An interesting map of NZ superimposed on Europe

debnjohn · #1 29th May 2005, 11:45 AM

I was looking through my son's Children's Atlas and came across this picture of NZ superimposed on Europe (i.e. as if the globe had been flattened).
I thought it was quite interesting so have purloined it for your pleasure:

John.

PS To appease my guilt I'll list the publication:
Philip's Childrens Atlas by David and Jill Wright 1993 Reed International Books Limited ISBN 0 540 05723 1

bbq · #2 29th May 2005, 11:53 AM

I once worked that out myself and still cannot really understand why the weather is not as warm as Spain and N. Africa. By all accounts Dunedin and Invercargill are pretty cold in winter.

I thought it must be to do with NW Europe has the gulf stream and NZ is next stop Antarctic/

cheers

alex

GeorgeM · #3 29th May 2005, 12:17 PM

The difference in the strength of the sun, particularly during clear days in the winter, does give some indication of a similar latitude to Spain/N Africa. But there are numerous other factors which cool the place down and make it wetter overall.

Inland Spain can also be very cold in winter - I used to 'commute' through Madrid once a week, arriving about 10pm and leaving at 6am. Often it would be near to zero when I got there.

Wannaway · #4 29th May 2005, 06:00 PM

The main reason is because of the vast amount of open sea/ocean that surrounds NZ and prevailing winds from the south. Also the gulf stream does help Western Europe maintain a more temperate climate than its latitude would suggest - it is on the same latitude as Canada which is much colder generally than Mid/Southern Europe.

I have seen a map of Aus superimposed on Europe also. If Perth in WA was in Western Ireland, Sydney would be somewhere in the middle of Turkey and if Northern Aus were in Northern Scandanavia then Southern Australia would be in North Africa.