New Zealand is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, consisting of two large islands and 600 smaller islands. The Tasman Sea separates New Zealand from Australia (approximately 1200 miles). Polynesians settled the islands between 1250 and 1300, and the islands were home to the distinct Māori culture. In 1642, Dutch explorers arrived. Captain James Cook mapped the coast line in 1769. In 1840, Britain gained control over the lands through a treaty. It became a colony in 1841, a dominion in 1907, and statutory independence in 1947. Today, New Zealand is constitutional monarchy, governed by the head of the British crown and a Prime Minster.