The first Polynesian settlers, the Maori, arrived in New Zealand in the 10th century and named it Aotearoa - Land of the Long White Cloud. By the 12th century, there were scattered settlements in favoured parts of the country. In 1840, the Maori population was estimated at 100,000.
In 1642, the Dutch navigator Abel Tasman sighted Aotearoa. He mapped parts of the West Coast but did not land. In 1769, the British naval captain James Cook and his crew became the first Europeans to set foot on New Zealand soil. Eventually, sealers and whalers began to arrive, followed by Christian missionaries, and the first European settlements were established.
In 1840, New Zealand was established as a colony under the British Crown, when the chiefs of most Maori tribes and representatives of the Crown signed the Treaty of Waitangi on 6 February 1840. This agreement is recognised as the founding document of the nation. The British connection remained an important part of New Zealand culture, and Britain was often referred to as 'home'. Just over 100,000 New Zealanders fought on Britain's behalf in World War I. New Zealand also made a significant contribution during World War II, with nearly 10% of the population serving overseas. After the war, New Zealand's agricultural products were in demand and the 1950s saw prosperity, full employment and considerable industrial growth.
