HISTORY OF NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand has a rich and fascinating history, reflecting both Maori and European heritage. The first migrants were the Maori, who migrated from their Polynesian homeland of Hawaiki, and about 800 years later European migrants followed. New Zealand became a more diverse and vibrant, multicultural society in the 20th century after the arrival of Asian immigrants.

The Maori settled throughout the land, and survived by farming and hunting. The first European to sight New Zealand was Dutch explorerAbel Tasman. It was after Captain James Cook began his circumnavigation of the country in 1769 that European migration began. The signing of the Treaty of Waitangi saw New Zealand become a British colony, with enormous effect on the New Zealand population.

On 3rd May 1841, New Zealand became a colony of its own. It was divided into provinces, which were reorganized and then abolished. The New Zealand Constitution Act 1852, established central and provincial government. In the 1930s New Zealand was hard hit by the Great Depression. It was in 1935, the first Labour Government was elected and established as a welfare state, which included free health care and education and state assistance for the healthy, infirm and the unemployed.

As more migrants arrived more land was needed for them, land disputes with Maori increased. British troops helped the New Zealand colonial forces during these conflicts.
The Maori protest movement was one of the several movements which challenged the conservatism of mainstream New Zealand culture. Throughout the 19th and 20th century, Britain had an enormous influence on New Zealand. Government administration, education, and culture were largely built on British models. Now New Zealand has its own identity, and is a member of the British Commonwealth, and maintains close friendly relations with USA.
 
In 1984 the fourth Labour government was elected, and that bought about many improved changes in the economy and created wide spread unemployment-In 1999 the fifth Labour government was elected. For a developed country New Zealand is still very depended on farming, although meat, dairy and wool  has been supplemented by fruit, wine, timber and other products. Tourism is a major industry