 Chatham Island (left) from space | |
 Map showing location of Chatham Island | |
| Geography | |
| Coordinates | 43°54′S 176°29′W / 43.900°S 176.483°W |
| Archipelago | Chatham Islands |
| Area | 920 km2 (360 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 660 (2022) |
| Ethnic groups | Moriori |
Chatham Island (/ˈtʃætəm/ CHAT-əm) (Moriori: Rēkohu, lit. 'Misty Sun'; Māori: Wharekauri) is the largest island of the Chatham Islands group, in the south Pacific Ocean off the eastern coast of New Zealand's South Island. It is said to be "halfway between the equator and the pole, and right on the International Date Line", although that point is 173 miles[clarification needed] WSW of the island's westernmost point. The island is called Rekohu ("misty skies") in Moriori, and Wharekauri in Māori.[1]
The island was named after the survey ship HMS Chatham which was the first European ship to locate the island in 1791.[2] It covers an area of 920 km2 (355 sq mi).[3] Chatham Island lies 650 km (404 mi) south-east of Cape Turnagain, the nearest point of mainland New Zealand to the island.
- ^ Government of New Zealand, Dept. of Conservation (1999) Chatham IslandsConservation Management Strategy Archived 7 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
- ^ Steven Hooper (30 July 2006). Pacific Encounters: Art & Divinity in Polynesia 1760-1860. University of Hawaii Press. p. 119. ISBN 978-0-8248-3084-7. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
- ^ "Story: Chatham Islands Page 1 – Overview". web page. The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. 7 September 2012. Retrieved 15 December 2012.