New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island) and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori name for New Zealand is Aotearoa, commonly translated as land of the long white cloud. The Realm of New Zealand also includes Tokelau; the Cook Islands and Niue (self-governing but in free association); and the Ross Dependency, New Zealand's territorial claim in Antarctica.
New Zealand is notable for its geographic isolation; it is situated about 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) southeast of Australia across theTasman Sea, and its closest neighbours to the north are New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga.
