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Kōrero: Deep-sea creatures

New Zealand’s submerged continent

Image
New Zealand’s submerged continent

The continent of New Zealand is partially submerged. This map shows the continental shelf, plateau and slopes (beige), the sometimes steep shelf edges (pale yellow-green), the surrounding oceanic basins (blue – 4,000 metres and deeper) and the narrow deep trenches (purple – down to over 8,000 metres, or as deep as Mt Everest is high). Near Kaikōura, the deep Hikurangi Trench comes in close to the coast. The Challenger Plateau (west of New Zealand) ranges from 500 to 1,000 metres deep.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

GNS Science

Permission of GNS Science must be obtained before any use of this image.

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Paddy Ryan, Deep-sea creatures – Exploration of the deep, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/map/5240/new-zealands-submerged-continent (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā Paddy Ryan, i tāngia i te 2 March 2009.