Wanderlust World Wanderlust World No. New Zealand is an island nation in the southwestern Pacific Ocean consisting of two main islands (North Island and South Island) and over 700 smaller islands. It has no land borders with any other country. Its nearest neighbor is Australia, approximately 1,750 km (1,090 mi) to the northwest across the Tasman Sea. Other nearby nations include New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga, all separated by significant ocean distances.