Rangipo Desert

Rangipo Desert ( German: Rangipo Desert ) is a barren, desert-like area on the North Island of New Zealand, more specifically in the East of the Central Volcanic Plateau east of the three volcanoes Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro, west of the Kaimanawa Range and south of Lake Taupo. The only major road that runs through the territory of the famous State Highway 1, He bears in this region the name "Desert Road " ( Desert Road ).

Although the rainfall in the area amount to about 1,500 to 2,500 mm per year, Rangipo balances due to the low soil quality and the dry wind of a desert. The vegetation is low and limited to individual clumps of grass. There are numerous headwater streams that grow later to large streams that wash the soil due to the weak vegetation of the region and sometimes bizarre forms valleys. Many major rivers of the country, such as the Waikato River, the Whanganui River or the Rangitikei River originate here. The climate of the entire area is alpine and rough, and averages - for New Zealand, and especially for the North Island unusual - 270 days with ground frost per year. At the 80 km further east, Hawke 's Bay there are in the comparable period less than 30 are also heavy snowfall - in contrast to the rest of the island - not uncommon.

Most parts of the desert are over 600 meters, and a large area even more than 1000 meters above sea level. Because the ground is barren, the region is inhabited only extremely thin, mostly even uninhabited. In the south of the desert area is home to 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 today by the New Zealand Army. In the north, the area is already the " Rangipo Prison", a prison camp, which was extended several times was in 1922, most recently in 2002 and can accommodate about 400 inmates. The detention center is also used for illegal immigrants.