1603?-1659?

Dutch Explorer

Abel Janszoon Tasman was a Dutch navigator and explorer who discovered Tasmania, New Zealand, Tonga, and the Fiji Islands. Tasman made two important voyages (1642 and 1644) through both the Indian and South Pacific Oceans that helped to map the southern hemisphere. With exploration a secondary goal of his voyages, he was primarily interested in establishing trade and finding sources of wealth for his employer, the Dutch East India Company. Because he failed in both respects with the newly discovered lands, his voyages were initially considered to be disappointments. However, with the passage of time, his voyages have been recognized as important contributions to the knowledge of that part of the world.

Little is known about the life of Tasman outside of his service with the Dutch East India Company. While the details of his birth are unknown, it is generally believed that...