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The first European to explore New Zealand, circumnavigating the islands between October 1769 and February 1770, was Captain James Cook. He did not discover New Zealand, as that was done by Abel Tasman in 1642.

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15y ago
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15y ago

Good question, depends on what you are referring to written historical landing or common historical knowledge. Whalers and sealers were frequent visitors to the South Island before Abel tasman viewed the two islands

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10y ago

Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to discover New Zealand.

Abel Janszoon Tasman sailed out of Jakarta (then known as Batavia) and reached the previously unknown islands of New Zealand on 13 December 1642. Tasman called it Staten Land, as he believed it was an extension of South America. Later, when this was proven to be incorrect, it was renamed it Nova Zelandia after the Dutch province of Zeeland.

There is a mistaken belief that James Cook discovered the islands. Cook only circumnavigated New Zealand almost 130 years after Tasman named it.

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9y ago

Captain James Cook is believed to be the first European to set foot in New Zealand. Cook arrived there on October 7, 1769.

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12y ago

A Dutchman named Abel Janszoon Tasman. He first named NZ Staten Landt then later renamed Nieuw Zeeland ( Zeeland is the westernmost province of the Netherlands.) by a Dutch cartographer.

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14y ago

In 1769, a surgeons boy, called Nicholas Young first sighted NZ. The peninsula he first sighted is now called 'Young Nick's Head'.

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12y ago

Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to discover New Zealand.

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12y ago

The Dutchman Abel Tasman. He didnt actually explore New Zealand, didnt set foot on it. That was Captain Cook (:

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11y ago

Abel Tasman, a Dutch explorer.

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Q: The first European to explore New Zealand?
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