Economy of New Zealand

New Zealanders of European descent, often referred to by the Maori name Pakeha, comprise about 75 percent of the population. Usually described as the largest ethnic group, they are in fact an ethnic mix. People of English, Scottish, and Irish descent comprise the largest groups (in that order), though there are people of German, Australian, Scandinavian, Croatian, and Dutch descents too.

The earliest cultural traditions are that of the Maori, who developed a rich and diverse Polynesian culture in geographic isolation. European settlers put their own traditional stamp and eventually dominated the cultural life. Immigration of peoples from the Pacific Islands and Asia, since the 1950s, has further diversified the cultural fabric of New Zealand.