{{Short description|Online encyclopedia devoted to New Zealand}} {{italic title}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2015}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=February 2015}} {{Infobox website | name = ''Te Ara: {{nowr|The Encyclopedia of New Zealand}}'' | url = {{URL|http://www.teara.govt.nz/}} | location = [[Wellington]], New Zealand | logo = Te Ara New Zealand Encyclopedia, logo.png | logo_size = 200px | type = Online encyclopedia | language = English, [[Māori language|Māori]] | owner = [[Ministry for Culture and Heritage|Ministry for {{nowr|Culture and Heritage}}]] | launch_date = 2005 | commercial = No | current_status = First build completed 2014 }}
'''''Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand''''' (''Te [[wikt:ara#Maori|Ara]]'' meaning "the road/pathway" in [[Māori language|Māori]]) is an online [[encyclopedia]] established in 2001 by the [[New Zealand Government]]'s [[Ministry for Culture and Heritage]].<ref>{{cite journal | title = The Online Encyclopedia of New Zealand: Te Ara | last = Phillips | first = Jock | journal = [[New Zealand Journal of History]] | date = 2003 | volume = 37 | issue = 1 | pages = 80–89 | url = http://www.nzjh.auckland.ac.nz/document.php?wid=256 | access-date = 20 January 2019 | archive-date = 21 September 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210921115045/http://www.nzjh.auckland.ac.nz/document.php?wid=256 | url-status = dead }}</ref> The web-based content was developed in stages over the next several years; the first sections were published in 2005, and the last in 2014 marking its completion.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.mch.govt.nz/what-we-do/websites-we-run/te-ara-encyclopedia-new-zealand | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200119192612/https://mch.govt.nz/what-we-do/websites-we-run/te-ara-encyclopedia-new-zealand |archive-date=19 January 2020 | title = Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand | date = 29 January 2016 | work = Ministry for Culture and Heritage | publisher = Ministry for Culture and Heritage | access-date = 12 November 2016 }}</ref> ''Te Ara'' contains over three million words in articles from over 450 authors. Over 30,000 images and video clips are included from thousands of contributors.<ref>{{Cite news | title = Te Ara – Encyclopedia of NZ completed | author-last = Butcher | author-first = Nick | work = Radio New Zealand | date = 23 October 2014 | url = https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/257575/te-ara-encyclopedia-of-nz-completed | access-date = 20 January 2019 }}</ref>
==History==
New Zealand's first recognisable encyclopedia was ''[[The Cyclopedia of New Zealand]]'', a commercial venture compiled and published between 1897 and 1908 in which businesses or people usually [[vanity press|paid to be covered]]. In 1966 the New Zealand Government published ''[[An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand]]'', its first official encyclopedia, in three volumes. Although now superseded by ''Te Ara'', its historical importance led to its inclusion as a separate digital resource within the ''Te Ara'' website.<ref>{{cite web | title = 1966 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand | work = Te Ara | publisher = Manatū Taonga / Ministry for Culture and Heritage | url = http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/en | access-date = 16 May 2009 }}</ref>
''Te Ara'' was developed between 2001 and 2014 and edited by historian [[Jock Phillips]], who oversaw a full-time staff of about 20 writers, editors, image and resource researchers and designers during its creation.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.nzherald.co.nz/employment/news/article.cfm?c_id=11&objectid=10496127 | title = My job: Researcher, the Encyclopedia of New Zealand | newspaper = New Zealand Herald | author-first = Angela | author-last = McCarthy | date = 5 March 2008 | access-date = 9 March 2019 }}</ref> In 2010 during the development of the encyclopedia, the decision was made to integrate the ''[[Dictionary of New Zealand Biography]]'' into ''Te Ara''.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/te-ara-a-history/page-10 | title = Te Ara – a history – Biographies | work = Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand | publisher = Ministry for Culture and Heritage | access-date = 12 November 2016 }}</ref> On completion of the work in 2014, Jock Phillips' contribution to the project was recognised with a [[Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement]].<ref>{{cite press release | title = Jock Phillips receives PM's Award for Literary Achievement | author = Manatū Taonga / Ministry For Culture And Heritage | publisher = Scoop Media | date = 20 October 2014 | url = http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1410/S00405/jock-phillips-receives-pms-award-for-literary-achievement.htm | access-date = 20 January 2019 }}</ref> The encyclopedia entered a maintenance phase and is now kept updated by a dedicated research team within the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
In late July 2025, Phillips expressed concern that NZ$8 million worth of cuts to the [[Ministry for Culture and Heritage]]'s budget made during the [[2025 New Zealand budget]] could undermine the operational viability of Te Ara. These cutbacks have included axing 26 roles including four senior historians. By late July 2025, Te Ara was visited by 4 million separate users a year, accounting for 13 million page views per year.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gillies |first1=Amanda |title=Axe falls on history: Ministry for Culture and Heritage restructure sparks outrage |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/thedetail/568502/axe-falls-on-history-ministry-for-culture-and-heritage-restructure-sparks-outrage |access-date=30 July 2025 |work=[[Radio New Zealand]] |date=31 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250730215527/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/thedetail/568502/axe-falls-on-history-ministry-for-culture-and-heritage-restructure-sparks-outrage |archive-date=30 July 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref>
==Structure==
The encyclopedia is organised into several sections by broad themes, and entries on topics relating substantially to [[Māori culture]] are published in both [[Māori language|Māori]] and English languages. The encyclopedia launched in 2005 with the first theme, focused on telling the stories of New Zealanders. It covers the migration of peoples to New Zealand, and the history of their settlement – both New Zealand's indigenous [[Māori people|Māori]] and other groups. An overview section, "New Zealand in Brief", presents concise information and facts about the country. "Earth, Sea and Sky" published in 2006 covers ocean fish, sea and shorebirds and other marine life, the interactions of people and the sea, the country's natural resources, and shaping forces such as geology, volcanology, weather and climate. Distinctively New Zealand features are the main focus of the content, and scientific and technical data is presented within its social and human context. In 2007, "The Bush" was published, covering New Zealand's indigenous landscapes, forests, plants and animals, and the ways that people have used them or attempted to understand them. Topics also include early mapping, [[Tramping in New Zealand|tramping]], conifer–broadleaf forests, native fauna, [[taniwha]], Māori exploration, threatened species, and logging native forests.<ref>{{cite journal | title = Review – Te Ara: The Online Encyclopedia of New Zealand | last = Brown-May | first = Andrew | journal = New Zealand Journal of History | date = 2007 | volume = 41 | issue = 2 | pages = 227–229 | url = http://www.nzjh.auckland.ac.nz/document.php?wid=56 | access-date = 20 January 2019 | archive-date = 23 January 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210123171815/http://www.nzjh.auckland.ac.nz/document.php?wid=56 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Later themes were "The Settled Landscape" (2008), "Economy and the City" (2010), "Social Connections" (2010), "Government and Nation" (2012), "Daily Life, Sport and Recreation" (2013), and "Creative and Intellectual Life" (2014).<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/who-is-te-ara | title = Who is Te Ara? | work = Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand | publisher = Ministry for Culture and Heritage | access-date = 12 November 2016 }}</ref>
[[File:Colorful stripes of "Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand".png|thumb|centre|800px|Colourful stripes (website element) used in the online edition of ''Te Ara''. Each colour signifies a different section of content.]] {{clear}}
==See also==
* [[List of online encyclopedias]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links== * ''[http://www.teara.govt.nz Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]'' * [http://blog.teara.govt.nz/ ''Signposts'' – the blog of ''Te Ara''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720053636/http://blog.teara.govt.nz/ |date=20 July 2011 }} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:2005 establishments in New Zealand]] [[Category:Internet properties established in 2005]] [[Category:Encyclopedias about countries|New Zealand]] [[Category:New Zealand online encyclopedias]] [[Category:21st-century encyclopedias]]