What is Zealandia?

Zealandia is mostly a submerged microcontinent of about 3,500,000 km ^{2 (1,350,000 miles 2}

) in the range, larger than India or Greenland and less than half the size of Australia. 7% of the continent, which is above the water, is two islands of New Zealand. The remaining 93% is submerged below 100 - 1000 m (328 - 3 280 ft) shallow water. Zealandia is also known as Tasmantis, New Zealand continent and continent of Zealandia. The whole continent protrudes approximately 1,000 - 1,500 m (3 280 - 4 900 ft) from the surrounding seabed.

Zealandia is one of the two main submerged microcontiners in the world, the other is a completely submerged Kerguelene continent (8,040 km) to the east. These microcontinents were created by friction between tectonic plates and the resulting volcanic activity. The continent of Zealand consists mainly of two parallel mountain belts, mostly under water. This geological make -up is unique among them.

Zealandia lies on the border between two tectonic plates, an Australian album and a Pacific plate. From a wide point of view, the Australian album moves north, while the Pacific plaque moves west. Interestingly, the South and North Islands of New Zealand are located on various records and as a result, two islands are carried from each other at a speed of about 4 m (13 ft) per century. Zealandia separated from her mother continent, Gondwan's supercontinent, about 130 and 85 million years ago. Like South Africa and the tip of South America (Patagonia), New Zealand contains some species that remained from the time when the three were united as a supercontinent.

Over the past ice age, the sea levels in the world have failed, revealing more Zealandia, albeit exactly how much it is not known. It is assumed that a lot of Zealandia contains fossils from the time when life on the plague is a beneficial continent. Zealandia is home to the largest field of natural gas on the new ZeLand, Maui gas field, which provides 75% of New Zealand hydrocarbons. More areas of Zealandia will be mined in the future.