Residents of Oceania. Message about Oceania

01.04.2021

- a geographical, often geopolitical region of the world, consisting primarily of hundreds small islands and atolls in the central and western parts Pacific Ocean.

Total area of the islands- 1.26 million km² (together with Australia 8.52 million km²)
Population- 10.7 million people. (together with Australia 32.6 million people)
Divided into Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia; New Zealand is sometimes singled out.
The islands of Oceania are washed by numerous Pacific seas (Coral Sea, Tasman Sea, Fiji Sea, Koro Sea, Solomon Sea, New Guinea Sea, Philippine Sea) and Indian Oceans(Arafura Sea).

Geology

From a geological point of view, Oceania is not a continent: only Australia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, New Guinea and Tasmania are of continental origin, formed on the site of the hypothetical continent of Gondwana. In the past, these islands were a single landmass, but as a result of rising sea levels, a significant part of the surface was under water. The relief of these islands is mountainous and highly dissected. For example, highest mountains Oceania, including Mount Jaya (5029 m. highest high point oceania) , located on the island of New Guinea.

Most of the islands of Oceania are of volcanic origin: some of them are the tops of large underwater volcanoes, some of which still exhibit high volcanic activity (for example, the Hawaiian Islands).

Climate

Oceania is located within several climatic zones: equatorial, subequatorial, tropical, subtropical, temperate. Most of the islands have a tropical climate. Subequatorial climate prevails on the islands near Australia and Asia, equatorial climate - west of the 180th meridian, tropical climate - north and south of the tropics, temperate climate - on most of the South Island in New Zealand.

The climate of the islands of Oceania is determined mainly by trade winds, so most of them receive heavy rainfall.
The climate of the Oceanian islands is also greatly influenced by such anomalies as the El Niño and La Niña currents. During El Niño, the intertropical convergence zone moves north toward the equator; during La Niña, it moves south away from the equator. In the latter case, the islands experience severe drought, while in the former, heavy rains.

Most of the islands of Oceania are subject to harmful effects natural disasters: volcanic eruptions (Hawaiian Islands, New Hebrides), earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones accompanied by typhoons and heavy rains, droughts. Many of them lead to significant material and human losses. For example, the tsunami in Papua New Guinea in July 1999 killed 2,200 people.

On South Island In New Zealand and on the island of New Guinea, there are glaciers high in the mountains, but due to the process of global warming, their area is gradually decreasing.

Soils and hydrology

Due to different climatic conditions, Oceania's soils are very diverse. The soils of the atolls are highly alkaline, of coral origin, and very poor. They are usually porous, which is why they retain moisture very poorly, and also contain very little organic and mineral substances with the exception of calcium, sodium and magnesium. Soils volcanic islands, as a rule, are of volcanic origin and are characterized by high fertility. On large mountainous islands there are red-yellow, mountain lateritic, mountain-meadow, yellow-brown soils, yellow soils, and red soils.

Large rivers are found only on the South and North Islands of New Zealand, as well as on the island of New Guinea, which contains the largest rivers in Oceania, the Sepik (1126 km) and Fly (1050 km).

Largest river New Zealand - Waikato (425 km).

Flora and fauna

Kiwi is the symbol of New Zealand.

Oceania is included in the Paleotropical region of vegetation, with three subregions distinguished: Malesian, Hawaiian and New Zealand. Among the most widespread plants in Oceania are the coconut palm and the breadfruit tree, which play an important role in life local residents: the fruits are used for food, the wood is a source of heat, a building material, and copra is produced from the oily endosperm of coconut palm nuts, which forms the basis of exports for the countries of this region. It also grows on the islands a large number of epiphytes (ferns, orchids).

The fauna of Oceania belongs to the Polynesian faunal region with a subregion of the Hawaiian Islands. The fauna of New Zealand is allocated to an independent region, New Guinea - to the Papuan subregion of the Australian region. New Zealand and New Guinea are the most diverse. On the small islands of Oceania, primarily atolls, mammals are almost never found: many of them are inhabited only by the Polynesian rat. But the local avifauna is very rich. Most atolls have bird colonies where they nest. seabirds. Of the fauna of New Zealand, the most famous are the kiwi birds, which have become national symbol countries. Other endemic species of the country are kea, kakapo, and takahe. All the islands of Oceania are home to a large number of lizards, snakes and insects.

Minerals

Most of the islands of Oceania have no mineral resources, only the largest of them are being developed: nickel (New Caledonia), oil and gas (New Guinea island, New Zealand), copper (Bougainville island in Papua New Guinea), gold (New Guinea , Fiji), phosphates (on most islands the deposits are almost or already developed, for example, in Nauru, on the islands of Banaba, Makatea). In the past, many islands in the region were heavily mined for guano, the decomposed droppings of seabirds, which were used as nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer. On the ocean floor of the exclusive economic zone of a number of countries there are large accumulations of iron-manganese nodules, as well as cobalt, but in currently no developments are being carried out due to economic inexpediency.

Oceania is a part of the world; a geographical, often geopolitical, region of the world consisting primarily of hundreds of small islands and atolls in the central and western Pacific Ocean.

Geographical position

Oceania is the world's largest collection of islands, located in the western and central Pacific Ocean, between the subtropical latitudes of the Northern and temperate Southern hemispheres. When dividing the entire landmass into parts of the world, Oceania is usually united with Australia into a single part of the world, Australia and Oceania, although sometimes it is separated into an independent part of the world.

The total area of the islands is 1.26 million km² (together with Australia 8.52 million km²), the population is about 10.7 million people. (together with Australia 32.6 million people). Geographically, Oceania is divided into Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia; New Zealand is sometimes singled out.

The islands of Oceania are washed by numerous seas of the Pacific (Coral Sea, Tasman Sea, Fiji Sea, Koro Sea, Solomon Sea, New Guinea Sea, Philippine Sea) and Indian Oceans (Arafura Sea).

Countries and dependent territories

Name of region, countries	Population	Population density (persons/km²)
Australia
Australia			Canberra	AUD (Australian Dollar)
Ashmore and Cartier (Australia)	uninhabited
Cocos Islands (Australia)			West Island	AUD (Australian Dollar)
Coral Sea Islands (Australia)	uninhabited
Norfolk (Australia)			Kingston	AUD (Australian Dollar)
Christmas Island (Australia)			Flying Fish Cove	AUD (Australian Dollar)
Heard Island and McDonald Islands (Australia)	uninhabited
Melanesia
Vanuatu			Port Vila
Irian Jaya (Indonesia)			Jayapura, Manokwari
New Caledonia (France)
Papua New Guinea			Port Moresby
Solomon islands				SBD (Solomon Islands Dollar)
Fiji				FJD (Fiji Dollar)
Micronesia
Guam (USA)				USD (USA Dollar)
Kiribati			South Tarawa	AUD (Australian Dollar)
Marshall Islands				USD (USA Dollar)
Nauru				AUD (Australian Dollar)
Palau			Melekeok	USD (USA Dollar)
Northern Mariana Islands(USA)				USD (USA Dollar)
Wake (USA)
Federated States of Micronesia				USD (USA Dollar)
Polynesia
American Samoa(USA)			Pago Pago, Fagatogo	USD (USA Dollar)
Baker (USA)	uninhabited
Hawaii (USA)			Honolulu	USD (USA Dollar)
Jarvis (USA)	uninhabited
Johnston (USA)
Kingman (USA)	uninhabited
Kiribati			South Tarawa	AUD (Australian Dollar)
Midway (USA)
Niue (New Zealand)				NZD (New Zealand Dollar)
New Zealand			Wellington	NZD (New Zealand Dollar)
Cook Islands (New Zealand)				NZD (New Zealand Dollar)
Easter Island (Chile)			Hanga Roa	CLP (Chilean Pesso)
Palmyra (USA)
Pitcairn (UK)			Adamstown	NZD (New Zealand Dollar)
Samoa				WST (Samoan tala)
Tokelau (New Zealand)				NZD (New Zealand Dollar)
Tonga			Nuku'alofa	TOP (Tongan pa'anga)
Tuvalu			Funafuti	AUD (Australian Dollar)
Wallis and Futuna (France)				XPF (French Pacific Franc)
French polynesia(France)				XPF (French Pacific Franc)
Howland (USA)	uninhabited

Geology

From a geological point of view, Oceania is not a continent: only Australia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, New Guinea and Tasmania are of continental origin, having formed on the site of the hypothetical continent of Gondwana. In the past, these islands were a single landmass, but as a result of rising sea levels, a significant part of the surface was under water. The relief of these islands is mountainous and highly dissected. For example, the highest mountains of Oceania, including Mount Jaya (5029 m), are located on the island of New Guinea.

Most of the islands of Oceania are of volcanic origin: some of them are the tops of large underwater volcanoes, some of which still exhibit high volcanic activity (for example, the Hawaiian Islands).

Other islands are of coral origin, being atolls that were formed as a result of the formation of coral structures around submerged volcanoes (for example, the Gilbert Islands, Tuamotu). A distinctive feature of such islands are large lagoons, which are surrounded by numerous islets, or motu, average height which does not exceed three meters. In Oceania there is an atoll with the largest lagoon in the world - Kwajalein in the archipelago Marshall Islands. Although its land area is only 16.32 km² (or 6.3 sq. miles), its lagoon area is 2,174 km² (or 839.3 sq. miles). The largest atoll in terms of land area is Christmas Island (or Kiritimati) in the Line archipelago (or Central Polynesian Sporades) - 322 km². However, among atolls there is also a special type - a raised (or elevated) atoll, which is a limestone plateau up to 50-60 m high above sea level. This type of island does not have a lagoon or there are traces of its past existence. Examples of such atolls are Nauru, Niue, and Banaba.

The relief and geological structure of the Pacific Ocean floor in the Oceania region has a complex structure. From the Alaska Peninsula (part of North America) to New Zealand there are a large number of basins of marginal seas, deep ocean trenches (Tonga, Kermadec, Bougainville), which form a geosynclinal belt characterized by active volcanism, seismicity and contrasting relief.

Most of the islands of Oceania have no mineral resources, only the largest of them are being developed: nickel (New Caledonia), oil and gas (New Guinea island, New Zealand), copper (Bougainville island in Papua New Guinea), gold (New Guinea , Fiji), phosphates (on most islands the deposits are almost or already developed, for example, in Nauru, on the islands of Banaba, Makatea). In the past, many islands in the region were heavily mined for guano, the decomposed droppings of seabirds, which were used as nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer. On the ocean floor of the exclusive economic zone of a number of countries there are large accumulations of iron-manganese nodules, as well as cobalt, but at the moment no development is being carried out due to economic inexpediency.

Oceania Climate

Oceania is located within several climatic zones: equatorial, subequatorial, tropical, subtropical, temperate. Most of the islands have a tropical climate. Subequatorial climate prevails on the islands near Australia and Asia, as well as east of the 180th meridian in the equator zone, equatorial - west of the 180th meridian, subtropical - north and south of the tropics, temperate - on most of the South Island in New Zealand.

The climate of the islands of Oceania is determined mainly by trade winds, so most of them receive heavy rainfall. Average annual rainfall ranges from 1,500 to 4,000 mm, although some islands (particularly due to topography and downwind areas) may have drier or wetter climates. Oceania is home to one of the wettest places on the planet: on the eastern slope of Mount Waialeale on the island of Kauai, up to 11,430 mm of precipitation falls annually (the absolute maximum was reached in 1982: then 16,916 mm fell). Near the tropics average temperature is about 23 °C, at the equator - 27 °C, with little difference between the hottest and coldest months.

The climate of the Oceanian islands is also greatly influenced by such anomalies as the El Niño and La Niña currents. During El Niño, the intertropical convergence zone moves north toward the equator; during La Niña, it moves south away from the equator. In the latter case, the islands experience severe drought, while in the former, heavy rains occur.

Most of the islands of Oceania are subject to the destructive effects of natural disasters: volcanic eruptions (Hawaiian Islands, New Hebrides), earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones accompanied by typhoons and heavy rains, droughts. Many of them lead to significant material and human losses. For example, the tsunami in Papua New Guinea in July 1999 killed 2,200 people.

There are glaciers high in the mountains on the South Island of New Zealand and on the island of New Guinea, but due to global warming, their area is gradually decreasing.

Soils and hydrology

Due to different climatic conditions, Oceania's soils are very diverse. The soils of the atolls are highly alkaline, of coral origin, and very poor. They are usually porous, which is why they retain moisture very poorly, and also contain very little organic and mineral substances with the exception of calcium, sodium and magnesium. The soils of volcanic islands are usually of volcanic origin and are characterized by high fertility. On large mountainous islands there are red-yellow, mountain lateritic, mountain-meadow, yellow-brown soils, yellow soils, and red soils.

Large rivers are found only on the South and North Islands of New Zealand, as well as on the island of New Guinea, which contains the largest rivers in Oceania, the Sepik (1126 km) and Fly (1050 km). The largest river in New Zealand is the Waikato (425 km). The rivers are fed primarily by rain, although in New Zealand and New Guinea the rivers are also fed by water from melting glaciers and snow. On atolls there are no rivers at all due to the high porosity of the soil. Instead, rainwater percolates through the soil to form a lens of slightly brackish water that can be reached by digging a well. On larger islands (usually of volcanic origin) there are small streams of water that flow towards the ocean.

The largest number of lakes, including thermal ones, are located in New Zealand, where there are also geysers. On other islands of Oceania, lakes are a rarity.

Flora and fauna

Oceania is included in the Paleotropical region of vegetation, with three subregions distinguished: Melanesian-Micronesian, Hawaiian and New Zealand. Among the most widespread plants in Oceania are the coconut palm and the breadfruit tree, which play an important role in the lives of local residents: the fruits are used for food, the wood is a source of heat, a building material, and copra is produced from the oily endosperm of coconut palm nuts, which forms the basis of exports of the countries of this region. A large number of epiphytes (ferns, orchids) also grow on the islands. The largest number of endemics (both flora and fauna) are recorded in New Zealand and the Hawaiian Islands, while from west to east there is a decrease in the number of species, genera and families of plants.

The fauna of Oceania also belongs to the Polynesian faunal region with a subregion of the Hawaiian Islands. The fauna of New Zealand is allocated to an independent region, New Guinea - to the Papuan subregion of the Australian region. New Zealand and New Guinea are the most diverse. On the small islands of Oceania, primarily atolls, mammals are almost never found: many of them are inhabited only by the small rat. But the local avifauna is very rich. Most atolls have bird colonies where seabirds nest. Of the fauna of New Zealand, the most famous are the kiwi birds, which have become the national symbol of the country. Other endemics of the country are kea (Latin: Nestor notabilis, or nestor), kakapo (Latin: Strigops habroptilus, or owl parrot), takahe (Latin: Notoronis hochstelteri, or wingless plume). All the islands of Oceania are home to a large number of lizards, snakes and insects.

During the European colonization of the islands, alien species of plants and animals were introduced to many of them, which negatively affected the local flora and fauna.

The region contains a large number of protected areas, many of which occupy large areas. For example, the Phoenix Islands in the Republic of Kiribati have been the world's largest marine reserve since January 28, 2008 (area 410,500 km²).

Population

The indigenous inhabitants of Oceania are Polynesians, Micronesians, Melanesians and Papuans.

Polynesians living in the countries of Polynesia have a mixed racial type: in their appearance, features of the Caucasian and Mongoloid races are visible, and to a lesser extent - Australoid. Most large nations Polynesians - Hawaiians, Samoans, Tahitians, Tongans, Maoris, Marquesanes, Rapanui and others. Native languages belong to the Polynesian subgroup of the Austronesian family of languages: Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahitian, Tongan, Maori, Marquesan, Rapanui and others. Character traits Polynesian languages - a small number of sounds, especially consonants, an abundance of vowels.

Micronesians live in the countries of Micronesia. The largest peoples are Carolinians, Kiribatis, Marshallese, Nauru, Chamorros and others. The native languages belong to the Micronesian group of the Austronesian family of languages: Kiribati, Carolinian, Kusaie, Marshallese, Nauruan and others. The Palauan and Chamorro languages belong to the West Malayo-Polynesian languages, and Yapese forms a separate branch of the Oceanian languages, which also includes the Micronesian languages.

Melanesians live in the countries of Melanesia. Racial type - Australoid, with a small Mongoloid element, close to the Papuans of New Guinea. Melanesians speak Melanesian languages, but their languages, unlike Micronesian and Polynesian, do not form a separate genetic group, and the linguistic fragmentation is very great, so that people from neighboring villages may not understand each other.

Papuans inhabit the island of New Guinea and some areas of Indonesia. In terms of anthropological type, they are close to the Melanesians, but differ from them in language. Not all Papuan languages are related to each other. The national language of the Papuans in Papua New Guinea is the English-based Tok Pisin creole language. According to various sources of peoples and languages, the Papuans number from 300 to 800. However, there are difficulties in establishing the difference between an individual language and a dialect.

Many languages of Oceania are on the verge of extinction. In everyday life they are increasingly being replaced by English and French.

The situation of the indigenous population in the countries of Oceania is different. If, for example, in the Hawaiian Islands their share is very low, then in New Zealand Maori make up up to 15% of the country's population. The share of Polynesians in the Northern Mariana Islands, located in Micronesia, is about 21.3%. In Papua New Guinea, the majority of the population is made up of numerous Papuan peoples, although there is also a high proportion of people from other islands in the region.

In New Zealand and the Hawaiian Islands, the majority of the population is European, whose share is also high in New Caledonia (34%) and French Polynesia (12%). On the Fiji Islands, 38.2% of the population is represented by Indo-Fijians, descendants of Indian contract workers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century.

IN Lately In the countries of Oceania, the proportion of immigrants from Asia (mainly Chinese and Filipinos) is increasing. For example, in the Northern Mariana Islands, the share of Filipinos is 26.2%, and the Chinese are 22.1%.

The population of Oceania mainly professes Christianity, adhering to either the Protestant or Catholic branches.

History of Oceania

Pre-colonial period

The island of New Guinea and the nearby islands of Melanesia were supposedly inhabited by people from South-East Asia, who arrived in canoes about 30-50 thousand years ago. About 2-4 thousand years ago, most of Micronesia and Polynesia were inhabited. The colonization process ended around 1200 AD. By the beginning of the 16th century, the peoples of Oceania were experiencing a period of decomposition of the primitive communal system and the formation of an early class society. Crafts, agriculture, and navigation actively developed.

Colonial period

The ships of the English explorer James Cook and the canoes of the natives in Matavai Bay on the island of Tahiti (French Polynesia), artist William Hodges, 1776

In the period from the 16th to the 18th centuries, the period of study of Oceania by Europeans continued, who gradually began to populate the islands. However, the process of European colonization proceeded very slowly, since the region did not arouse much interest among foreigners due to the lack natural resources, and had a negative impact on the local population: many diseases were introduced that had never existed in Oceania, and this led to epidemics, as a result of which a significant part of the natives died. At the same time, there was a Christianization of the inhabitants, who worshiped numerous deities and spirits.

In the 18th-19th centuries, the islands of Oceania were divided between colonial powers, primarily the British Empire, Spain and France (later joined by the USA and the German Empire). Of particular interest to Europeans was the possibility of creating plantations on the islands (coconut palms for the production of copra, sugar cane), as well as the slave trade (the so-called “blackbird hunt,” which involved recruiting islanders to work on plantations).

New Zealand became a dominion in 1907, but it did not formally become a fully independent state until 1947. After the First World War, the first political organizations began to emerge (“May” in Western Samoa, “Fiji Youth” in Fiji), which fought for the independence of the colonies. During World War II, Oceania was one of the theaters of war where many battles took place (mainly between Japanese and American forces).

After the war, there were some economic improvements in the region, but in most colonies it was lopsided (the predominance of the plantation economy and the almost complete absence of industry). Since the 1960s, the process of decolonization began: Western Samoa gained independence in 1962, and in 1963 West Irian, in 1968 - Nauru. Subsequently, most of the colonies became independent.

Post-colonial period

After gaining independence, most countries in Oceania still have serious economic, political and social problems, which they are trying to solve with the help of the world community (including the UN) and through regional cooperation. Despite the process of decolonization in the 20th century, some islands in the region still remain dependent to one degree or another: New Caledonia, French Polynesia and Wallis and Futuna from France, the Pitcairn Islands from Great Britain, the Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau from New Zealand, a number islands (all minor outer islands except Navassa Island) from the United States.

Economy

Most countries in Oceania have a very weak economy, which is due to several reasons: limited natural resources, remoteness from world markets for products, and a shortage of highly qualified specialists. Many states depend on financial assistance from other countries.

The basis of the economy of most countries in Oceania is agriculture (copra and palm oil production) and fishing. Among the most important agricultural crops are the coconut palm, bananas, and breadfruit. Possessing huge exclusive economic zones and not having a large fishing fleet, the governments of the countries of Oceania issue licenses for the right to catch fish to ships of other countries (mainly Japan, Taiwan, the USA), which significantly replenishes the state budget. The mining industry is most developed in Papua New Guinea, Nauru, New Caledonia, and New Zealand.

A significant part of the population is employed in the public sector. Recently, measures have been taken to develop the tourism sector of the economy.

Culture

The art of Oceania has developed a distinctive style that makes the local culture unique.

IN fine arts Among the Polynesians, the main place belongs to wood carving and sculpture. Among the Maori, carving reached a high level; they decorated boats, parts of houses, carved statues of gods and ancestors; such a statue stands in every village. The main motif of the ornament is a spiral. Stone statues Moai were created on Easter Island and the Marquesas Islands. Of the crafts, the most important was the construction of boats, as they made it possible to engage in fishing and travel over long distances (in connection with this, astronomy developed among the Polynesians). Tattooing is widespread among Polynesians. The clothing used was tapa, which was made from the bark of trees of the mulberry family. Myths, legends, fairy tales, singing and dancing were developed in Polynesia. Writing was probably only on Easter Island (rongo-rongo); on other islands folklore was transmitted orally.

Singing and dancing are popular forms of art among Micronesians. Each tribe has its own myths. In the life of the islanders, the main place was occupied by ships - boats. There were different types of boats: dibenil - a sailing boat, valab - a large rowing boat. Megaliths are found on the Yap Islands. Of particular interest is Nan Madol, known as the “Venice of Micronesia.” This the whole city on the water, in the lagoon on the island of Ponape. Stone structures were built on artificial islands.

Wood carving reached a special peak among the Melanesians. Unlike the Polynesians, the Melanesians were not so tied to the sea, they were more land dwellers. Basic musical instrument- drum, or tom-tom. The Papuans have widespread folklore, songs, dances, and myths. The songs and dances are very simple. The singing is called mun, the melody varies very little. The cult of ancestors and skulls is important. Papuans make korvars - images of ancestors. Wood carving is well developed.

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Oceania is the name of a region of the world consisting of island groups in the central and southern Pacific Ocean. It covers more than 8.5 million km². Some of the countries that make up Oceania include Australia, New Zealand, Tuvalu, Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Solomon islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Palau, Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Kiribati and Nauru. Oceania also includes several dependent territories such as American Samoa, Johnston and French Polynesia.

Physical geography of Oceania

From point of view physical geography, the islands of Oceania are often divided into four different subregions based on geological processes that played an important role in their physical development. The first one is. It stands out due to its location in the middle of the Indo-Australian plate, and the lack of mountain building during its development. Instead, the current physical features of Australia's landscape have been shaped primarily by erosion.

The second region of Oceania consists of islands located at the boundaries of the collision between the plates of the earth's crust. They are located in the South Pacific Ocean. For example, on the collision line between the Indo-Australian and Pacific plates, and includes places such as New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Northern part The Pacific Ocean also has similar types of landscapes along the boundary of the Eurasian and Pacific plates. Colliding tectonic plates are responsible for the formation of mountains, such as those in New Zealand, that rise more than 3,000 m above sea level.

Volcanic islands such as Fiji are the third category of landscape type found in Oceania. These islands typically rise from the sea floor in hot spots in the Pacific Ocean basin. Most of these areas consist of very small islands with high mountain ranges.

And finally Coral reefs Islands and atolls such as Tuvalu are the last type of landscape in Oceania. Atolls are specifically responsible for the formation of low-lying land areas, some with enclosed lagoons.

Oceania Climate

Climate map of Oceania according to Köppen

Most of Oceania is divided into two climatic zones: temperate and. Most of Australia and all of New Zealand are in the temperate zone, while most of the Pacific islands are considered tropical. Temperate regions of Oceania have high levels precipitation, cold winters and warm or hot summers. The tropical regions of Oceania are hot and humid all year round.

In addition to these climatic zones, most countries in Oceania are subject to continuous trade winds and sometimes hurricanes (called tropical cyclones), which have historically caused catastrophic damage to the countries and islands of the region.

Flora and fauna of Oceania

Because most of Oceania lies in the tropical or temperate climate zone, abundant rainfall helps support the growth of tropical and temperate rainforests throughout the region. Tropical rainforests are common in some island countries near the tropics, while temperate rainforests are found in New Zealand. Both types of forest support a variety of animal and plant species, making Oceania one of the most biologically diverse regions in the world.

It is important to note that not all areas of Oceania receive high rainfall and some parts of the region are arid or semi-arid. Australia, for example, has large areas of dry land that support little diversity of flora. In addition, El Niño has caused frequent droughts in recent decades in Northern Australia and Papua New Guinea.

The fauna of Oceania, like its flora, is also extremely beautiful. Because much of the region is made up of islands, unique species of birds, animals and insects have evolved in complete isolation. The presence of coral reefs such as the Great Barrier Reef and Kingman Reef also provide areas of high concentration of flora and fauna, and are considered biodiversity hotspots.

Population of Oceania

Oceania has a population of about 40 million, with the bulk of the people (about 30 million) living in Australia and New Zealand, while Papua New Guinea has a population of about 8 million. The remainder of Oceania's population is scattered across the various islands that make up the region.

Like population distribution, urbanization and industrialization are also unevenly distributed across Oceania. About 89% of the region's urban areas are in Australia and New Zealand, and these countries also have the most well-developed infrastructure. Australia, in particular, has reserves of many minerals and raw energy sources, and also generates most economy of the region. The rest of Oceania and, in particular, the Pacific island states are very underdeveloped. Some islands are rich, but most are not. In addition, some of island states are experiencing a shortage of clean drinking water or food.

Agriculture is also important in Oceania and there are three types that are common in the region. These include subsistence agriculture, plantation crops and capital-intensive agriculture. Subsistence farming occurs on most Pacific Islands and is carried out to support local communities. Cassava, taro, yams and sweet potatoes are the most common products of this type of agriculture. Plantation crops are planted in the middle tropical islands, while capital-intensive agriculture is practiced only in Australia and New Zealand.

And finally, fishing and tourism are important sectors of the Oceanian economy and a driver of its development. Fishing serves as an important source of income because many islands have maritime exclusive economic zones that extend over 370 km. Tourism is also important to Oceania, as tropical islands such as Fiji offer aesthetic beauty, while Australia and New Zealand offer developed cities with modern infrastructure. New Zealand has also become important tourist region in the sphere.

Oceania countries

Map of Oceania countries/Wikipedia

Below is a list of 14 independent countries Oceania, ranked from largest to smallest country by area:

1) Australia:

Area: 7,617,930 km²
Population: about 25,000,000 people
Capital: Canberra

2) Papua New Guinea:

Area: 462,840 km²
Population: more than 8,000,000 people
Capital: Port Moresby

3) New Zealand:

Area: 268,680 km²
Population: about 5,000,000 people
Capital: Wellington

4) Solomon Islands:

Area: 28,450 km²
Population: about 600,000 people
Capitals: Honiara

5) Fiji:

Area: 18,274 km²
Population: about 900,000 people
Capital: Suva

6) Vanuatu:

Area: 12,189 km²
Population: about 270,000 people
Capital: Port Vila

7) Samoa:

Area: 2842 km²
Population: about 193,000 people
Capital: Apia

8) Kiribati:

Area: 811 km²
Population: about 110,000 people
Capital: Tarawa

9) Tonga:

Area: 748 km²
Population: about 107,000 people
Capitals: Nuku'alofa

10) Federated States of Micronesia:

Area: 702 km²
Population: about 105,000 people
Capital: Palikir

11) Palau:

Area: 459 km²
Population: about 21,000 people
Capital: Melekeok

12) Marshall Islands:

Area: 181 km²
Population: about 53,000 people
Capital: Majuro

13) Tuvalu:

Area: 26 km²
Capital: Funafuti

14) Nauru:

Area: 21 km²
Population: about 11,000 people
Capital: No

Welcome to the best blog about traveling to Oceania.

Oceania is a million islands scattered in the South Pacific Ocean between Australia and South America, and the most rarely visited part of the world by tourists, so the editors of our site traveled for you to the most distant archipelagos and brought photographs and stories (almost guidebooks!) about the most powerful tics and the most sacred marae.

Oceania is divided into three regions: Micronesia (in the northwest; this is where - and), Melanesia (in the west; here is Papua, and) and Polynesia (in the east and south; here are, for example, and). The division is not based directly on geography, climate, or geology, but ethnographic - the boundaries of the parts run along the boundaries of races, peoples and linguistic groups.

This is a catalog page and a guide page: here full list states of Oceania (large ones are divided into archipelagos), and then - links to stories about the islands:

Polynesia

Hawaii, USA

Cook Islands

New Zealand

Pitcairn Island

Easter Island (Rapa Nui)

Samoa

Tonga

Tuvalu

Wallis and Futuna

French polynesia

Usually no one knows what French Polynesia is and where it is, but in fact everything is simple: French Polynesia is grandiose island country the size of Western Europe, overseas territory France in the South Pacific Ocean, consists of approximately 6 (six) archipelagos scattered across the Pacific Ocean. From the westernmost Society archipelago (where the capital island of Tahiti is) to the easternmost Gambier archipelago is a 4-hour flight by turboprop aircraft.

Society Islands

Marquesas Islands

Tuamotu Islands

Rapa Iti Island

Micronesia

Guam, USA

Kiribati

Marshall Islands

Federated States of Micronesia

A country in the Caroline Islands, shared with Palau. Not to be confused with the geographic region Micronesia. F.S.M., in the manner of the United States, has 4 states: Yap, Koshrai, Pohnpei and Truk/Chuuk. Islands F.S.M. connected only by a common colonial past, first under Spain, then Germany, Japan and the USA (from which they gained independence en masse and became, in fact, Federated States Micronesia).

Yap Island

Truk Island (Chuuk)

The most dangerous place in Oceania: the local population, when drinking in the evening, is very unkind. But, at the same time, this is the coolest place for diving in all of Oceania: at the bottom of a crystal-clear lagoon on the white sand lie ships and planes sunk in World War II.

Oceania is the name of the largest collection of large and small islands on our planet in the western and central part of the Pacific Ocean. The islands of Oceania occupy about 1.3 million square kilometers of the Earth's surface and there are almost 7 thousand of them, large and small.

Island regions of Oceania

Traditionally, the islands of Oceania are divided by geographers, historians and ethnographers into three groups: Melanesia with the most big island New Guinea, Micronesia, Polynesia with the second largest island of Oceania New Zealand.

Island region of Oceania Melanesia (“black island”)

Melanesia is located in the west of Oceania and, in addition to New Guinea, it includes the archipelagos of Bismarck and Louisiada, as well as the islands of D'Anrtkastro, the islands of Santa Cruz, the Solomon Islands, the New Herbide islands, the island of New Caledonia, the Fiji islands, Loyalty and several others .

The main part of the territory of Melanesia falls on the island of New Guinea. He owns 829 of the 969 thousand square kilometers occupied by this area of Oceanian islands.

Island region of Oceania Polynesia (“multi-island”)

Polynesia stretches from the southwest to the east of Oceania. Most large islands Polynesia is New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Tonga, Samoa, Wallis, Tokelau, Horn, Cook, Tuvalu, Tubuai, Societies, Marquesas Islands and Easter Island.

265 thousand square kilometers of the total area of Polynesia are in New Zealand, 17 thousand in the Hawaiian Islands and 9 thousand in all the rest.

Ocean Islands Region Micronesia (“small island”)

Micronesia is located in the northwest of Oceania. The total area of its islands is only 2.6 thousand square kilometers, but these smallest islands are scattered over an ocean area of about 14 million square kilometers.

The main island groups of Micronesia are the Marshall Islands, the Caroline Islands, the Mariana Islands, and the Gilbert Islands.

Islands of Oceania by type of origin

The islands of Oceania differ in their origin and on this basis they are usually divided into four types: volcanic, coral or atoll (biogenic), continental, and geosynclinal.

Volcanic islands of Oceania

The volcanic islands of Oceania are the peaks of dormant or active underwater volcanoes. Among them there are islands with areas ranging from ten square kilometers to several thousand and they are the main type of islands in Oceania.

The most famous of the volcanic islands are the Hawaiian Islands, Easter Island, Tahiti and Samoa.

Coral Islands of Oceania (biogenic)

In shallow ocean waters, entire colonies of small marine animals - corals - usually settle. Over the centuries, when corals die, their skeletons cover the ocean floor, are pressed and form rock. Over time, coral reefs and entire islands appear above the surface of the water, and if coral deposits occurred along the contour of an underwater volcano, then atolls appear - coral islands with a lagoon in the center.

There are hundreds of coral islands (atolls) in Oceania, both single and forming entire archipelagos. These are the Caroline, Mariana, Marshall Islands, as well as the Gilbert and Tuamotu Islands. The largest atoll in Oceania is Kwajalein. Its territory area is 2.3 thousand square kilometers (including the area of the lagoon) and it belongs to the Marshall Islands archipelago.

Mainland Islands of Oceania

The mainland islands of Oceania were once part of the mainland and became islands as a result of the movement of the earth's crust. So New Guinea Australia is separated from the mainland only by a strait, the bottom of which until recently was dry land, and New Zealand is part of a huge continent that once existed, which included both Australia and Antarctica.

Per share mainland islands Oceania accounts for 90% of its territory. They have both lowlands and mountain systems, and long mountain plateaus.