Park geography

Technical overview of protected area extent, elevation, and regional terrain characteristics

Geographic Profile and Mapped Boundaries of Fiordland National Park in the Southland Region

Examine the detailed geographic structure of Fiordland National Park, encompassing 12,607 square kilometers across the Southland Region of New Zealand. This profile details boundary dimensions, mountain terrain relief, and physical features including river systems, ridges, and coastal environments.

Related tags

Temperate RainforestGlacial LandscapeUNESCO World Heritage SiteFiordsEndemic Wildlife

View park overview

New Zealand's largest national park, protecting glacier-carved fiords and temperate rainforests in the southwestern South Island

Fiordland National Park

Fiordland National Park is the largest of New Zealand's thirteen national parks, encompassing 12,607 square kilometres of spectacular southwestern South Island terrain. The park is defined by its dramatic glacier-carved fiords, with Milford Sound / Piopiotahi being the most famous, along with Doubtful Sound / Patea and Tamatea / Dusky Sound. The southern ranges of the Southern Alps dominate the interior, creating a highly inaccessible landscape of steep valleys, towering peaks exceeding 2,500 metres, and remote wilderness. The park's extraordinary high rainfall, exceeding seven metres annually, supports the largest area of unmodified vegetation in New Zealand, including vast temperate rainforests of silver beech and mountain beech. Established in 1952, Fiordland forms the core of the Te Wāhipounamu World Heritage Area, recognized in 1990 for its outstanding natural significance. The park serves as a critical refuge for many of New Zealand's most endangered native species, including the takahē, kākāpō, mōhua, and southern brown kiwi.

Location: New Zealand
Park type: National park
Established: 1952
Area: 12,607 km²
Highest point: 2,500 m

Fiordland National Park Protected Landscape

Location overview

Southland Region boundaries and coastal island status in New Zealand

Geographic Location and Territory of Fiordland National Park

Fiordland National Park occupies a defined territory within the Southland Region of New Zealand. The protected area carries coastal, island, and marine classifications under a single country jurisdiction.

Countries: New Zealand
Regions: Southland Region
Primary location: Southland Region
Geographic setting: Coastal · Island · Marine

Boundary and coordinates

Boundary dimensions and coordinates covering 12,607 square kilometers

Fiordland National Park Boundary Map and Spatial Dimensions

Interactive mapping outlines the spatial context of Fiordland National Park. Structured geographic data details the total land area, coordinate limits, and center points across the region.

Pigeon | © OpenStreetMap contributors

Boundary area: 12,738.6 km²
Boundary perimeter: 2,391 km
Northernmost point: 44.3319° S
Southernmost point: 46.2512° S
Easternmost point: 168.2398° E
Westernmost point: 166.4256° E
Geographic centre: 45.389° S, 167.3431° E
North–south span: 213.3 km
East–west span: 142.3 km

Fiordland National Park

Elevation and terrain

Mountain relief metrics and recorded physical features

Fiordland National Park Terrain and Elevation Summary

Recorded elevation metrics outline a vertical range spanning from sea level up to two thousand five hundred meters. Linked feature cards supply names, types, and spatial relationships for streams, ridges, and lakes located within the protected area.

Minimum elevation: 0 m
Maximum elevation: 2,500 m
Highest point: 2,500 m

Selected named natural features

Capes

Moonlight Point

Capes

Five Fingers Point

Capes

Fixed Head

Capes

Anchor Point

Capes

Chalky Point

Capes

Pridham Point

Fiordland National Park Natural Features

Environmental setting

Temperate climate zones, dominant forest cover, and glacial relief features

Fiordland National Park Environmental Classification and Physical Setting

Recorded landscape features and habitat types unite to frame the physical setting of Fiordland National Park across distinct temperate environments. Stored environmental categories connect directly to related protected areas and mapped atlas destinations.

Relief: Mountain
Climate: Temperate
Water: Water-dominated
Forest cover: Dense forest cover
Seasonality: Strongly seasonal

Landscape features

Mountains · Valleys · Cliffs · Forest · Lakes · Rivers · Waterfalls · Coast · Islands · Glacier

Habitat types

Temperate broadleaf forest · Temperate coniferous forest · Montane forest · Glacial habitat · Lacustrine habitat · Riverine habitat · Coastal habitat

Park atlas

Compare the diverse glacial landscapes and protected wilderness areas across New Zealand's South Island.

Discover Related National Parks and Protected Areas Near Fiordland National Park

Browse other national parks and protected areas across New Zealand's South Island, expanding your geographic discovery beyond Fiordland National Park to trace connected wilderness and diverse conservation landscapes. Compare varied alpine environments, temperate rainforests, and glacial fiord systems, offering a comprehensive atlas perspective on regional park geography.

Marine protected areaFiordland

Park boundaries overlap#1 closest

North

Hawea (Clio Rocks) Marine Reserve: Protected Marine Geography in Fiordland, New Zealand

Mapping vertical rock walls and stratified fiord water ecosystems.

Hawea (Clio Rocks) Marine Reserve is an ecologically significant marine protected area situated within the deep waters of Hāwea / Bligh Sound. The reserve is defined by its dramatic vertical rock walls, tidal current channels, and the complex water stratification that sustains diverse black coral and reef communities. It offers a unique window into the geological and marine processes that have shaped the rugged coastal landscape of New Zealand's Fiordland.

Area: 4.11 km²
Established: 2005
IUCN: Ia
Relief: Mountain

Hawea (Clio Rocks) Marine Reserve Atlas

Marine protected areaFiordland

Park boundaries overlap#2 closest

Northwest

Kahukura (Gold Arm) Marine Reserve: Marine Protected Area and Fiordland Geographic Atlas

Submerged rocky reefs and vertical rock wall landscapes

Located in the heart of New Zealand, Kahukura (Gold Arm) Marine Reserve provides a vital map of protected coastal terrain. Its unique environment features freshwater caps, tannin-stained deep water, and diverse marine topography ranging from sheltered basin ecosystems to vertical cliff structures. This marine area offers deep insight into the complex geology and conservation dynamics of the Fiordland region.

Area: 4.64 km²
Established: 2005
Relief: Mixed relief
Climate: Temperate

Kahukura (Gold Arm) Marine Reserve Map and Geography

Watercolor painting of a green, hilly landscape with a winding river or inlet and pale, misty mountains in the background.

Marine protected areaFiordland

Park boundaries overlap#3 closest

West

Kutu Parera (Gaer Arm) Marine Reserve: Fiordland Protected Marine Landscape Atlas

Mapped marine boundaries, stratified fiord ecology, and coastal terrain analysis

Explore the structured geography of Kutu Parera (Gaer Arm) Marine Reserve, a 433-hectare protected area located within the steep, mountain-flanked fjords of New Zealand. Gain insight into its complex underwater features, including vertical rock walls, estuarine basins, and stratified water columns that define this unique marine environment within the Fiordland region.

Area: 4.33 km²
Established: 2005
Relief: Mixed relief
Climate: Temperate

Explore Kutu Parera (Gaer Arm) Marine Reserve

Marine protected areaFiordland

Park boundaries overlap#4 closest

West

Moana Uta (Wet Jacket Arm) Marine Reserve: Mapped Protected Landscapes in Fiordland

Exploring unique fiord stratification and dense marine coral habitats

Located in the remote southwestern reaches of New Zealand, Moana Uta (Wet Jacket Arm) Marine Reserve preserves a complete fiord system. The area is notable for its exceptional physical conditions, including high black coral density and a distinct freshwater surface layer that sustains diverse underwater communities across steep rock walls, reefs, and deep basins.

Area: 20.07 km²
Established: 2005
Relief: Lowland
Climate: Temperate

Moana Uta (Wet Jacket Arm) Marine Reserve Atlas

National parkOtago

Park boundaries overlap#5 closest

Northeast

Mount Aspiring National Park: Glaciated Alpine Wilderness & Protected Landscape Atlas

Explore the U-shaped valleys and mapped boundaries of this iconic national park.

Mount Aspiring National Park showcases a breathtaking glacial landscape defined by steep-sided U-shaped valleys, active glaciers, and soaring alpine summits. As a designated national park within New Zealand's South Island, its protected status preserves a vast area of wilderness crucial for understanding regional geography and alpine terrain. This page provides an atlas-style exploration of its mapped boundaries and the stark, natural beauty that characterizes this significant conservation landscape in the Otago region.

Area: 3,562 km²
Established: 1964
IUCN: II
Relief: Mountain

Mount Aspiring National Park protected area

A soft watercolor painting depicting a calm shoreline with rolling hills in the background under a pale sky.

Marine protected areaFiordland

Park boundaries overlap#6 closest

North

Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Marine Reserve: Mapped Protected Area and Fiord Geography

A signature marine landscape within New Zealand's Fiordland region.

Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Marine Reserve protects a distinct underwater environment characterized by dramatic vertical rock walls and deep basins. By examining the geographic boundaries and oceanographic layering of this Fiordland site, users can better understand the interplay between the steep forested cliffs above and the thriving coral and marine wildlife habitats below the surface.

Area: 6.9 km²
Established: 1993
Relief: Mountain
Climate: Temperate

Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Marine Reserve Atlas

Marine protected areaFiordland

Park boundaries overlap#7 closest

West

Taipari Roa (Elizabeth Island) Marine Reserve: Fiordland Marine Landscape and Atlas Map

Protected marine terrain and glacial fjord geography

Taipari Roa (Elizabeth Island) Marine Reserve is a protected marine area situated within the complex fjord network of Doubtful Sound. The reserve is characterized by steep underwater rock walls, deep kelp forests, and a unique freshwater cap that allows rare corals and glass sponges to thrive at shallow depths. This geographic overview examines the reserve's protected status and its structural role within the broader Fiordland ecosystem, highlighting the vertical aquatic terrain and surrounding islet environments.

Area: 6.13 km²
Established: 2005
Relief: Lowland
Climate: Temperate

Taipari Roa (Elizabeth Island) Marine Reserve Map

National parkNew Zealand

57 km away#8 closest

South

Rakiura National Park: New Zealand's Remote Protected Wilderness & Landscape Atlas

Explore its rugged terrain and unique subantarctic ecosystem.

Rakiura National Park encompasses the majority of Stewart Island, offering a unique glimpse into one of New Zealand's most remote and undisturbed natural environments. This protected landscape features rugged forested hills, extensive coastlines with isolated beaches, and is globally recognized for its abundant kiwi populations. Discover the park's geographic setting and its significance as a protected area for both wildlife and cultural heritage within the broader atlas of New Zealand's natural wonders.

Area: 1,399.6 km²
Established: 2002
IUCN: II
Relief: Lowland

Rakiura National Park Protected Landscape

MoriAtlas Explorer

Continue Exploring Fiordland National Park's Dramatic Geography and Protected Landscapes

Delve deeper into the mapped geography and protected-area context of Fiordland National Park. Understand its unique glacial landforms, vast alpine wilderness, and the significance of its ancient temperate rainforests. This exploration reveals the core of the Te Wāhipounamu World Heritage Area and the intricate natural systems that define this remarkable New Zealand national park.

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Fiordland National Park Protected Landscape

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