More Information about New Zealand

With its 4,401,916 people, New Zealand is the 126th largest country in the world by population. It is the 76th largest country in the world by area with 267,710 square kilometers.

The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. That same year, the British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both world wars. New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances.

Reading about New Zealand

Check out the recommended reading list below for great sources of information on New Zealand