Perhaps some people have noticed that Italy and New Zealand have the same latitude, in the north and south hemisphere though. The center of the countries is found at 42°N and 42°S, respectively. It is not a joke, but a fact, that the shapes of both countries resemble a shoe, and the distance from 42° to the heel of the two shoes is the same. Then I can tell you a joke: I have found those two countries to be a geological pair of shoes! Those shoes are namely approximately identical, just as should be expected from a single pair. The comparison can be further extended by the fact that those two shoes of one pair are the mirror image of each other. Therefore, I present the mirror image of New Zealand for everyone to appreciate how similar the shapes of those countries really are. It would probably not sound so interesting if it was the only similarity, but as mentioned before, the central points are at the same latitude N and S, and the proportions as measured from there are the same. Both countries have volcanoes close to the ‘toe’, in a mirrored way though. Moreover, the two countries are aligned similarly, but again, you have to remember that they are mirrored, so the aligment effect of North Italy applies to the opposite end of the shoe shape of New Zealand. OK, if you do not follow me any more, please remember it can hard to understand geology jokes.
The alignment of both countries follow the formula α = (arc tan {[(35.342 – (ϕ – 32)2) 0.5 / (ϕ – 32)](1/cos ϕ)})/2 where α is found in the mathematical way as compared with x-axis, that is latitudinal axis. It is thereby found to be approximately E39°N at the latitude ϕ=42°N for Italy. Then we can calculate the mirrored result for New Zealand, being W39°S at the latitude ϕ=42°S 🙂 Then you can calculate the value for other latitudes.
For a map of Italy: http://www.explorevolcanoes.com/Stromboli-volcano-italy.html
For a map of New Zealand:https://geologictimepics.com/2018/02/24/sampling-new-zealands-amazing-geology/
Magic Magma 