POPULATION

Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the Māori population of Aotearoa is estimated to have reached around 100,000. As thousands of European settlers began following Cook in the late 18th and early 19th century, the Treaty of Waitangi was signed by over 500 Māori chiefs, in theory formalising the transfer of New Zealand sovereignty to the British Crown. However, mistranslations in the text meant that the Māori believed they were simply granting permission for these new arrivals to use their land, not to own it.

This culminated in a series of wars throughout the 19th century over subsequent land confiscation.

The 20th century saw the country gradually gaining independence and breaking away from the formal ties binding it to the UK. Official citizenship became available in the aftermath of World War II, further distinguishing New Zealand as a sovereign nation separate from the UK (or Australia, with whom a union was rejected in 1901).