Our People

There are just over four million New Zealanders, and every single one is either an immigrant or descended from one. In fact, people from over 145 countries now call New Zealand home.



It was the Māori who first arrived here over 600 years ago, followed in the 19th century by large numbers of migrants from the United Kingdom. The end of World War II saw an influx of European migrants from war-weary countries looking to rebuild shattered lives.



From the 1960s, people from our neighbouring Pacific Islands, predominantly Samoa and Tonga, began settling here followed by Chinese, Korean and other nationalities in the 1980s.



More recently, we’ve welcomed new residents from countries as diverse as South Africa, Zimbabwe and Somalia. New Zealand is a multicultural society and that’s a commonly used word to describe the infusion of cultures and ethnicities in New Zealand. But it’s more than this. We embrace and celebrate the richness and diversity of people who choose to make New Zealand their new home.



In spite of our geographical isolation (or, sometimes, because of it) we regularly succeed on the world stage. You’ll see us represented in the fields of arts, science and technology and on the sports fields as well. Maybe it’s because we don’t know we’re a small country or maybe it’s because we have a unique way of looking at life. Whatever it is, maybe it could be the place for you.