Jurisdiction New Zealand | ||
Headquarters Radio New Zealand House, 155 The Terrace, Wellington Minister responsible Maurice Williamson, Minister for Land Information Parent agency Land Information New Zealand | ||
The New Zealand Geographic Board (NZGB) (Māori: Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa) is constituted under the New Zealand Geographic Board (Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa) Act 2008, and was previously constituted under the New Zealand Geographic Board Act 1946. Although an independent institution, it is responsible to the Minister for Land Information.
It has responsibility for geographical and hydrographic names within New Zealand and its territorial waters. This includes naming small urban settlements, localities, mountains, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, harbours and natural features and may include researching local Māori names. In the Ross Sea region of Antarctica it has named many geographical features. It has no authority to alter street names, a local body responsibility, or the name of any country. The Board has authority over official placenames only, and most placenames, including most towns and cites, ports and bodies of water have not been mentioned in legislation or validated by treaties, and so are not official.
The New Zealand Geographic Board secretariat is part of Land Information New Zealand and provides the Board with administrative and research assistance and advice.