The Antipodes Islands
Filed Under (Australia and South Pacific) by admin on 23-09-2009
Tagged Under : antipode, antipodes, antipodes islands, bristol england, chitarra, islands, kirin
The Antipodes Islands (from Greek αντίποδες – antipodes) are inhospitable volcanic islands to the south of—and territorially part of—New Zealand.
They lie 860 kilometres to the southeast of Stewart Island/Rakiura. The group consists of one main island, Antipodes Island, of 20 km² area, Bollons Island of 2 km² to the north, and numerous small islets and stacks. The highest point is Mount Galloway (402 m), which is also the group’s most recently active volcano. Ecologically, they are part of the Antipodes Subantarctic Islands tundra ecoregion.
The position of the Antipodes Islands relative to New Zealand, and other outlying islands.
The island group was originally called the “Penantipodes” meaning “next to the antipodes”, because it is near to the antipodes of London. Over time the name has been shortened to “Antipodes” leaving some to suppose its European discoverers hadn’t realised its global location. This misapprehension persists.
The islands are inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list together with the other sub-antarctic New Zealand islands in the region as follows: 877-003 Antipodes Isls New Zealand S49.41 E178.48 2097 Ha 1998
