Lake Taupo is the largest lake in New Zealand . It lies near the center of the North Island . The lake measures 17 miles (27 kilometers) across at its widest point and is 25 miles (40 kilometers) long. The Waikato River , the longest river in New Zealand, flows from Lake Taupo. The lake’s name comes from its Māori name,Taupō-nui-a-Tia, which means the great cloak of Tia. According to Māori legend, Tia was an explorer who discovered the lake.
The township of Taupo, a trout-fishing center, is near the northern edge of the lake. To the south, visitors can see the volcanic peaks of Ngauruhoe , Ruapehu, and Tongariro . Hot springs rise from the earth in many places on the northern and southern shores of the lake.
Lake Taupo was formed by a powerful volcanic eruption about 27,000 years ago. During the eruption, the volcano, also named Taupo, collapsed into itself. This formed acaldera (craterlike depression) that gradually filled with water.
