Illustrated with over 150 historical photographs, paintings and maps, "Presenting New Zealand" is a visually sumptuous and informative account of how the country has developed into the independent nation that the rest of the world recognises today. Starting with the huge rifts of prehistoric times that tore it apart from Gondwana, the book traces the arrival of the first Polynesian canoes, the exploration and settlement by Europeans and the modern-day social, economic and political achievements of this remarkable country. In forgoing modern scenic illustration, and instead focusing the text and images exclusively on history, this fully revised edition is a major departure from the work as it appeared in its original edition, which was published in 2001 by New Holland under the title of "Presenting New Zealand: A Nation's Heritage".