In the southwest corner of Polynesia, in the South Pacific Ocean, sits the island nation of New Zealand. New Zealand is a far-off place, more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km) southeast of Australia, its closest neighbor. It is one of the last substantial areas suitable for settlement. The nation is made up of several smaller islands, some of which are hundreds of miles away from the two main islands, the North and the South Island. Wellington, the capital, and Auckland, the largest urban area, are situated on the North Island. In addition to claiming a portion of Antarctica, New Zealand is the administrator of the Tokelau group of islands in the South Pacific. The Cook Islands and Niue are independent nations that freely associate with New Zealand.