High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! New Zealand consists of a large number of islands. The two main islands, which are much larger than the rest and where most of the population lives, are the North Island and the South Island. The latter is often referred to as the "mainland", especially by its residents, it being somewhat larger but having a lower population. Stewart Island/Rakiura is by far the biggest of the smaller islands, although Waiheke Island has the largest population of the smaller islands.