1642day.year
Abel Tasman is the first recorded European to sight New Zealand.
Dutch explorer Abel Tasman becomes the first European to sight the islands now known as New Zealand.
On December 13, 1642, Abel Tasman, commanding a fleet for the Dutch East India Company, sighted land southwest of Australia.
He initially named the land 'Staten Landt,' believing it connected to a landmass near South America.
Later renamed New Zealand, this discovery opened European awareness of the islands.
Tasman's brief encounter included cautious observations and no direct contact with the Māori inhabitants.
His voyage mapped parts of the coast and laid groundwork for subsequent exploration by James Cook.
The European sighting set the stage for centuries of exploration, trade, and eventual colonization.
1642
Abel Tasman
New Zealand