Chatham Islands - Geography

Geography

The islands are at about 43°53′S 176°31′W / 43.883°S 176.517°W / -43.883; -176.517, roughly 800 kilometres (500 mi) east of Christchurch, New Zealand. They cover a total of 966 square kilometres (373 sq mi), almost all of which is in the two main islands.

The islands sit on the Chatham Rise, a large, relatively shallowly submerged (no more than 1,000 metres / 3,281 feet deep at any point) part of the Zealandia continent that stretches east from near the South Island. The Chatham Islands, which emerged only within the last four million years, are the only part of the Chatham Rise showing above sea level.

Chatham Island is the antipodes of the French department of Hérault (Languedoc-Roussillon).

The islands are generally hilly with the coasts a varied mixture including cliffs and sand dunes, beaches and lagoons. Pitt is more rugged than Chatham (Rekohu), although the highest point (299 metres / 981 feet) is on a plateau near the southernmost point of the main island, which is dotted with numerous lakes and lagoons, notably the large Te Whanga Lagoon as well as Huro and Rangitahi. Chatham has a number of streams including Te Awainanga and Tuku. The climate is cold, wet and windy with average high temperatures between 5 °C (41 °F) and 10 °C (50 °F) in July, the southern hemisphere winter.

Chatham and Pitt are the only inhabited islands, with the remaining smaller islands being conservation reserves with access restricted or prohibited. The livelihoods of the inhabitants depend on agriculture, with the island being an exporter of coldwater crayfish in particular, and increasing tourism.

The names of the main islands, in the order of occupation are: