I created the map above, because I still can’t really believe that New Zeeland escaped any human habitation until sometime between 1280 and 1350 AD! Given it’s size it’s almost impossible to believe. Its South Island (Te Waipounamu) is 145,836 km2, making it the 12th largest island in the world (larger than Java) and the North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui) is 111,583 km2, making it the 14th largest island in the world= (larger than Newfoundland, Cuba, Iceland or Ireland!)And they remained uninhabited up until around the time of the Hundred Years War, while Australia was settled 50,000 to 65,000 years ago!Below is a list from Wikipedia of places settled by people after 1200AD:RegionCountry / islandDatePlaceNotesPacificNew Zealand1250Wairau BarIt is generally accepted that the islands were permanently settled by Eastern Polynesians (the ancestors of the Māori) who arrived about 1250–1300.PacificNorfolk Island1250Emily BaySettled by Polynesians, later abandoned. Resettled by British 1788.PacificAuckland Islands1250Sandy Bay, Enderby IslandSettled by Polynesians, later abandoned. Resettled from the Chatham Islands in 1842, later abandoned.PacificKermadec Islands1350Settled by Polynesians by the 14th century (possibly previously, around the 10th century), later abandoned. Resettled by Europeans in 1810, later abandoned.Atlantic / North AfricaMadeira1420Settlers from Portugal.AtlanticAzores1439Santa Maria IslandSettlers from Portugal led by Gonçalo Velho Cabral.Atlantic / West AfricaCape Verde1462Cidade VelhaSettlers from Portugal founded the city as "Ribeira Grande."Atlantic / Central AfricaSão Tomé and Príncipe1485São ToméPortuguese settlement in 1485 failed but was followed in 1493 by a successful settlement led by Álvaro Caminha.Pacific OceanChatham Islands1500Moriori settlers from New Zealand. This was the last wave of Polynesian migrations.South AtlanticSaint Helena1516Settled by Fernão Lopes (soldier). Later populated by escaped slaves from Mozambique and Java, then by English in 1659.South Atlantic / Central AfricaAnnobón1543Alvaro da Cunha requested Portuguese royal charter in 1543 and by 1559 had settled Africans slaves there.North AtlanticBermuda1609Settled by English survivors of the Sea Venture shipwreck, led by George Somers.Arctic, Northern EuropeSvalbard1619SmeerenburgSettled by Dutch and Danish whalers 1619–1657. Longyearbyen founded 1906 and continuously inhabited except for World War II.Indian OceanMauritius1638Vieux Grand PortFirst settled by Dutch under Cornelius Gooyer.Indian OceanRéunion1642Settled 1642 by a dozen deported French mutineers from Madagascar, who were returned to France several years later. In 1665 the French East India Company started a permanent settlement.Americas, CaribbeanCayman Islands1658While Christopher Columbus was first to sight the Cayman Islands on May 10, 1503, Caymanian folklore holds that the island's first inhabitants were English soldiers involved in Oliver Cromwell's capture of Jamaica around 1658. The first recorded permanent inhabitant was Isaac Bodden, the grandson of one of these first settlers, born on Grand Cayman around 1661.Indian OceanRodrigues1691Settled 1691 by a small group of French Huguenots led by François Leguat; abandoned 1693. The French settled slaves there in the 18th century.East PacificClipperton Island1725A short settlement in 1725. Intermittent settlement during the 19th and 20th centuries.East PacificJuan Fernández Islands1750San Juan BautistaSettled by the Spanish to prevent its use by foreign powers and pirates. Destroyed in 1751 by a tsunami but soon rebuilt.South AtlanticFalkland Islands1764Port LouisSettled by French (as "Port Saint Louis") during the expedition of Louis Antoine de Bougainville.Indian OceanSeychelles1770Ste. Anne IslandAlthough visited earlier by Maldivians, Malays and Arabs, the first known settlement was a spice plantation established by the French, first on Ste. Anne Island, then moved to Mahé. It is the sovereign state with the shortest history of human settlement (followed by Mauritius).East PacificFloreana Island1805Black BeachFirst settled 1805–1809 by Patrick Watkins. Later attempts in 1837, 1893, 1925, and 1929.South AtlanticTristan da Cunha1810First settled by Jonathan Lambert and two other men. Continuously inhabited since then except 1961–1963 evacuation due to volcano.South AtlanticAscension Island1815Settled as a British military garrison. Some prior shipwrecked sailors in 18th century.Pacific Ocean, Bering SeaCommander Islands1825Russians brought Aleuts from Atka Island and Attu Island to settle Bering Island and Medny Island.Indian OceanCocos (Keeling) Islands1826Settled c. 1826 by Alexander Hare and in 1827 by John Clunies-Ross.Pacific OceanBonin Islands1830Port Lloyd, Chichi-jimaSome evidence of early settlement from the Marianas, but the islands were abandoned except for occasional shipwrecks until a group of Europeans, Polynesians, and Micronesians settled Chichi-jima in 1830.Pacific Ocean, Tasman SeaLord Howe Island1834Blinky BeachWhaling supply station.Indian OceanÎle Saint-Paul1843Although now uninhabited, there have been attempts at settlement. In June 1843, a French garrison was established under the command of Polish-born Captain Adam Mierolawski, but it was soon abandoned. In 1928, a spiny lobster cannery was established, with the last three settlers rescued in 1934.Arctic, Northern EuropeNovaya Zemlya1870Malye KarmakulyEarlier overwinterings dating back to 16th centuryIndian OceanÎle Amsterdam1871Camp HeurtinFollowing various shipwrecks and visits by sealers and scientists in the 18th and 19th century, a short-lived settlement was made in 1871 by Heurtin, a French resident of Réunion Island. A French scientific base has been maintained since 1949.Pacific OceanMinami-Tori-shima1886Despite visits dating back to the 17th century, the first permanent settlement was in 1886.Indian OceanChristmas Island1888Flying Fish CoveFirst European settlement established by George Clunies-Ross and John Murray with phosphate mining begun around 10 years later.Pacific OceanCampbell Island1896Sheep farming was undertaken from 1896 until the lease, along with the sheep and a small herd of cattle, was abandoned in 1931 because of the Great Depression.Pacific Ocean, Philippine SeaDaitō Islands1900MinamidaitōjimaTamaki Hanemon [ja] obtained the approval to develop two of islands from Empire of JapanAntarcticSouth Orkney Islands1903Omond HouseVisited by sealers and whalers in the 19th century. Scientific base founded by Scottish National Antarctic Expedition and sold to Argentina in 1904.South AtlanticSouth Georgia1904GrytvikenVisited by sealers in the 19th century. Carl Anton Larsen founded a permanent whaling station in 1904.Arctic, Northern EuropeJan Mayen1921EggøyaVisited by whalers in the 17th century, with some overwinter sojourns in 1633, 1882, and 1907. Weather station at Eggøya established 1921, followed by other weather and military stations. The current station, Olonkinbyen, has been continuously inhabited since 1958.Indian OceanKerguelen Islands1927Port-CouvreuxAfter occasional sojourns and shipwrecks in the 19th century, three families settled in a sheep-farming colony but were evacuated in 1934. Scientific station at Port-aux-Français has been continuously inhabited since 1950.Arctic, New Siberian IslandsKotelny Island1933Soviet Naval Base.AntarcticSouth Shetland Islands1947Captain Arturo Prat BaseVisited by sealers and explorers in the 19th century. Chilean naval base staffed continuously 1947–2004.Indian OceanPrince Edward Islands1947Transvaal CoveVisited by sealers and shipwrecks in the 19th century. South Africa occupied the islands in 1947 and established a meteorological station.Antarctica1948Base General Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme, Antarctic PeninsulaFirst permanent base in continental Antarctica, operated by the Chilean Army.Pacific OceanMacquarie Island1948Macquarie Island StationOccasional sojourns and shipwrecks in the 19th century, continuously inhabited since 1948.East PacificRevillagigedo Islands1957Socorro IslandMexican naval base established. Shorter stays in 19th and early 20th centuriesIndian OceanCrozet Islands1963Alfred FaureOccasional shipwrecks and visiting sealers and whalers in the 19th century, continuously inhabited since 1963.Arctic, SiberiaSevernaya Zemlya1974Cape BaranovA meteorological station was operated from 1974 to 1988. "Prima" Polar Station opened at some point in the 1980s.North Atlantic / British IslesRockall1985Former SAS member Tom McClean lived on the island from 26 May to 4 July 1985 to affirm the UK's claim to the islet. Other short stays have been made, including one by Greenpeace and a 60-day fundraising effort for Help for HeroesAlso see: Human Expansion Timeline Map (With Estimated Total Human Population) In Just 60 SecondsWhich one surprises you the most?