Natural oceanias. General characteristics of Oceania

In addition to the six continents, there are a great many islands in the waters of the World Ocean. Their nature is extremely diverse. The natural complexes of Oceania are so different from the nature of the continents that geographers even classify it as a special part of the world. What is Oceania? Where is it?

Geographical position. Oceania is the largest collection of islands on Earth, located in the central and western parts Pacific Ocean. Its islands are scattered from the subtropical latitudes of the Northern to the temperate latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere. Oceania includes more than 7 thousand islands with a total area of ​​1.3 million km 2. Most of islands are grouped into archipelagos: New Zealand, Hawaii, Fiji, Tuamotu, etc. (see map).

Oceania became known to Europeans in the 16th century, from the time of the first circumnavigation F. Magellan.

A special chapter in the history of its discovery and research is made up of the voyages of J. Cook and the campaigns of Russian navigators V. M. Golovnin, F. P. Litke, S. O. Makarov and others. Only in the 19th century. More than 40 Russian expeditions visited the Pacific Ocean and collected valuable scientific information.

N. N. Miklouho-Maclay made a great contribution to the study of the nature and population of Oceania. He not only studied the life and way of life of the peoples of the island New Guinea, but also composed interesting descriptions shores of the tropical sea. The contribution of our compatriots to the study of Oceania is evidenced by the Russian names on the map: the Maclay coast, the Russian islands, the atolls of Suvorov, Kutuzov, Lisyansky, etc.

Features of nature. The islands of Oceania are very picturesque. Bizarre outlines of green mountainous islands appearing on the horizon, the appearance of flat atolls overgrown with slender palm trees, with a coastal strip of white coral or black volcanic sand capture the human imagination. Most of the islands of Oceania are surrounded coral reefs, which take on the blows of formidable ocean waves and dampen their gigantic force.

The physical-geographical location, size and origin of the islands are closely related to the structure of the Pacific Ocean floor. Most of the islands of Oceania are volcanic and coral, some of them are the tops of underwater ridges. There are also mainland islands. The islands in western Oceania lie in the region of island arcs formed at the boundaries of lithospheric plates (see map).

The position in a vast expanse of water, the small size of the land and remoteness, the isolation of the islands from the mainland and from each other had a significant impact on the nature of the islands and on the life of the peoples of Oceania.

Most of the islands are located in the equatorial, subequatorial and tropical zones. Only New Zealand and its adjacent islands are subtropical and temperate. The climate of Oceania is warm, even, mild, especially favorable for human life. Due to the position of the islands on both sides of the equator, air temperatures are high, but winds from the ocean significantly soften the heat. Temperature fluctuations between seasons and during the day are insignificant. Changes in air pressure over the expanses of the ocean lead to frequent hurricanes.

The isolation of the islands had the greatest impact on their flora and fauna. He is very unique. Life is poorest on small and relatively young coral islands, while on the mainland it is somewhat more diverse and richer. In the fauna of the islands there are no predators or poisonous snakes. The coastal waters of the islands and especially atolls are rich in life. Therefore, islands in the ocean are like oases in the middle of a water desert.

Along with common features in the nature of the islands, there are also differences. High mountainous mainland islands alternate with flat atolls, some lie on the equator and have a hot climate, others are located in the subtropical zone, where it is hot only in summer. Natural complexes of coral islands are most closely connected with the ocean. They are home to marine animals that lead an amphibious lifestyle, such as crabs. Many atolls are nesting grounds seabirds. On these islands, coconut palms and shrubs grow, adapted to strong winds saturated with moisture and sea salt.

Rice. 70. Part of the islands of Oceania are coral atolls

The natural complexes of volcanic islands are different. A lot of moisture falls on the windward slopes of the mountains. In the mountains there is an altitudinal zone. Natural complexes are especially diverse mainland islands. There are both high mountains and low plains. The islands of New Zealand are famous for their geysers and endemic flora and fauna.

Population and countries. Man settled Oceania many thousands of years ago. It is not yet clear what routes it took to settle. Many hypotheses have been put forward. According to scientific beliefs, Oceania was inhabited by people from South-East Asia. According to the hypothesis of the Norwegian traveler T. Heyerdahl, it was settled by immigrants from America. The Oceanians were skilled sailors and shipbuilders. Guided by the stars, they sailed thousands of kilometers from their home islands. There is evidence that they even sailed to the island of Madagascar.

Currently, the population of Oceania consists of indigenous people, newcomers and mixed populations. Indigenous peoples differ from each other not only by race, but also by language and lifestyle.

The indigenous people of New Guinea and nearby islands are the Papuans. They belong to the equatorial race. The population of other islands belongs to a special Polynesian group and is distinguished by lighter skin and wavy hair.

Rice. 71. A village on one of the islands of Oceania

Modern inhabitants of Oceania are engaged in agriculture, growing coconut palms, bananas, pineapples, sugar cane and other crops. Fishing in the ocean remains a traditional occupation. On the islands, non-ferrous metal ores and coal are mined, and phosphorite deposits are developed.

The nature of Oceania is very vulnerable. It has changed rapidly and continues to change under the influence of human activity. Valuable tree species have been cut down, and the coastal waters of many islands have been polluted. The real barbarity was the transformation of a number of atolls into testing grounds for atomic weapons. As a result, a number of atolls were destroyed, and the nature of others was changed beyond recognition.

The islands of Oceania were colonies for many years. Three decades ago there was only one independent state- New Zealand. Now independent countries more than fifteen. Others are still economically dependent on France, England, the USA, Australia, Chile and other countries.

  1. Explain the relationship between sizes geographical location, relief and minerals of the islands with their origin.
  2. What natural resources do the islands have?
  3. Compile a description of the islands of New Zealand using maps and other sources of knowledge.
  4. Plot a route for tourists on the map. Hold a competition for the best route.

The isolation of the island land had the greatest impact on its flora and fauna.. Only those plants and animals that can spread by air (for example, plants with tiny fruits or spores, some birds), by water (some reptiles) or organisms brought by humans have reached the remote islands of Oceania.

Diversity of plants and animals depends on the age of the islands, their size and position in relation to the continents and other islands. The poorest organic world is the biogenic islands. On atolls, plants usually grow only a few dozen species, mainly those whose fruits are easily transported by ocean waves. On raised atolls, as well as on volcanic islands, the number of species of higher plants alone reaches several hundred, on the Hawaiian Islands - more than 1,700, and on New Guinea - more than 20 thousand. On the ancient islands of Oceania, there is a large percentage of endemic ones, that is, not found anywhere else , species. This is partly explained by the fact that many ancient species that had disappeared in other areas of the Earth were able to survive here, and partly this is the result of speciation, which actively occurs when small populations of the species are isolated. A striking example of the originality of island faunas is the presence of flightless birds, for example, the flightless bird, the Maori shepherd - in New Zealand, - in New Caledonia, etc. Of the ancient reptiles, the proto-lizard, preserved on one of the islands near New Zealand, is very interesting. Unfortunately, many of these animals have been destroyed by humans, in particular the giant flightless bird in New Zealand.

Another feature of island faunas is that on many islands entire groups of organisms common to continents are completely or almost completely absent. So, for example, before the appearance of humans, there were no animals in Oceania except for representatives of the subclass of marsupials (and even then they are common only in New Guinea) and the order of rodents. Reptiles are very poorly represented on the islands; there are no poisonous ones everywhere except New Guinea. But it is rich in insects (there are more than 3,700 species in the Hawaiian Islands alone). Among the latter, of course, there are many flying. The number of bird species is large in New Guinea (more than 100). Only 5-7 species of birds, exclusively marine ones, nest on individual atolls.

A certain defectiveness is also observed in the flora of the islands. Many species of flowering plants found on mainland land are absent here. But there are very many spore-bearing plants, in particular ferns, whose spores are so light that they can even be carried by jet currents of the atmosphere (at an altitude of more than 10 km). On some islands, ancient plants that grew on the continents in the Mesozoic have been preserved, for example, podocarpus, agathis (kauri), degeneria, etc.

By the way, the defectiveness of the organic world has largely contributed to the preservation of rare species. Thus, the absence of predatory mammals allowed flightless birds to survive, and the absence of rodents saved many species of original plants. Therefore, human disturbance of this species has caused and is causing irreparable harm to the nature of Oceania.

He intentionally or unintentionally brought to the islands many species of strangler vines, various weeds, and some fruit trees, such as guava, which, having spread, displaced or destroyed many plants, taking their place in the plant communities of the islands.

Human-introduced animals have caused even more harm.. The usual inhabitants of ship holds have become almost ubiquitous - devouring large amounts of valuable vegetation. On many islands, feral domestic animals have bred, destroying birds. On a number of islands, many species of birds were completely destroyed by them. Significant changes in vegetation cover were caused by goats brought by whalers in past centuries. On some islands, their impact on vegetation was so great that now only poisonous species that are not eaten by animals dominate it.

The almost total destruction of vegetation is caused by rabbit breeding. Attempts to breed these animals on some islands led not only to the destruction of herbaceous vegetation and araucaria trees (rabbits systematically destroyed trees), but also to the erosion of soils, which, having lost vegetation, could not withstand rainwater. Fortunately, experiments on breeding rabbits were sporadic.

Among other animals, feral pigs and mongooses cause significant harm. Mongooses, brought, for example, to Fiji to fight rats, also began to destroy birds and some other animals.

Landscapes. On islands of different types, due to differences in age, size, geological structure and topography, various landscapes arose.

The simplest, relatively homogeneous and similar to each other are the landscapes of atolls. Their islands have an elongated configuration and low height. The development of vegetation and soils on them depends on the size of the lens of fresh soil-groundwater, formed from rain at a shallow depth under the surface of the island.

The biogenic islands were dominated by shrub or vegetation from a small number of plant species. Currently, the forests have given way to plantations of coconut palms, breadfruit trees and vegetable crops.

The natural complexes of biogenic islands are closely connected with the ocean thanks to amphibian organisms. Among them, crabs are especially widespread, including the large “”, which feeds on the fruits of coconut palms. Many atolls are nesting places for seabirds: terns, gannets, petrels, etc. Their numbers can reach millions of individuals, and there is one bird per 1 sq. m. Thanks to this, deposits containing .

The islands of the atolls are similar to each other. The most spectacular picture is presented by the outer island, facing the ocean. The greatness of the ocean element is especially felt here. Even in calm, windless weather, when there is almost no disturbance on the surface of the ocean, it dumps thousands of tons of water on the reef every second. During a storm, waves reach 7-8 m in height. Their traces are clearly recognizable by the storm swell rising 3-4 m above the beach. Only behind this pile of sand and broken, wave-rolled corals do the first plants begin to appear. Most often these are pandanus - trees on stilted roots - with long, rough, fleshy leaves and thorns. The picturesque bright green scevola and tournefortia with ash green leaves grow here. These are adapted, like , to the effects of strong winds saturated with moisture and sea salt.

Behind a narrow strip of bushes and trees, a palm forest begins. It is light, through the openwork crown of palm trees the rays of the sun penetrate to the very soil, creating an amazing play of chiaroscuro. However, walking through the forest is difficult. At every step there are fresh windfalls: trunks, branches, rotten leaves, rotting fruits of palm trees. Large bright red rats weighing up to 3-4 kg (palm thieves) and less exotic rats feel great in this pile of plant debris. Lots of mosquitoes. In small puddles, in coconut shells gnawed by rats, they lay larvae and quickly multiply. They are not as annoying as in the tundra, but they are dangerous because they carry elephantiasis.

In the center of the island the forest ends. There is a strip of vegetable gardens here. Vegetable gardens occupy the central part of the island, because fresh water there is closest to the surface and is least saline. On the atolls of Polynesia, a common crop is the giant taro, a tuber whose leaves reach two meters in length. plantings of cassava and other garden crops raise tall breadfruit tree trunks.

Behind the vegetable gardens the palm forest begins again. Among the coconut palms, trees with wide leathery leaves - callophyllums - are often found here. They are highly valued as a material for boat construction. Another thing that grows here is Guettarda. Its soft, succulent leaves are used as compost, a necessary fertilizer for the poor sandy soils of the atolls.

Above the misty crooked forest it seems to restore its former grandeur and density, but not for long; a lack of moisture is already beginning to be felt there. Trees are replaced by grasses - mountain or savannah.

The climatic conditions of the coastal terraces of the islands and their young soils are favorable for the growth of coconut palms. Its fruits contain many nutrients and are used to make valuable coconut oil. "" - unripe coconut - is widely used in the diet of the islanders. Coconuts, however, are afraid of competition from other plants; in the depths of the island, far from the ocean, they grow poorly, giving way to other crops.

The volcanic soils of the mountainous islands are exceptionally fertile, especially for bananas, but also for tubers (taro, sweet potatoes, yams, cassava). Plantation crops can grow well on them: and. In the lowlands (in river deltas) there are lands suitable for cultivating rice.

It should be noted that the climate of Oceania, for all its positive features, also has some disadvantages. In some areas, where the sky is often covered with clouds, plants experience a lack of sunlight, especially ultraviolet rays, and this affects the yield of many crops, such as rice. Plants especially need sunlight to produce sugar substances. Due to the lack of solar radiation, sugar, which is cultivated only in the dry zones of some islands (mainly in Fiji), is not widespread.

However, for the local population, even waterlogged lands have... There you can collect the edible fruits of mangrove plants or pandanus. Sago grows in the swamps of New Guinea, from the core of which some Papuan tribes prepare sago, their staple food.

Forests are also a great wealth of Oceania, especially mainland and geosynclinal islands. In New Guinea, tropical forest species such as terminalia, incia, alstonia, albizia are widely used in the timber industry, and in mountainous areas- Araucaria and Podocarpus. All these species produce very valuable wood. But kauri, or agathis, found in the forests of the Solomon Islands, New Hebrides and New Caledonia, is especially valued by timber traders. However, the extensive cutting of trees currently practiced, in which only valuable species are cut down almost entirely, leads to a deterioration in the species composition of forests. This is how sandalwood trees were destroyed back in the last century.

Beautiful beaches, warm ocean, landscapes of Oceania, as well as soft, eternal - also unique and valuable resources that contribute to the development of tourism in the countries of Oceania.

Oceania's resources are not only on land and in its depths. The islanders have long enjoyed seafood, and it would be impossible to live without the resources of the ocean.

Thus, Natural resources The oceans are diverse, and their protection is of great importance for the lives of island peoples.

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Geographical location of Oceania, countries and dependent territories of Oceania

Geology and climate of Oceania, soils and hydrology of Oceania, economy and culture of Oceania, Melanesia, Micronesia, New Zealand and Polynesia

Section 1. Main characteristics of Oceania.

Section 2. Physiographic countries of Oceania.

Oceania- This 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.

Main characteristics of Oceania

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.

Oceania is a large number of islands (about ten thousand) located in the center and south - west of the Pacific Ocean. Oceania is located between the Malay Archipelago and Australia. Divided into Polynesia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and sometimes New Zealand. The total area of ​​the islands is about 1.25 million square kilometers. These islands are inhabited by approximately 18 million people.

Oceania is based on New Zealand (South and North Islands) and New Guinea. These islands make up 4/5 of the entire territory. The islands of western Micronesia and Melanesia are a large mountain range rising from the ocean floor, the peaks being above the water. These islands are craters of underwater volcanoes: Samoa, Cook, Easter, Hawaiian, Marquesas.


In Hawaii: Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, if counted from the ocean floor, reach nine thousand meters. But mostly Micronesia and Polynesia are islands of animal origin (atolls) of coral. They grew from underwater volcanic craters.

Oceania is a unique natural wonder, each island is its own world, with its own charms. The flora is very diverse. Some islands have vegetation of all climatic zones. The characteristic tree of Oceania is the coconut palm. Its wood is used for construction, and ropes are woven from palm fibers. Coconut oil is used to make soap and margarine.

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.


In the Pacific Ocean, in its central and western parts, there is the largest cluster of islands on the globe, with a total area of ​​about 1.26 million km2, most of which are grouped into archipelagos. All the islands are united under the name Oceania. The development of Oceania took place under conditions of long-term isolation from the mainland, which determines the deep originality of its landscapes. It is manifested both in the geological structure and relief, and in the high endemism and poverty of the species composition of flora and fauna, especially on the most remote eastern islands. These reasons provide the basis for identifying Oceania as a special part of the world with the dominance of oceanic landscapes, which has no analogues on the continents. Geological structure The islands of Oceania are in direct connection with the structure of the Pacific Ocean floor. Almost all the islands are of coral or volcanic origin. In central Oceania (Polynesia and eastern Micronesia), they represent the peaks of submarine volcanoes crowning submarine ridges, erected by powerful outpourings of basaltic lavas at the end of the Neogene and in the Quaternary period along the fault lines of the ancient oceanic platform of the Pacific Ocean floor. The formation of coral islands occurred in the Quaternary period in connection with ecstatic fluctuations in the level of the Pacific Ocean and deflections of sections of its bottom. The islands, concentrated on the western edge of Oceania, lie in zones of geosynclinal structures framing the central platform, and are (according to V.V. Belousov) the tops of grandiose underwater ridges, the leading structures of geosynclinal zones. On the outer (oceanic) side, these islands are framed by deep-sea depressions, extremely clearly expressed in the topography of the ocean floor due to the extremely slow processes of demolition and accumulation of sediments. Mountain-building movements in the peripheral Pacific geosynclines actively manifested themselves in the Mesozoic and Alpine cycles, but have not ended at the present time, as evidenced by frequent and strong earthquakes and active volcanism on the islands. The islands of western Oceania are the largest and most mountainous. Among them they stand out for their size and high mountainous terrain New Zealand and New Guinea, which account for 80% of Oceania's land area. The islands are scattered at latitudes ranging from subtropical in the northern hemisphere to temperate in the southern (lie between 28°25"N and 52°30"S and 130°E and 105°20"W) , but most of them are concentrated in subequatorial zones, which determines the main features of temperature variations and moisture regimes.The influence of land affects the climate of the islands closest to Australia and Southeast Asia.


The rest are characterized by small daily and seasonal amplitudes of high temperatures, constantly high relative humidity and large amounts of precipitation, due to the exclusive dominance of marine air masses. The average temperatures of the warmest months (August in the northern hemisphere, February in the southern) vary from 25°C in the north to 16°C in the south, the coldest months (February and August) from 16°C to 5°C. Sharp fluctuations in seasonal and daily temperatures are characteristic only of mountainous islands, where high-altitude climatic zones appear. In New Zealand and New Guinea, high-altitude climatic zones end in a nival climate. Average annual precipitation varies enormously depending on orography. Moist winds (mainly trade winds from both hemispheres) sweep freely over low small islands, but rise along the windward slopes of high mountainous islands, which receive heavy orographic rain (in some places up to 9000 mm or more). This creates sharp climatic and landscape contrasts on slopes of different exposures. Evergreen moist forests grow on the windward slopes, a dense network of deep rivers develops, erosion and chemical weathering of rocks actively occur, and podzolization of lateritic soils occurs. The leeward slopes are dominated by mixed (deciduous-evergreen) forests, xerophytic woodlands and peculiar oceanic savannas with hard grasses, pandanus, and groves of coconut palms. The low islands, where mainly cyclonic precipitation from tropical fronts falls, are covered with oceanic savannas, forests of coconut palms and pandanus trees, mangroves (mainly on coral islands) and even semi-desert vegetation; outcrops of dense, unweathered basalts are completely bare. The large islands of Oceania were centers of flora formation. At the same time, many plant species migrated to the islands from Australia, and mainly from the Malay Archipelago and Southeast Asia, as a result of which almost all of Oceania is included in the Malesian floristic subregion of the Paleotropics, which is extremely poor in species composition and highly endemic. The question of the distribution of organisms in Oceania remains unresolved. It is generally believed that migration took place over temporary land bridges. On the other hand, one cannot underestimate the role of winds, currents, birds and, finally, people, who in ancient times made long voyages between archipelagos. The greatest endemism of the flora is found in New Zealand and the Hawaiian Islands, which are divided into special subregions. Among the plants of Oceania, there are many useful for humans: coconut and sago palms, bananas, rubber plants, mangoes, melon and breadfruit trees.


Many tropical crops are grown on the islands: pineapples, bananas, sugar cane, etc. Ocean spaces present great difficulties for the settlement of animals, therefore the composition of the fauna in Oceania is very specific, characterized by great depletion, primarily due to the almost complete absence of mammals. For this reason, most of Oceania is allocated to the Polynesian zoogeographic region. On the islands there are a lot of well-flying birds (swifts, pigeons, etc.) and there are some small animals (mainly bats, dogs and foxes, lizards), as well as insects that were accidentally carried on the trunks of floating trees. The imported animals and birds caused great harm to the fauna of Oceania, many of which occupied empty ecological niches, found a favorable environment for reproduction, and sometimes completely destroyed not only local animals, but also plant cover. Regional landscape differences allow us to distinguish four physical-geographical countries in Oceania: Melanesia, Micronesia, New Zealand and Polynesia.

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).


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), 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 in currently no developments are being carried out due to economic inexpediency.


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 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.

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.


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 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 national symbol countries. 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).

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. Characteristic features of Polynesian languages ​​are a small number of sounds, especially consonants, and 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 languages.

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.

The island of New Guinea and the nearby islands of Melanesia were supposedly settled by people from Southeast Asia who arrived by canoe approximately 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.

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.


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, Pitcairn Islands from Great Britain, Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau from New Zealand, a number of islands (all minor outer islands except Navassa Island) from the USA.

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.

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 moai statues 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.

Physiographic countries of Oceania

Regional landscape differences allow us to distinguish four physical-geographical countries in Oceania: Melanesia, Micronesia, New Zealand and Polynesia.

Melanesia

Melanesia includes New Guinea, the archipelagos of Bismarck, Louisaida, Solomon Islands, Santa Cruz, New Hebrides, New Caledonia, Fiji and a number of small islands. The islands of Melonesia lie in the alpine geosynclinal zone and were created by mountain-building processes of the Neogene and early Quaternary period. They are composed of crystalline intrusions and folded sedimentary deposits. The complex of crystalline rocks contains ore minerals: nickel, gold, iron ores, chromites. Oil-bearing basins are confined to sedimentary formations.


Volcanic activity continues to this day. Frequent and strong earthquakes occur.

The relief of the islands is predominantly mountainous. The islands received their modern shape in the Quaternary period; previously they were connected with each other, with Australia, and with the Malay Archipelago by land bridges along which the migration of flora and fauna took place. In this regard, plant and animal world include many Australo-Malayan species.

Mountains rise to 2000 m and higher in New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and the Bismarck Archipelago, which are collectively called Northern Melanesia. The climate here is constantly hot and very humid; most of the islands are covered with evergreen rainforests.

The climate of Southern Melanesia is hot, seasonally humid, hylean forests cover only the windward slopes of the mountains, and savannas appear on the dry, leeward slopes.

The largest island of Melanesia and Oceania is New Guinea with an area of ​​829,300 km2. This island is located entirely in equatorial latitudes. The island's flora is rich in species and includes 6,872 plant species, of which 85% are endemic. The Sredinny Ridge stretches across the entire island, the height of which increases to the west up to Jaya Peak (5029 m). A huge amount of moisture condenses on its slopes, brought in in winter by the southeastern trade winds, and in summer by the northwestern monsoon. On high peaks Mountain precipitation falls in solid form. The snow line lies at an altitude of 4420 m. There are small glaciers on the mountain tops.

Below the eternal snow and rocky placers there are tall grass meadows with rhododendron bushes, and even lower there is a belt of mountain gils, which at an altitude of 900 m give way to the wilds of typical gils.

To the south of the Sredinny Range lies a wide lowland, at the base of which lies a crystalline basement overlain by marine and alluvial sediments.

The lowlands receive up to 4000-5000 mm of precipitation, but its southern regions are very dry. The characteristic vegetation type is savannah with tufts of tough grasses and Australian tree species - banksias, eucalyptus and acacia.

There are many reed swamps in the floodplains of the Fly and Digul rivers. Mangrove forests grow at river mouths and along low-lying banks.

New Zealand

New Zealand consists of two large islands– Northern and Southern – and a number of small ones. She takes the most southern position in Oceania. The islands of New Zealand extend from southwest to northeast and follow a major fault line that continues along the deep-sea Kermadec and Tonga trenches.


New Zealand structures began to form in the Upper Paleozoic. The most important mountain-building movements occurred in the Mesozoic era and in the Paleogene, after which a period of tectonic rest and peneplanation began. In the Pliocene, new folding and differential vertical movements occurred, fragmenting the ancient land and determining the modern contours of the coast.

The development of the organic world occurred mainly without replenishment from the outside. The flora of the islands consists of 74% endemic plants and is relatively poor in species. There are tree ferns (cyathea, dixonia), conifers, myrtaceae, etc. The fauna of New Zealand is also characterized by high endemism and extreme antiquity. Local mammals are represented by two species of bats and one species of rat. There are flightless (kiwi, owl parrot) and flying (nestor parrot) birds. The only representative of the most ancient reptiles (proto-lizards) - the hatteria - has survived.

The nature of the North and South Islands is diverse.

The South Island (area 150 thousand km2) has mountainous terrain. The Southern Alps stretch along the western half of the island. Their height reaches 3764 m. They have up to 50 glaciers with a total area of ​​about 1000 km2. The Otago Plateau (1200-1800 m) adjoins the mountains from the south. In southwest Otago lie large lakes. Along the western slopes of the Southern Alps there is a narrow coastal lowland, and the Canterbury coastal plains adjoin the eastern slopes.

Almost the entire South Island lies in a moderately warm, very humid climate. The average winter temperature is 5-7°C. Sometimes it drops below 0°C. Western winds predominate. In summer, the westerly circulation remains weakened. Temperatures are 14° in the south and 17°C in the north. Precipitation occurs both in winter and summer, but the maximum occurs in summer. On the lowlands, the annual precipitation is 2500 mm, on the mountain slopes - 3500 mm. The eastern slopes receive only 700 mm per year.

The rivers are full-flowing with uniform flow and fed by snow, glaciers and rain. They spread widely in spring and summer.

The western slopes of the mountains are covered with dense mixed forests, in which evergreen trees (laurel and conifers) penetrate far to the south. Above 600 m and up to 1000 m there is a belt of evergreen beech forests. Above it is a belt of low-growing hard-leaved shrubs and mountain meadows. The eastern slopes are covered with evergreen bushes and beech forests.

The North Island (area 115 thousand km2) is separated from the South Island by the Cook Strait graben. The relief is dominated by medium-altitude plateaus, with lowlands widely developed along the edges. Along east coast the Ruahine ridge stretches out. The central part of the island is occupied by a volcanic plateau, above which volcanic cones rise. Among them there are existing ones: Ruapehu - the highest in New Zealand, Tarawera. There are many lakes on the plateau, often thermal. The largest of them is Lake Taupo.

The climate of the North Island is subtropical, warm temperate, with very wet winters. In summer there is less precipitation. The vegetation is represented by mixed subtropical forests, richer in species composition than on the South Island. Thickets of evergreen shrubs dominate on lava plateaus; forests appear only on weathered lavas.

Micronesia

Micronesia includes about 1,500 islands: the Kazan, Mariana, Caroline, Marshall, Gilbert and Nauru archipelagos. All islands are small; the largest of them, Guam, has an area of ​​583 km2.


The Western archipelagos are located in the belt of geosynclinal structures of the Pacific Ocean floor and are the peaks of volcanoes. The relief of the islands is mountainous (height from 400 to 1000 m). The islands of eastern Micronesia are coral. They rarely rise above the water by more than 1.5 - 2.5 m. Many of them have the shape of typical atolls.

The islands lie in latitudes from equatorial to subtropical. Climate northern islands just as hot and humid as the southern ones. The greatest amount of precipitation (1500-2000 mm) falls on the eastern slopes of the mountainous islands, windward of the northeast trade winds. Previously, the slopes were covered with dense, moist evergreen tropical forests, but currently these forests have greatly decreased in area. The leeward slopes of the islands are occupied by grass savannas. Inland lagoons framed by mangroves.

Polynesia

Polynesia unites the islands lying generally east of the 180th meridian, between 30° N. w. and 30° S. sh.: Hawaiian, Phoenix and Tokelau archipelagos, Samoa, Cook Islands, Tubuau, Tahiti, Tuamotu, etc. The islands are the tops of basaltic volcanoes, mostly beheaded by weathering and abrasion, overlain by reef limestones. There are also coral islands - a product of the ocean, madrepore corals and calcareous algae.


The name "Polynesia", meaning many islands, was first used by Charles de Brosses in 1756, and was originally applied to all the islands of the Pacific Ocean. Jules Dumont D'Urville in 1831, in a lecture to the Geographical Society of Paris, proposed restrictions on its use, and also introduced the terms Micronesia and Melanesia. This division into three different Pacific subregions is still used today.

Geographically, Polynesia can be described as a triangle with corners at Hawaii, Aoteaora (New Zealand) and Rapa Nui (Easter Island). Other major island groups located within the Polynesian triangle are Samoa, Tonga, the various island chains that form the Cook Islands and French Polynesia. Niue - a rare secluded place Island state near the center of Polynesia. Island groups outside this large triangle include Tuvalu and the French territory of Wallis and Futuna. There are also small enclaves of isolated Polynesians in Papua New Guinea, Solomons and Vanuatu. Basically, however, it is an anthropological term applied to one of the three parts of Oceania (others call Micronesia and Melanesia), whose population generally belongs to the same ethnocultural family as a result of centuries of maritime movements.

Polynesia is divided into two distinct cultural groups, Eastern Polynesian and Western Polynesia. The culture of Western Polynesia is driven by its large population. It has strong institutions of marriage, and well-developed judicial, monetary and trading traditions. It includes groups of Tonga, Niue, Samoa and Polynesian areas beyond the borders. Eastern Polynesian cultures are highly adapted to smaller islands and atolls, including the Cook Islands, Tahiti, Tuamotus, Marquesas, Hawaii and Easter Island. However large islands New Zealand was first settled by East Polynesians who adapted their culture to a non-tropical one environment. Religion, agriculture, fishing, weather forecasting, canoeing (similar to modern catamarans), construction and navigation were highly developed skills because the population of the entire island depended on them. Trade was divided into two types: luxury and household items. Many small islands could suffer severe famine if their gardens were poisoned by salt from a hurricane's storm surge. In such cases fishing, a primary source of protein, would not attenuate the energy loss of food. Sailors in particular were highly respected, and each island maintained a navigation house, with a canoe building area. Polynesian settlements had two categories, villages and towns. The size of the inhabited island determined whether or not a village would be built. Large volcanic islands usually had villages divided into many zones across the island. Food and resources were more abundant and so these settlements of four to five houses (usually with gardens) were established so that there was no overlap between zones. Villages, on the other hand, were founded on the coasts of smaller islands and consisted of thirty or more houses. Typically these villages were fortified with walls and palisades made of stone and timber. However, New Zealand demonstrates the opposite; large volcanic islands with fortified villages. Due to relatively large quantity competitive sects of Christian missionaries in the islands, many Polynesian groups adopted Christianity. Polynesian languages ​​are all members of the Oceanic language family, a subgroup of the Austronesian language family.

The organic world is represented by reef-loving plants and animals not only of land, but also of the sea. Along the outer edge of the atoll, seaweeds, foraminifera, sponges, sea ​​urchins and starfish, crabs and shrimp. Behind the outer graben of the atoll, on thick carbonate soils, land vegetation appears: thickets of evergreen xerophytic shrubs, forests of coconut palms, pandanus, banana thickets and breadfruit groves.

The largest archipelago of Polynesia is the Hawaiian Islands, stretching for 2500 km. The Hawaiian archipelago consists of 24 islands with a total area of ​​16,700 km2. The largest islands are Hawaii, Maui, Oahu and Kauai. Volcanic activity continues only on the island of Hawaii; on other large islands it ceased at the beginning of the Quaternary period.

Most of the islands are located in a tropical climate zone and are under the continuous influence of northeastern trade winds. The amount of precipitation on the windward slopes exceeds 4000 mm, on the leeward slopes - no more than 700 mm per year. High air temperatures are typical. The northwestern islands of the archipelago lie in the subtropical zone. They are further away from the cold California Current, so they have higher average seasonal temperatures. Precipitation is cyclonic, maximum in winter. Quantity annual precipitation about 1000 mm.

The flora of Hawaii is highly endemic (up to 93% of species) and uniform, so it is classified as a special Hawaiian subregion of the Paleotropics. It contains gymnosperms, ficus, and epiphytic orchids. Palm trees are represented by three types. The mountains are characterized by seasonally wet mixed forests up to an altitude of 700 m), permanently wet evergreen forests (up to 1200 m), and tropical mountain hylaea (up to 3000 m). Savannas do not rise on slopes higher than 300-600 m.

The islands have a very rich avifauna (67 genera). More than half lead a sedentary lifestyle and nest on islands. In addition to birds, there is one species of bat, several species of lizards, and beetles.

Current state nature and its protection

The islands' landscapes are extremely vulnerable to human economic activity. Great harm is caused by the accidental or deliberate introduction of alien organisms - plants or animals - to the islands.

The condition of the natural environment is worsened by the irrational use of land, the cutting down of valuable tree species, the pollution of coastal water bodies and the direct destruction of the island land.

The nature of biogenic islands is the most vulnerable. The vulnerability of their flora and fauna, as well as their small volume fresh water and above-water land create great difficulties for the conservation of the natural environment.

With the rapid population growth, maintaining adequate sanitation standards on the islands is becoming a difficult task, especially since it is not easy to find a suitable place to dispose of waste and sewage.

Phosphorite mining causes great devastation on some islands. As a result of this, people are creating deserts, the restoration of which is practically inaccessible to the young states of Oceania.

Tourists, lovers of spearfishing and collectors of living souvenirs, cause great harm to the nature of the islands. Already, many states have adopted laws prohibiting the breaking of corals, collecting shells, pearling, and hunting birds and animals.

Island groups

Next are the islands and island groups, or nations or subnational territories, that have a native Polynesian culture. Some islands of Polynesian origin are outside the general triangle that geographically defines the area.

American Samoa (Overseas Territory of the United States)

Anuta (in Solomon Islands)

Cook Islands (self-governing state in association with New Zealand)

Easter Island (part of Chile, named Rapa Nui in Rapa Nui)

Emai (in Vanuatu)

French Polynesia (“foreign country”, territory of France)

Hawaii (United States State)

Kapingamarangi (in the United States of Micronesia)

Mele (in Vanuatu)

New Zealand (called Aotearowa in Maori, usually associated with Australasia)

Niue (self-governing state in free association with New Zealand)

Nigeria (in Papua New Guinea)

Nukumanu (in Papua New Guinea)

Nikuoro (in the United States of Micronesia)

Ontong Java (in Solomon Islands)

Pileni (in Solomon Islands)

Rennell (in Solomon Islands)

Rotuma (in Fiji)

Samoa Islands (independent nation)

Sikaina (in Solomon Islands)

Country Boys Island (politically part of American Islands Samoa)

Takuu (in Papua New Guinea)

Tikopia (in Solomon Islands)

Tokelau (New Zealand overseas dependency)

Tonga (independent nation)

Tuvalu (independent nation)

Wallis and Futuna (foreign territory of France).

Sources

Wikipedia – The Free Encyclopedia, WikiPedia

oceaniasport.info – Oceania

stranymira.com – Countries

polynesia.ru – Polynesia

; ; ; ;

  • Easter Island: history and people; ;
  • Islands of Polynesia; ; ;
  • Hawaiian archipelago. Hawaii; ; ; ;
  • New Zealand ; ;

    • Oceania

    OCEANIA, a collection of islands in the central and southwestern parts of the Pacific Ocean, between Australia, the Malayan Arch. in the west and a wide, islandless strip of ocean in the north, east and south; sometimes it becomes an independent part of the world. Oceania is divided into Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia; New Zealand is sometimes singled out.

    The area of ​​the Oceania islands is 1.26 million km2. The origin of the islands is predominantly volcanic (high) and coral (low). Highest height 5029 m (city of Jaya on the island of New Guinea).

    The climate of Oceania is oceanic, predominantly subequatorial and equatorial, in the south it is subtropical and temperate. Precipitation is generally approx. 1000 mm per year, on the windward slopes of large islands up to 10 thousand mm.

    The vegetation of Oceania consists of tropical rainforests, savannas, and meadows. The fauna of Oceania is characterized by a small number of mammals and an abundance of birds; many endemics. Tropical agriculture and fishing are developed in Oceania.

    The following states are located in Oceania: Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New. Zealand, Palau, Papua New. Guinea, North Mariana Islands, Solomon islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Federated States Micronesia, Fiji. A significant part of Oceania consists of the possessions of Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand, the USA, and France. The population of Oceania is 9.5 million people (1988).

    Melanesia(from ancient Greek μέλας and νῆσος - Black Islands) - a collection of island groups in the Pacific Ocean, whose indigenous inhabitants do not speak either Polynesian or Micronesian languages, and are also dark-skinned. Melanesia is located northeast of Australia.

    Area: 940,000 km². Population: 6,500,000 people.

    Melanesia includes the following groups of islands: New Caledonia; New Guinea; Solomon islands; Vanuatu; Fiji; Bismarck Archipelago; Santa Cruz Islands; Loyalty

    Micronesia - part of Oceania. The name of the archipelago means “Little Island” in Greek. It consists mainly of atolls. There are several large volcanic islands.

    The total land area of ​​Micronesia is very small, and the population is also very small. But there are very large maritime economic zones here.

    Includes the Marianas, Carolines, Marshalls, Gilberts and Nauru islands. Wake Atoll may also be included here.

    Geographically, Micronesia is divided into the Marshall, Caroline, Mariana Islands, Kiribati Islands (formerly Gilbert and Ellice, Kiribati - English Gilbert distorted in the local manner) and the island of Nauru. Of these, the Western Carolinas and Mariana Islands are volcanic. The largest of the Marianas is the island of Guam, the capital is Agana. Locals divide the archipelago into two parts - Ratak (sunrise islands) and Ralik (sunset islands).

    The largest atolls: Bikini (Eshsholtsa), Rongelap (Rimsky-Korsakov), Maloelap (Arakcheeva), Majuro, Eniwetok (Brown), Kusaie (Ualan), Uliti, Tarawa, etc., as well as the Senyavin islands (the largest of them is Ponape) and Truk Island. Some of them have two names, including Russian ones. This is a memory of the Russian expedition led by Otto Kotzebue.

    Polynesia(from Greek: πολύς many, νῆσος island) - a group of islands of Oceania located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean, between 23°30’N. w. - 28°S w. and 176°E. d. - 109°20’W. d.

    The islands are mainly of volcanic or coral origin. Volcanic islands are mountainous ( highest point- 4202 m, Hawaiian Islands), coral - flat, low-lying. There are active volcanoes on the islands of Hawaii and Samoa. Most of the islands are surrounded by coral reefs.

    The climate is tropical and monsoon. Average annual temperatures range from 22 to 26 °C, with slight monthly variations. Average annual precipitation is 1500-3500 mm. The islands of Tahiti, Samoa and Tonga are subject to strong hurricanes.

    The mountainous islands are covered with dense evergreen tropical forests, especially on the windward slopes, while the leeward slopes are mostly covered with savanna. On the coasts there are coconut palms, breadfruit trees, and pandanuses. The fauna lacks large mammals and many birds.

    The main crop is the coconut palm. Bananas, sugar cane, pineapples, coffee, cocoa, rubber, rice, yams, taro, cassava, etc. are also grown. Pearl mining and sea turtle fishing are also grown.

    Area (excluding New Zealand) about 26,000 km². Population: about 1.2 million people. (1969).

    The article talks about Oceania. Provides information about the flora and fauna of the island region. Material includes brief information regarding the climate characteristic of this part of the world. Data is provided on the composition of the region's population, indicating linguistic features.

    Geographical position

    Oceania is a part of the world, which is a geopolitical region with individual characteristics. The region consists of islands and atolls, which are located in the western and central parts of the Pacific.

    The islands of Oceania are located in the zone of influence of the temperate latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere and the subtropical latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.

    There are seven active volcanoes on the island of Hawaii. Among them is Mauna Loa, the world's largest shield volcano.

    Rice. 1. Mauna Loa Volcano.

    The height of the volcano from the bottom of the sea to the peak is over ten kilometers.

    Often in geographical studies and scientific works Oceania should be analyzed together with Australia.

    For this reason it is used geographical name- Australia and Oceania. The total area of ​​the territory is 1.24 million km. sq. Number of inhabitants - 10.6 million people.

    Oceania consists of three geographical areas. Its shores are washed by many seas, including:

    • Coral Sea;
    • Solomon Sea;
    • New Guinea Sea;
    • Tasman Sea;
    • Coro Sea;
    • Fiji sea;
    • Arafura Sea.

    The geographical concept of “Oceania” was coined by the explorer Conrad Malthe-Brun in 1812. The name comes from the word "ōkeanós", which literally means "ocean".

    Nature and population of Oceania

    The bulk of the islands in the region are made up of original inhabitants. The indigenous population includes: Micronesians, Polynesians, Papuans.

    Polynesians are a mixed racial group. This is indicated by the traits that characterize Caucasians and Mongoloids.

    Numerous Polynesian peoples are Hawaiians, Maoris, Tongans, and Tahitians.

    Rice. 2. Hawaiians.

    Each of these nationalities has its own language, which practically does not contain consonants.

    The racial species of Melanesians belongs to the Australoid type. Linguistic diversity is often the reason why residents of neighboring villages simply do not understand each other.

    Papuans inhabit parts of Indonesia and New Guinea.

    All Papuan languages ​​are similar to each other. Their base is English. Often residents of distant regions own English language Ideally.

    Oceania is characterized by a greater extent in latitude and meridian. This circumstance had a significant impact on the diversity flora islands. Breadfruit, orchids and ferns grow here.

    The fauna of the islands is less rich due to the almost absolute absence of mammals.

    Rice. 3. Breadfruit.

    The diversity of the animal kingdom is noted only in New Zealand and New Guinea.

    But the islands are generous with bird colonies, where there are nesting places for seabirds. The most common species of New Zealand are the kiwi birds, which have become the national symbol of the state. Other common species of birds are kea, kakapo, and takahe.

    What have we learned?

    We found out where Oceania is. We got acquainted with the peoples who make up indigenous people main territories. We found out which island in Oceania is located on the largest in the world active volcano. We supplemented the knowledge from the course on the geography of continents and countries for the 11th grade. We received information about the flora and fauna of the region. We learned about the linguistic characteristics of the peoples inhabiting Oceania.

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