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Story: Geology – overview

New Zealand in the Pacific Ocean

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New Zealand in the Pacific Ocean

New Zealand is in the south-west Pacific Ocean, along the junction between the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates. New magma is erupted along the East Pacific Rise, and the Pacific Plate moves steadily towards New Zealand at a rate of about 40–50 millimetres per year.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Source: NIWA – National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research

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How to cite this page

Eileen McSaveney and Simon Nathan, Geology – overview – New Zealand – a geological jigsaw puzzle, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/map/8281/new-zealand-in-the-pacific-ocean (accessed 13 June 2026).

Story by Eileen McSaveney and Simon Nathan, published 2 March 2009.

Comments

john
09 August 2013
this is cool