The Māori language (Te Reo Māori) of New Zealand was endangered by the mid-20th century after decades of policies discouraging its use in schools. In recent decades, New Zealand has made a remarkable effort to revive it, establishing Māori-language immersion schools and making it an official language. Today about 20% of New Zealanders can hold a conversation in Māori, up from under 5% in the 1970s.