History of New Zealand 1.History 2.Politics

1.History New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island), and numerous smaller islands, most notably Steward Island and the Chatham Island. Steward Island Chatham Island

The first settlers The date of the arrival of the first Maori varies according to the sources, between 1250 and The first settlers are Polynesians who arrived probably between 1050 and 1350 AD and etablished the Maori culture. Around 1500, some Maori relocate on the Chatam Islands, developing their own Maori culture.

The first Europeans The first Europeans to reach New Zealand were Dutch explorer Abel Tasman and his crew, who arrived from Batavia in They stopped at Urville Island where Tasman suspected the existence of Cook strait, but had to renounce exploring the surroundings because of bad weather. Urville Island, refuge of the first explorers First map of New Zealand, drawn by Captin James Cook

James Cook No other European visited New Zealand from until the voyage of Captain James Cook aboard the Endeavor. Sent by the British governement, he arrived in 1769 and did almost all of the mapping, taking care to describe in detail the land they explored, whether in Australia or New Zealand for a possible settlement.

Politics New Zealand is an independent parliamentary democracy and officially a constitutional monarchy. The monarch of the United Kingdom, nowadays Élisabeth II, is the state leader as monarch of New Zealand. The queen « reigns but does not govern »; she has no political influence, her function being especially symbolic.