Located in the south-west corner of New Zealand’s’ South Island, Te Wähipounamu covers 10% of New Zeland’s landmass (2.6 million hectares) and is spread over a 450km strip extending inland 40 – 90km from the Tasman Sea.

The landscape in this park, situated in south-west New Zealand, has been shaped by successive glaciations into fjords, rocky coasts, towering cliffs, lakes and waterfalls.

Two-thirds of the park is covered with southern beech and podocarps, some of which are over 800 years old.

The kea, the only alpine parrot in the world, lives in the park, as does the rare and endangered takahe, a large flightless bird.

Inscribed in UNESCO World Heritage List in 1990, Te Wähipounamu – South West New Zealand is also considered as a unique palette of climatic and altitudinal gradients, which gives the landscape its exceptional and outstanding natural characteristics.

Source: Azerbaijan State News Agency