Island (pop., 2001 prelim.: 942,213), larger and southernmost of the two principal islands of New Zealand.
Separated from the North Island by Cook Strait , it has an area of 58,676 sq mi (151,971 sq km). Mountains, including the Southern Alps , occupy almost three-quarters of the island. Its main cities are Christchurch and Dunedin. Fiordland National Park in the southwest contains numerous coastal fjords and high lakes.