Browsing: Zealandia

Zealandia, also known as the New Zealand continent or Te Riu-a-Māui, is a nearly submerged continental fragment in the southwest Pacific Ocean. Spanning approximately 4.9 million square kilometers, Zealandia is about two-thirds the size of Australia but only 6% of it is above sea level, including New Zealand and New Caledonia. First proposed as a continent in the late 20th century, Zealandia gained widespread scientific recognition in the 2010s due to geological and geophysical evidence demonstrating its distinct continental crust. Its study provides valuable insights into plate tectonics, continental drift, and Earth’s geological history, revealing complex processes that have shaped our planet’s surface over millions of years.