounamu pl:Wyspa Południowa (Nowa Zelandia) pt:Ilha do Sul