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New Zealand has a total population of 3.8 million people and is continuing to grow at a rapid pace. An independent nation, the country is a member of the Commonwealth, and the majority of its residents are of British background. Almost 80% of New Zealanders have European ancestry the second largest population group is the native Maori at 13%. Evidence suggests the Maori arrived in New Zealand around 1000 AD, in several migrations, from Polynesian islands. New Zealand’s colder conditions, meant it was some time before the Maori managed to cultivate crops, and the rats and dogs they brought with them, almost wiped out the populations of ground-dwelling birds. In 1642 Abel Tasman, a Dutch explorer, sailed along the west coast but retreated quickly after three members of his crew were killed by natives, at the initial landing. Tasman named the island, Niuew Zeeland, after the Dutch province of Zeeland. The next explorer to arrive in New Zealand was James Cook, he mapped the entire coastline and made friendly contact with the Maori, in addition he claimed the entire country as land of the British Crown and continued on his journey. New Zealand was settled by sealers, whalers originally, and then missionaries trying to sell Christianity to the Maori. The wars that resulted between the settlers and the Maori, as well between Maori tribes desecrated the Maori population. The treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1838, and was very important in the relations between the settlers and the Maori. New Zealand became a self-governing British colony in 1856 and a dominion in 1907, though it was not until 1947 that it became a fully independent country. More recently New Zealand’s most significant event during the nineties has been winning the America’s Cup in 1995, and successfully defending it in 2000.
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