Rangipo Desert
Rangipo Desert ( German : Rangipo Desert ) is a barren, desert-like area on the North Island of New Zealand , more precisely in the east of the Central Volcanic Plateau east of the three volcanoes Ruapehu , Ngauruhoe and Tongariro , west of the Kaimanawa Mountains and south of Lake Taupo . The only major road that passes through the area is the famous State Highway 1 . In this region it bears the name "Desert Road".
Although rainfall in the area is around 1,500 to 2,500 mm per year, Rangipo is like a desert because of the poor soil quality and dry wind. The vegetation is sparse and limited to individual tufts of grass. There are numerous source rivers that later grow into large rivers that wash out the soil due to the weak vegetation in the region and sometimes form bizarre valleys. Many of the country's major rivers, such as the Waikato River , the Whanganui River or the Rangitikei River, have their source here. The climate of the entire area is alpine and harsh and has an average - unusual for New Zealand and especially for the North Island - 270 days of ground frost per year. At Hawke's Bay , 80 kilometers further east, there are fewer than 30 in the same period. Heavy snowfalls are also not uncommon - in contrast to the rest of the island.
Most parts of the desert are over 600 meters, and a large area even over 1,000 meters above sea level. Because the soil is barren, the region is only sparsely populated, and most of it is even uninhabited. In the south of the desert area is the small town of Waiouru , which was created by the New Zealand armed forces. Large areas in the southern part of the desert are still used by the New Zealand army today. In the north, the area was already in 1922 the "Rangipo Prison," a prison - camp , which was extended several times, most recently in 2002 offers and room for about 400 prisoners. The prison is also used for illegal immigrants .
Web links
- Information about the area (English)
Coordinates: 39 ° 15 ′ S , 175 ° 44 ′ E