What year New Zealand colonized?

New Zealand was formally colonized by the British in the early 19th century, with significant settlement beginning in the 1840s. The Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840 between the British Crown and various Māori chiefs, is often considered the founding document of New Zealand as a British colony. The colony was officially established in 1841, although European contact with the islands dates back to the late 18th century.