New Zealand’s dazzling landscapes were famously made visible in the Academy Award-winning trilogy “Lord of the Rings,” from a book written by J.R.R. Tolkien. New Zealand since then has had its tourism skyrocket.
On this day May 21st, 1840, Britain proclaims New Zealand as a colony. Unlike many other situations, this declaration was mutual. The Treaty of Waitangi was signed between the Maori and the British on February 6, 1840, but the circulation took a bit of time, and it was not proclaimed by Britain until this day.
The Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand, believed to have come there over 3000 years ago, in 1300 BC. New Zealand is about 1000 miles southeast from Australia. A majority of New Zealand’s population is of European descent, and a 2011 estimate places the population at 4,414,400. New Zealand is made up of two large islands and a number of smaller islands. Geographically it is very long and skinny. New Zealand’s economy relies heavily on international trade, and wool has famously been one of its largest exports; hence, the association of New Zealand with sheep.