What 1840 agreement is regarded as New Zealand’s founding document?

The Treaty of Waitangi is the 1840 agreement regarded as New Zealand’s founding document.

The treaty was first signed at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands on 6 February 1840 by representatives of the British Crown and numerous Māori chiefs. Copies were then taken around the country, and more than 500 Māori leaders eventually signed versions of the document.

The English and Māori texts are not identical. Differences in wording about sovereignty, authority, and governance have contributed to major historical and legal debates. New Zealand marks 6 February as Waitangi Day, a national day associated with the treaty and its continuing significance.

The treaty did not resolve every question about power and land. Its interpretation remains central to relationships between Māori communities and the Crown, including claims handled through the Waitangi Tribunal.