Sir Edmund Hillary was made an honorary Nepalese citizen Hillary and Tenzing

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark described the explorer as a heroic figure and said all New Zealanders would deeply mourn his passing.

Sir Edmund's health had reportedly been in decline since April, when he suffered a fall while visiting Nepal.

He was the first man to climb the 8,850m (29,035ft) peak with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay on 29 May 1953.

Returning to Everest base camp, he famously greeted another member of the British expedition group with the words: "Well, George, we've knocked the bastard off."

After the ascent, Sir Edmund led a number of expeditions to the South Pole and devoted his life to helping the Sherpas of Nepal's Khumbu region.

His Himalayan Trust has helped build hospitals, clinics, bridges, airstrips and nearly 30 schools. He was made an honorary Nepalese citizen in 2003.

'Quintessential Kiwi'

Announcing Sir Edmund's death in Auckland after a brief illness, New Zealand's prime minister described him as a "heroic figure who not only 'knocked off' Everest but lived a life of determination, humility and generosity".

He was an heroic figure who not only 'knocked off' Everest but lived a life of determination, humility and generosity New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark Obituary: Sir Edmund Hillary Life in pictures: Sir Edmund

"The legendary mountaineer, adventurer, and philanthropist is the best-known New Zealander ever to have lived," Ms Clark said in a statement.

"But most of all he was a quintessential Kiwi."

"He was ours - from his craggy appearance to laconic style to his directness and honesty. All New Zealanders will deeply mourn his passing."

Ms Clark said Sir Edmund's exploits would "continue to inspire new generations of New Zealanders, as they have for more than half a century already".

The BBC's Greg Ward in Auckland says Sir Edmund was arguably the most respected man in New Zealand.

His death has prompted an immediate outpouring of sympathy, with messages of condolences flooding in from around the globe, our correspondent says.

Race to the summit

The British adventurer and environmentalist, Pen Hadow, said Sir Edmund's death "closes one of the great chapters of planetary exploration".

"He was physically and metaphorically at the pinnacle of high adventure," the Dartmoor-based Arctic and Antarctic explorer told the Press Association.

Born in Auckland 19 July 1919, Sir Edmund began climbing mountains in his native country as a teenager and soon earned renown as an ice climber.

To my great delight I realised we were on top of Mount Everest and that the whole world spread out below us Sir Edmund Hillary 'My climb with Hillary' Sir Edmund: Your tributes

By the time he attempted his ascent of Everest in 1953 as part of an expedition led by the British climber, Sir John Hunt, seven previous expeditions to the top of the mountain had failed.

After a gruelling climb up the southern face, all but two climbers were defeated by exhaustion and the effects of high altitude and bad weather.

Only Sir Edmund and Tenzing Norgay were able to continue and successfully reached the peak at 1130 local time on 29 May at the second attempt.

"I continued hacking steps along the ridge and then up a few more to the right... to my great delight I realised we were on top of Mount Everest and that the whole world spread out below us," Sir Edmund said.

The two men hugged each other with relief and joy but only stayed on the summit for 15 minutes because they were low on oxygen.

Sir Edmund took several photographs of the scenery and of Tenzing waving flags of Britain, Nepal, the UN and India.

News of the conquest of Everest did not reach the outside world until 2 June, the eve of the Queen Elizabeth II's coronation.