New Zealand first appeared about 140 million years ago, during the Mesozoic Era. This landmass gradually eroded until about 80 million years ago, when sea floor spreading started and the Tasmanian sea formed. However, it wasn't until 10,000 years ago when the land formed the shape, as we now know it. The oldest rocks in New Zealand are approximately six-hundred and eighty million years old. These rocks were found on the west coast of the South Island. Although, at one point in its history, New Zealand was connected to Australia, it separated and did not share in the subsequent evolution of the marsupials associated with "down under." New Zealand's only indigenous mammals are two species of bats. All other mammals were introduced when the Maori arrived from Polynesia. Today New Zealand has a culture all its own due to the thousands of years it spent in isolation. The only geographical feature New Zealand doesn't have is live coral reef. New Zealand has all the rest: rainforest, desert, fiords, flooded valleys, gorges, plains, mountains, glaciers, volcanoes, geothermics, swamps, lakes, braided rivers, peneplains,badlands, and their very own continental plate junction. As a result of the latter, earthquakes are common, though usually not severe.The North Island has a number of large volcanoes (including the currentlyactive Mount Ruapehu) and highly active thermal areas, while the South Island boasts the Southern Alps - a spine of magnificent mountains running almost its entire length. Another notable feature of New Zealand is its myriad rivers and lakes: notably the Whanganui River, Lake Taupo and the breathtaking lakes Waikaremoana and Wanaka.New Zealand is believed to be a fragment of the ancient Southern continent of Gondwanaland which became detached over 100 million years ago allowing many ancient plants and animals to survive and evolve in isolation. As a result, most of the New Zealand flora and fauna is endemic. About 10 to 15% o...
