The Country - Culture
 History
New Zealand history is played out in 3 parts : colonisation, British sovereignty and parliamentary government. Colonisation of the country began around 1 thousand years before the arrival of the first Europeans. A people origination in East Polynesia were the first to populate New Zealand, they are now known as the Maori. Legend tells us that Kupe was the one to discover New Zealand and baptise it Aotearoa ‘the land of the long white cloud’.
In 1642, the Dutch navigator, Abel Janszoon Tasman was the first European to reach Aotearoa, the islands became known henceforth as New Zealand. In 1769, James Cook visited the country and claimed it for the British crown. At this time the population reached 125 000 inhabitants. It wasn’t until the beginning of the 19th century that the first pioneers arrived to colonise the country, and in particular the Bay of Islands.
Captain William Hobson was named British consul in 1840 and granted power to negotiate with the Maori chiefs. By signing the Treaty of Waitangi on 06 February 1840 the Maori chiefs ceded sovereignty to the crown in exchange for rights over their lands and British protection. On 21 May 1840, Hobson proclaimed British sovereignty over the North Island and claimed the South Island. In 1841 New Zealand officially became a British colony with Auckland as its capital. Conflicts between the new arrivals and the Maori triggered wars which lasted until 1872.
Parliamentary government began to function in 1856. Power was shared over time between the liberals and the conservatives. The worker’s party was founded in 1910. Successive governments led by John Balance, Richard John Seddon and Sir Joseph George Ward, set in place a programme of agricultural reform and social legislation (minimum wage and unions). New Zealand is the first county to have granted women the vote, in 1893.
Society
New Zealand’s population is made up of 65% Europeans, 12% Maori, 9% Asian, 8% Pacific Islanders and 6% other. The Maori population is concentrated in the North Island especially on the East Cape which is their cultural and linguistic cradle. About half of the population is concentrated in the 4 largest towns: Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. The official languages are English and Maori – estimates put the number of fluent Maori speakers at 50 000.
Maori culture is the oldest in New Zealand. It is essentially an oral culture which was recorded by Europeans at the end of the 19th century. Songs, or Waiata, are an integral part of this culture. Maoridom’s best known authors are Keri Hulme, Jacqueline Sturm and Witi Ihimaera.
Economy
New Zealand’s GDP was approximately 97.6 billion dollars in 2005 – that was an average wage of $24 200 per person. Unemployment is low at 4%.
Agriculture remains New Zealand’s principal activity representing around 60% of export figures. New Zealand farms are among the most productive in the world.
Because of the temperate and humid climate of the country grazing stock is very important. New Zealand has a population of around 53 million sheep! More recently there has been a diversification in the type of agriculture exploited for example deer farming and viticulture. Mineral production is concentrated on coal, iron core, limestone, bentonite, pumice and gold. Since the 1970s petrol extraction has been intensively developed. Production of agricultural products constitutes the major part of the country’s industry.
The country’s economy depends mainly on export and trade exchanges, in particular with Australia, Japan and the United States. | 
