An Overview of the History and Geography of New Zealand

The History, Government, Industry, Geography, and Biodiversity of New Zealand

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  • Country Information
  • Physical Geography
  • Political Geography
  • Key Figures & Milestones
  • Urban Geography
  • M.A., Geography, California State University - East Bay
  • B.A., English and Geography, California State University - Sacramento

New Zealand is an island country located 1,000 miles (1,600 km) southeast of Australia in Oceania . It consists of several islands, the largest of which are the North, the South, Stewart, and Chatham Islands. The country has a liberal political history, gained early prominence in women's rights, and has a good record in ethnic relations, especially with its native Maori. In addition, New Zealand is sometimes called the "Green Island" because its population has high environmental awareness and its low population density gives the country a large amount of pristine wilderness and a high level of biodiversity.

Fast Facts: New Zealand

  • Capital: Wellington
  • Population: 4,545,627 (2018)
  • Official Languages : Maori, English 
  • Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZD)
  • Form of Government: Parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a commonwealth realm
  • Climate: Temperate with sharp regional contrasts
  • Total Area: 103,798 square miles (268,838 square kilometers)
  • Highest Point: Aoraki/Mount Cook at 12,218 feet (3,724 meters) 
  • Lowest Point: Pacific Ocean at 0 feet (0 meters)

History of New Zealand

In 1642, Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to discover New Zealand. He was also the first person to attempt mapping the islands with his sketches of the North and South islands. In 1769, Captain James Cook reached the islands and became the first European to land on them. He also began a series of three South Pacific voyages, during which he extensively studied the area's coastline.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Europeans began to officially settle on New Zealand. These settlements consisted of several lumbering, seal hunting, and whaling outposts. The first independent European colony was not established until 1840 when the United Kingdom took over the islands. This led to several wars between the British and the native Maori. On February 6, 1840, both parties signed the Treaty of Waitangi, which promised to protect Maori lands if the tribes recognized British control.

Shortly after signing this treaty, though, British encroachment on Maori lands continued and wars between the Maori and British grew stronger during the 1860s with the Maori land wars. Prior to these wars, a constitutional government began to develop during the 1850s. In 1867, the Maori were allowed to reserve seats in the developing parliament.

During the late 19th century, the parliamentary government became well-established and women were given the right to vote in 1893.

The Government of New Zealand

Today, New Zealand has a parliamentary governmental structure and is considered an independent part of the Commonwealth of Nations . It has no formal written constitution and was formally declared a dominion in 1907.

Branches of Government in New Zealand

New Zealand has three branches of government, the first of which is the executive. This branch is headed by Queen Elizabeth II who serves as the chief of state but is represented by a governor general. The prime minister, who serves as the head of government, and the cabinet are also a part of the executive branch. The second branch of government is the legislative branch. It is composed of the parliament. The third is the four-level branch comprised of District Courts, High Courts, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court. In addition, New Zealand has specialized courts, one of which is the Maori Land Court.

New Zealand is divided into 12 regions and 74 districts, both of which have elected councils, as well as several community boards and special-purpose bodies.

New Zealand's Industry and Land Use

One of the largest industries in New Zealand is that of grazing and agriculture. From 1850 to 1950, much of the North Island was cleared for these purposes and since then, the rich pastures present in the area have allowed for successful sheep grazing. Today, New Zealand is one of the world's main exporters of wool, cheese, butter, and meat. Additionally, New Zealand is a large producer of several types of fruit, including kiwi, apples, and grapes.

In addition, the industry has also grown in New Zealand and the top industries are food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, mining, and tourism.

Geography and Climate of New Zealand

New Zealand consists of a number of different islands with varying climates. Most of the country has mild temperatures with high rainfall. The mountains, however, can be extremely cold.

The main portions of the country are the North and South islands that are separated by the Cook Strait. The North Island is 44,281 square miles (115,777 square kilometers) and consists of low, volcanic mountains. Because of its volcanic past, the North Island features hot springs and geysers.

The South Island is 58,093 sq mi (151,215 sq km) and contains the Southern Alps—a northeast-to-southwest oriented mountain range covered in glaciers. Its highest peak is Mount Cook, also known as Aoraki in the Maori language, at 12,349 feet (3,764 meters) above sea level. To the east of these mountains, the island is dry and made up of the treeless Canterbury Plains. On the southwest, the island's coast is heavily forested and jagged with fjords. This area also features New Zealand's largest national park, Fiordland.

Biodiversity

One of the most important features to note about New Zealand is its high level of biodiversity. Because most of its species are endemic (i.e. native only on the islands) the country is considered a biodiversity hotspot. This has led to the development of environmental consciousness in the country as well as ecotourism .

Interesting Facts About New Zealand

  • There are no native snakes in New Zealand.
  • 76% of New Zealanders live on the North Island.
  • 15% of New Zealand's energy comes from renewable sources.
  • 32% of New Zealand's population lives in Auckland.
  • “The World Factbook: New Zealand.”  Central Intelligence Agency .
  • “ New Zealand. ”  Infoplease .
  • “New Zealand.”  U.S. Department of State .
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The 10 Most Influential New Zealanders You Should Know

Statue of Sir Edmund Hillary near Aoraki/Mount Cook, New Zealand

New Zealand has brought us many world-changers, history-makers, pioneers and even the odd celebrity . From science and politics to the arts and sports, there are many local figures worth knowing more about. Take a look at 10 influential Kiwis who have made a difference.

Kate sheppard.

New Zealand was the first country in the world to give women the right to vote, and Kate Sheppard was the driving force behind its universal suffrage movement. Sheppard inspired like-minded campaigners from all over the globe to fight for women’s rights in political participation. A natural leader, Sheppard campaigned for change in public meetings, through her own writings, and organised petitions as well as her ongoing initiatives to liaise with local politicians.

Kate Sheppard

Ernest Rutherford

Ernest Rutherford is known as the father of nuclear physics after making three major discoveries that have shaped science as we it know today. He was born in Brightwater, near Nelson, and was one of the first international students to gain a graduate scholarship to Cambridge without going through the undergraduate system. Rutherford won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1908 for his work on radioactive chemistry and the transmutation of elements. He was also the first scientist to split the atom and discover its nuclear makeup.

Ernest Rutherford

Katherine Mansfield

Virginia Woolf once described Katherine Mansfield’s work as ‘the only writing I have ever been jealous of’. The prolific New Zealand author , who originally hailed from Wellington, left for London at age 20, and never looked back. In her brief life (she died at the age of 34), Mansfield revolutionised the English language short stories of the 20th century with her candid depiction of human identity and a sense of belonging.

Katherine Mansfield

Sir Edmund Hillary

Sir Edmund Hillary is New Zealand’s most famous mountaineer, captivating the world with his daring – and successful – feat to conquer Mount Everest. Hillary, alongside Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, joined a British expedition to climb the mountain in 1953. Hillary and Norgay were eventually tasked with leading the team due to their aptitude and fitness and they became the first climbers confirmed to have reached the mountain’s summit. After he ‘knocked the bastard off’ (in his own famous words), Hillary dedicated most of his life to humanitarian and environmental causes related closely to the Nepalese people who helped him make history.

Statue of Sir Edmund Hillary near Aoraki/Mount Cook, New Zealand

Bruce McLaren

Aucklander Bruce McLaren was the driving force behind one of the most successful motorsports teams in history. But he was more than a race car driver: he was an automotive engineer, constructor, and tester. McLaren cars made their race track debut in 1966, and have to date raced in more than 700 Grand Prix events and scored more than 190 wins . Bruce McLaren’s life came to a tragic end in 1970, at age 32, when a test run of his latest car model led to a devastating car crash. McLaren was killed instantly.

Bruce McLaren at the 1969 German Grand Prix

Jack Lovelock

Jack Lovelock became the first New Zealander to win a gold medal at the Olympics. His remarkable 1500-metre victory at the 1936 Berlin Olympics is said to have paved the way for other notable mid- to long-distance runners to make their mark in the sporting world – like Sir Peter Snell, who broke the world mile record. Lovelock was born on the West Coast of the South Island and, after studying medicine at the University of Otago, was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University thanks to his athletic prowess.

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Memorial plaque for Jack Lovelock in Timaru, New Zealand

Sir Peter Jackson

Thanks to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Sir Peter Jackson has become a familiar name that needs no introduction. Before he rose to international fame, the New Zealander was locally known for an arthouse film about matricide, a mockumentary about a fictional filmmaker and a series of DIY horror flicks. Jackson’s Tolkien-esque endeavours have not only taken the silver screens by storm, they have also had an impact on his homeland’s ever-growing tourism industry .

Sir Peter Jackson at the world premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

This one’s for the war history fans. Wellington-born Nancy Wake was on top of the Gestapo’s most-wanted list during World War II because of her work with the Allied forces. Wake was a resistance fighter who led an army of 7000 Marquis troops in a guerrilla mission to sabotage the Nazi regime. She was given the code name ‘The White Mouse’ thanks to her ability to successfully evade capture. Before war broke out, Wake was married to a wealthy Frenchmen and had a lavish lifestyle in Marseilles.

Studio portrait of Nancy Wake in 1945

Burt Munro is New Zealand’s fastest man. If you’re a seasoned film enthusiast you might know him as The World’s Fastest Indian. Munro became internationally renowned for breaking three world records on his revamped Indian motorcycle, the last of which he attained when he was 68 years old. The famous bike was bought in 1920, and originally could only clock a maximum of 50 miles per hour (80.5 kilometres per hour). Munro spent the next 45 years rebuilding and tuning his Indian to make it reach 200 miles per hour (321.7 kilometres per hour).

Burt Munro’s Indian Special replica from the movie The World’s Fastest Indian

Jean Batten

Jean Batten is an iconic figure in New Zealand’s aviation history. In 1934, she beat Amy Johnson’s record flight time from England to Australia by six days; a year later, she became the first woman to make the return journey. In 1936, Batten made her first direct trip between England and New Zealand, followed by the world’s fastest Trans-Tasman flight. After her final visit to New Zealand, in 1977, Batten became a figure of mystery and intrigue – even a government inquiry was made due to her eccentric withdrawal from the rest of the world.

Jean Batten being interviewed after her flight from England to Australia in 1934

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New Zealand Biographies

  • 1 Online Resources
  • 2.1 Biographical Collections
  • 2.2 External Links

Online Resources [ edit | edit source ]

  • New Zealand, Index of Early Settlers, 1840-1864 , index ($)
  • Dictionary of New Zealand Biographies , index.
  • Principal Women of The Empire: Australia and New Zealand, Vol. 1 ($) , index & images, incomplete.
  • The Cyclopedia of New Zealand, 1897-1906 (Volumes 1-6) ($) , index & images, incomplete.
  • New Zealand, Who's Who in New Zealand and the Western Pacific, 1908, 1925, 1938 ($) , index & images, incomplete.
  • Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
  • Cyclopedia Of New Zealand, Vol.1, Wellington , Vol. 2, Auckland , Vol. 3, Canterbury , Vol. 4, Otago & Southland , Vol. 5, Nelson , Vol. 6, Taranaki . E-books.

Background [ edit | edit source ]

A biography is a history of a person's life. In a biography you may find the individual's birth, marriage, and death information, and the names of his parents, children, or other family members. Always use the information with caution because of possible inaccuracies.

The online Dictionary of New Zealand Biography is a major biographical resource which includes over 300,000 New Zealanders who made their mark on the country. It does not include living people.

Brief personal biographies have been gathered and published in collective biographies, sometimes called biographical encyclopedias or dictionaries. See New Zealand Encyclopedias and Dictionaries . Usually these only include biographies of prominent or well‑known citizens of New Zealand and of the Maori people. Others feature biographies of specific groups of people, such as physicians, painters, and others.

Significant biographical indexing projects are underway in New Zealand in which the major newspapers throughout the country are being indexed. Some of these projects are:

The Alexander Turnbull Library Biographies Index. This microfiche index lists 150,000 individuals; available at most New Zealand libraries.

The Alexander Turnbull Library New Zealand Biographical Clippings 1890-1988. This file contains 36,000 pages of clippings from New Zealand newspapers.

Index New Zealand (INNZ) . The National Library's ongoing index contains biographical references taken from all daily newspapers of New Zealand. The index is updated quarterly on microfiche and computer disc and is held at many New Zealand libraries. For access to INNZ go to http://innz.natlib.govt.nz/content/index.html

Biographical Collections [ edit | edit source ]

The following collections of biographies, including some Maori biographies, are available at the FamilySearch Library:

Oliver, W. H. and Orange, Claudia. The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Internal Affairs. 1990c, 1993. (FamilySearch Library book Ref 993.1 D3d, 3vols .)

Scholefield, Guy Hardy. A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography . Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Internal Affairs, 1940. (FamilySearch Library book Ref 920.0931 Sch64s; film 209,920 .)

Howe, George Frederick Hori Kiwi. Maori Biographies, or, The Progress of the Maori . 1960. (FamilySearch Library book 993.1 F2mh; film 924,916 item 2 .)

General Biographical Index , ca. 1840-1870. National Archives, Wellington [no date]. (Family History Library films 1,514,963-1,514,971 & 1,514,980-1,514,982 .)

A biography of New Zealand women, including some Maori, is:

MacDonald, Charlotte. The Book of New Zealand Women (Ko Kui Ma Te Kaupapa). Wellington, New Zealand: Bridget Williams Books, 1991, 1992. (FamilySearch Library book 993.1 D36b .)

Another excellent biographical work is:

Mediavilla, Victor Herrero. Australasian Biographical Index. K.G. Saur: München, New Providence, London, Paris 1996. (Family History Library book Ref 994 D32m, vols 1-3 .)

Additional biographies in the collection of the FamilySearch Library are generally listed in the Locality Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under:

NEW ZEALAND - BIOGRAPHY

NEW ZEALAND, [ISLAND] - BIOGRAPHY

NEW ZEALAND, [ISLAND], [TOWN] - BIOGRAPHY

AUSTRALIA - BIOGRAPHY

External Links [ edit | edit source ]

Links to -related articles
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This website requires a paid subscription for full access. Some subscription websites are available for free at your local FamilySearch Center or Affiliate Library .

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The site features information and resources from within the Research and Publishing Group of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, Wellington, New Zealand. You can browse content by People , Places , Events and Topics . Also, three broad categories showcase themes in New Zealand history:  Culture and society ,  Politics and government  and  New Zealand at war . A  Calendar of New Zealand history events  provides short essays and links to further sources on over 500 events in New Zealand history, at least one for each day of the year. Te Akomanga and a  Hands-on history  section includes links to guides, external websites and other material for those who are 'doing' and teaching history.

NZHistory features three major databases: the South African War embarkation roll , the Memorials register and the 1893 Women’s Suffrage Petition  as well as smaller databases of Treaty of Waitangi and He Whakaputanga - Declaration of Independence signatories.

The Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon. Jack Elder, launched the site at a function at National Archives (now Archives New Zealand) in Wellington on 16 March 1999. On 1 December 2001 the History Group launched the online Dictionary of New Zealand Biography which contains essays on over 3000 New Zealanders and 'Our land our people', a series of 'snapshots' of historical events and trends. In 2005 the Ministry for Culture and Heritage launched three major new web projects: Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand (February); Anzac Day – a guide for New Zealanders (March) and on this site we added The Classroom  (now called Te Akomanga) - a major new section for history teachers - and The Calendar of New Zealand history events in November.

In February 2006 the website was relaunched with a design by Shift using the Joomla! open source content management system. The technical build was carried out by Timebased. In February 2007 the site was moved into the more sophisticated Drupal open source CMS to accommodate changes required to incorporate the treatyofwaitangi.govt.nz website and to add further functionality. The visual and technical design for this work was carried out by Timebased.

Please email us with your suggestions and feedback.

This site is designed to be accessible to as wide a range of users as practicable. To this end we have endeavoured to adhere to World Wide Web Consortium standards for HTML/XHTML, Cascading Style Sheets and web accessibility.

While the site should work properly in early browsers, it will look much better in more recent versions which have a greater support for CSS. Please email [email protected] if you have any problems accessing the content on this site.

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How to cite this page

About this site, URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/about-this-site, (Manatū Taonga — Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 23-May-2024

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Early life and start in politics

Ardern becomes party leader.

  • The 2017 election
  • Forming a coalition government
  • The March 2019 mosque attacks in Greater Christchurch
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Jacinda Ardern

How did Jacinda Ardern become famous?

Where did jacinda ardern grow up.

New Zealand. Political/Physical map. Includes locator.

Jacinda Ardern

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The charismatic Jacinda Ardern gained fame by leading a struggling New Zealand Labour Party to a surprising victory in the 2017 parliamentary election. She earned a reputation as a “rock star” politician on the way to becoming New Zealand ’s youngest prime minister in more than 150 years at age 37. She resigned in January 2023, saying “I no longer have enough in the tank.”

Jacinda Ardern, the second of two daughters raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , spent her first years in Murupara, New Zealand , a small town known as a centre of Māori gang activity. Later, her father—a law enforcement officer who became the national government’s high commissioner to Niue —moved his family to Morrinsville, southeast of Auckland .

Where did Jacinda Ardern go to school?

Jacinda Ardern received her primary and secondary education at schools in Morrinsville, southeast of Auckland on New Zealand ’s North Island . She matriculated at the University of Waikato in Hamilton (also on North Island) in 1999, and she received a bachelor of arts degree in communication studies in 2001.

Recent News

Jacinda Ardern (born July 26, 1980, Hamilton , New Zealand) is a New Zealand politician who in August 2017 became leader of the New Zealand Labour Party and then in October 2017, at age 37, became the country’s youngest prime minister in more than 150 years. She resigned as prime minister in January 2023.

The second of two daughters born to a Mormon family, Ardern spent her first years in Murupara, a small town best known as a centre of Māori gang activity, where seeing “children without shoes on their feet or anything to eat for lunch” inspired her to eventually enter politics. Her father—a career law-enforcement officer who later (2014) became the New Zealand government’s high commissioner to the island of Niue —moved his family to Morrinsville, southeast of Auckland on New Zealand’s North Island , where Ardern attended primary and secondary school. She matriculated to the University of Waikato in 1999.

Even before earning a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies (2001), Ardern began her association with the Labour Party. In 1999, at age 17, she joined the party and, with the help of an aunt, became involved in the reelection campaign of Harry Duynhoven, a Labour member of parliament (MP) in the New Plymouth district. Following graduation, Ardern became a researcher for another Labour MP, Phil Goff. That experience would lead to a position on the staff of Prime Minister Helen Clark , the second woman to hold New Zealand’s highest office and Ardern’s political hero and mentor .

In 2005 Ardern embarked on an “overseas experience,” an extended—usually working—trip to Britain, which is a traditional rite of passage for the children of New Zealand’s middle and upper class. Instead of labouring in a London pub or warehouse and then touring the Continent, however, Ardern worked for two and a half years in the cabinet office of British Prime Minister Tony Blair , serving as an associate director for Better Regulation Executive with the primary responsibility of improving the ways in which local authorities interact with small businesses. In 2007 she was elected president of the International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY), a position that took her to destinations such as Algeria, China, India, Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon.

In 2008 Ardern was chosen as Labour’s candidate for MP of the Waikato district, a seat that historically had been beyond the party’s reach and that Ardern lost by some 13,000 votes. Nevertheless, she entered parliament as a list candidate. New Zealand’s mixed member proportional (MMP) election system allows candidates who run for a district seat also to be on a party’s list of candidates, from which 49 MPs are chosen in proportion to the number of votes received by their parties. At age 28 Ardern entered the House of Representatives as its youngest member. In her maiden speech she called for the introduction of compulsory instruction in the Māori language in New Zealand schools and she castigated the New Zealand government for what she characterized as its “shameful” response to climate change . In addition to being named Labour’s spokesperson for Youth Affairs, Ardern was appointed to the Regulations Review and the Justice and Electoral select committees.

In 2011 she ran for the seat representing Auckland Central that was held by another of New Zealand politics’ brightest young stars, Nikki Kaye of the New Zealand National Party , who was just five months older than Ardern. Kaye narrowly (717 votes) won the race, dubbed the “Battle of the Babes,” but once again Ardern returned to parliament as a well-placed list candidate. Ardern’s support for David Shearer in his successful quest for Labour leadership won her a high profile assignment as Social Development spokesperson. In 2014 Ardern once again faced off with Kaye for the Auckland Central seat, this time losing by only 600 votes. Nonetheless, ensconced at the number five position on Labour’s list, Ardern easily returned to parliament. Labour leader Andrew Little expanded her portfolio to include positions as spokesperson for Arts, Culture , and Heritage, Children, Justice, and Small Business.

biography history of new zealand

As Ardern’s political profile increased in prominence, the details of her personality and personal life became better known. Opposed to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ stand on homosexuality and same-sex marriage , Ardern became a lapsed Mormon. She gained notoriety by performing as a disc jockey . She was also involved in a romantic relationship with broadcast personality Clarke Gayford, who in 2016 became the host of Fish of the Day , a part-fishing, part-travel television program that took him to exotic island locales throughout the Pacific. Ardern bridled at media attention to her physical attractiveness, characterized herself as an “acceptable nerd,” and described her approach to life as “relentlessly positive.”

In 2017 Ardern registered a landslide victory in the parliamentary by-election for the vacant seat representing the solidly Labour district of Mount Albert in Auckland. When Labour’s deputy leader, Annette King, announced her resignation, Ardern was unanimously elected as her replacement. Meanwhile, as the general parliamentary election scheduled for September 2017 approached, Labour’s showing in preference polling was abysmal . Even after some nine consecutive years with the National Party in power, there was seemingly little interest among voters in trying Labour Party rule. A pair of polls in July found Labour Party support to be less than 25 percent—some 6 percent worse than the party’s standing in a June polling. With fewer than two months left before the election, Little stepped down as leader but not before securing Ardern’s pledge to stand as his replacement (reportedly, she refused seven times before agreeing). Running unopposed, Ardern was elected leader on August 1.

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    Te Ara is an online encyclopedia of New Zealand history, culture and society. It features biographies of people who shaped New Zealand life, from pre-colonial times to the present day.

  5. Dictionary of New Zealand Biography

    The DNZB is the foremost reference work on the lives of people who shaped New Zealand history and culture from the seventeenth to the twenty-first centuries. It includes more than 3000 biographies, written by specialists and available online, with some in te reo Māori.

  6. History of New Zealand, 1769-1914

    Learn how New Zealand was transformed from an exclusively Māori world into a Pākehā-dominated colony in the long 19th century. Explore the key events, people and themes of this period, from first contacts to the First World War.

  7. The history of New Zealand

    Learn how New Zealand became a culturally diverse and fascinating country, from the arrival of Māori from Hawaiki to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Explore the heritage attractions and taonga that reflect the rich history of New Zealand.

  8. New Zealand

    Learn about New Zealand, an island country in the South Pacific Ocean with a diverse and scenic landscape, a rich Māori heritage, and a British colonial past. Explore its history, geography, culture, economy, politics, and more with Britannica.

  9. History of New Zealand

    Learn about the political, economic, and social history of New Zealand from 1900 to 1945, including the rise and fall of the Reform Party, the impact of World War I, and the development of nationalism and autonomy. Explore the map, facts, and sources of this article by Keith Sinclair and William Hosking Oliver.

  10. New Zealand History Biographies

    Browse the biographies of notable New Zealanders from different historical periods and fields of endeavour. Learn about their lives, achievements, challenges and legacies on NZHistory.

  11. New Zealand

    New Zealand is an island country in the Pacific Ocean with a population of 5.25 million. Its capital is Wellington and its most populous city is Auckland. Learn about its history, culture, economy, and more from this comprehensive article.

  12. James Cook

    Learn about James Cook, the navigator and explorer who charted New Zealand's coastline and interacted with Māori in the late eighteenth century. Find out his biography, achievements, legacy and how to cite this page.

  13. View Te Ara in

    Explore the history and culture of New Zealand from pre-European times to the present day. Find stories, biographies, places, treaty settlements, and more on Te Ara, the online encyclopedia of New Zealand.

  14. New Zealand's History, Government, and Geography

    Learn about the island country's history, from its discovery by Europeans to its constitutional monarchy, its government, its industry, its climate, and its high level of biodiversity. Find fast facts, sources, and interesting facts about New Zealand.

  15. Bibliography of New Zealand history

    Making Peoples: a history of the New Zealanders, from Polynesian settlement to the end of the nineteenth century. A History of the New Zealanders. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. ISBN 978-0824825171. Belich, James (2001). Paradise Reforged: a history of the New Zealanders from the 1880s to the year 2000. A History of the New Zealanders.

  16. The 10 Most Influential New Zealanders You Should Know

    Learn about the achievements and stories of 10 Kiwis who have made a difference in various fields, from politics and science to arts and sports. Discover the names and faces behind New Zealand's history and culture, from Kate Sheppard to Sir Peter Jackson.

  17. New Zealand Biographies

    A biography is a history of a person's life. In a biography you may find the individual's birth, marriage, and death information, and the names of his parents, children, or other family members. ... The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Internal Affairs. 1990c, 1993. (FamilySearch Library book Ref 993.1 ...

  18. Story: Te Ara

    Te Ara is a comprehensive and authoritative source of information on all aspects of New Zealand life, culture, history and society. It covers topics from Māori perspectives, biographies, natural history, places, creative life and more, with media, maps and interactive features.

  19. About this site

    Brief history. The Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon. Jack Elder, launched the site at a function at National Archives (now Archives New Zealand) in Wellington on 16 March 1999. On 1 December 2001 the History Group launched the online Dictionary of New Zealand Biography which contains essays on over 3000 New Zealanders and 'Our land our people ...

  20. Story: History and historians

    Learn how New Zealand's history has been recorded, researched and written by various authors and institutions since the 19th century. Explore the themes, perspectives and sources of New Zealand history and historians.

  21. Jacinda Ardern

    Learn about the life and career of Jacinda Ardern, who became New Zealand's youngest prime minister in 2017 and resigned in 2023. Find out her achievements, challenges, and personal background in this comprehensive article.

  22. Comic Sans

    Comic Sans, The Biography of a Typeface, Simon Garfield, 9781324086246. A compact and charming history of the font we love to hate by the New York Times best-selling author of Just My Type ., Comic Sans, The Biography of a Typeface, Simon Garfield, 9781324086246 ...

  23. Jacinda Ardern

    Jacinda Ardern is a former New Zealand politician who served as the 40th prime minister of New Zealand and leader of the Labour Party from 2017 to 2023. She resigned after leading her party to a historic election victory in 2020, and was succeeded by Chris Hipkins.

  24. Dictionary of New Zealand Biography

    Dictionary of New Zealand Biography; DNZB Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. life stories of over 3,000 people who shaped our culture and history. Biographies search. Search Biographies. To filter biographies using dates, occupations and places related to people's lives, ...