Leslie Massey
Australia is part of a geographical region called Oceania, which includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Since the 19th century, geographers have classified the Pacific islands as a continent called Oceania, with Australia as its central landmass. Outside of the English-speaking world, Oceania is generally considered a continent, while mainland Australia is regarded as its continental landmass. The Pacific Islands north of Australia include the Malay Archipelago, with countries such as East Timor, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The 14 Pacific Island countries that are fully independent include Fiji, Kiribati, and Tonga.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of countries | 14 independent countries and several dependent territories |
| Population | 46 million |
| Number of islands | 10,000+ |
| Area | 9,000,000 sq km (3,500,000 sq mi) or 100 million sq km including water |
| Land area | 822,800 sq km (317,700 sq mi) excluding Australia |
| Largest country | Australia |
| Largest city | Sydney |
| Economies | Highly developed (Australia, French Polynesia, Hawaii, New Caledonia, and New Zealand) to less developed (Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Western New Guinea) |
| Highest peak | Puncak Jaya, Indonesia (4,884 m or 16,024 ft) |
| Second-highest peak | Mauna Kea, Hawaii (4,207.3 m or 13,803 ft) |
| Number of dependent territories | Several |
Explore related products
Pacific Islands
The Pacific Islands are a geographic region of the Pacific Ocean, comprising three ethnogeographic groupings: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. The Pacific Islands are sometimes referred to as Oceania, which is often treated as a secondary topic in world history.
The Pacific Islands are a mixture of independent states, associated states, integral parts of non-Pacific Island countries, and dependent states. The region includes thousands of islands, many of which are home to indigenous communities with distinct traditions and languages. The 14 Pacific island countries are Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Cook Islands, and Niue. These countries are located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean and are known for their natural beauty and rich cultural heritage.
The three major Pacific islands are Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, and Fiji. The successive geological lifting of some islands above sea level has created a variety of "raised" coral formations. The northern half of Guam, for example, is a coralline limestone plateau with a general elevation of about 500 feet (150 meters). The climate of the Pacific Islands is generally tropical, with temperatures, humidity, and rainfall relatively uniform throughout the year.
Tourism is very important to the economies of the Pacific Islands. Attractions include fine beaches, good fishing and boating, and local customs and crafts. French Polynesia, Guam, Hawaii, Fiji, and New Zealand have the most developed tourist sectors, but many of the other islands place a priority on developing tourism facilities. Frozen or canned fish, minerals, copra, cocoa, coffee, tea, and spices are among the leading exports, mainly to Japan, France, the United States, and Australia. Machinery and transport equipment, mineral fuels, food, and manufactured goods are among the chief imports, primarily from Australia, France, Japan, and the United States.
Chinese-Owned Wineries in Australia: A Comprehensive Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
New Zealand
The capital city of New Zealand is Wellington, situated on the North Island, and the country's most populous city is Auckland, also located on the North Island. New Zealand has a population of around 5.3 million, with the majority being of European descent, while the indigenous Māori are the largest minority, followed by Asians and Pasifika. The official languages of the country are English, Māori, and New Zealand Sign Language, with the local dialect of English being dominant.
Historically, Polynesians began settling in the islands between about 1280 and 1350, subsequently developing a distinctive Māori culture. In 1642, the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman became the first European to sight and record New Zealand, naming the islands Staten Land. In 1769, British explorer Captain James Cook became the first European to set foot on and map the country. In 1840, representatives of the United Kingdom and Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, which led to Britain's declaration of sovereignty and the establishment of the Crown Colony of New Zealand in 1841. New Zealand gained full statutory independence in 1947, retaining the monarch as the head of state, and is currently a member of the Commonwealth.
Gold-bearing Rocks: Australia's Natural Treasure Troves
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![2 Pack - Laminated World Map & US Map Poster Set - Wall Chart Map of the World & United States - Made in the USA [Yellow]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91d58tGhj2L._AC_UL320_.jpg)
![2 Pack - World Map Poster & USA Map Chart [Tan/Color] (LAMINATED, 18” x 29”)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/A1aLNThapcS._AC_UL320_.jpg)
Papua New Guinea
PNG is highly diverse in terms of both its population and its geography. The country supports around 5% of all known species. PNG has a very diverse population, with 840 known spoken languages, making it the most linguistically diverse country in the world. The population is also largely rural, with only 14% living in urban centres in 2023. The persistence of traditional communities and lifestyles is explicitly protected by the Papua New Guinea Constitution.
PNG has a developing economy, with nearly 40% of the population being subsistence farmers living relatively independently of the cash economy. The country has close ties with Australia and has enhanced ties with both Asia and the Pacific. The name 'Papua New Guinea' came from the Portuguese explorer Jorge de Menezes, who named one of the islands 'Ilhas dos Papuas', or 'land of fuzzy-haired people'. The word Papua has been used to refer to various areas of New Guinea since then. 'Guinea', meanwhile, is derived from the Portuguese word 'Guiné', and likely means 'of the burnt face', in reference to the dark skin of the inhabitants.
PNG became an independent Commonwealth realm in 1975. Politically, it operates within a Westminster system, with the government led by a Prime Minister. The country has a national parliament, and members of parliament also serve as provincial leaders.
AFL: Foundation and History of Australian Football League
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Indonesia
The Indonesian archipelago has been a valuable region for trade since at least the 7th century when local kingdoms engaged in commerce with mainland China and the Indian subcontinent. This led to the flourishing of Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms. Sunni traders and Sufi scholars later brought Islam, and European powers fought for a monopoly over trade during the Age of Discovery. Indonesia has vast areas of wilderness that support one of the world's highest levels of biodiversity. It is also highly susceptible to seismic and volcanic activity, with Puncak Jaya in Papua Province being the highest peak in Oceania at 4,884 meters (16,024 feet).
Australia's E-Cig Ban: What You Need to Know
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![2 Pack - World & USA Map for Kids [Illustrated] - 2 Poster Set (LAMINATED, 18" x 29")](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91iFZgi2OEL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
Australia as a continent
Australia is a continent located within the Southern and Eastern hemispheres, near Maritime Southeast Asia. It is the smallest of the seven traditional continents, spanning 8.56 million square kilometres (3,310,000 sq mi). The continent is sometimes referred to as an island continent due to its surrounding oceans and consists of a continental shelf overlain by shallow seas that divide it into several landmasses. These landmasses include mainland Australia, Tasmania, the island of New Guinea (Papua New Guinea and Western New Guinea), the Aru Islands, the Ashmore and Cartier Islands, most of the Coral Sea Islands, and some other nearby islands.
Australia is also part of the broader geographical region of Oceania, which is considered a continent in its own right in some cultures and contexts. Oceania is a region made up of thousands of islands throughout the Central and South Pacific, spanning the Eastern and Western hemispheres. It includes Australia, the smallest continent in terms of total land area, as well as the microcontinent of Zealandia (including New Zealand), and the eastern half of the island of New Guinea (Papua New Guinea). The term "Oceania" emphasises the Pacific Ocean as the defining characteristic of the region, with the ocean being larger than all the Earth's continental landmasses and islands combined.
The distinction between Australia as a continent and Oceania as a broader region that includes Australia can be a subject of debate and varies across different cultures and countries. In some non-English-speaking countries, such as Spain, Oceania is considered a continent, with Australia as its central and most important feature or continental landmass. In English-speaking countries, the concept of Australia as one of the world's continents became popular in the 1950s, while the term "Oceania" was previously used to refer to this part of the world.
The physical geography of Australia, as a continent, is distinct from that of the surrounding Oceania region. Australia's landscape is dominated by the Outback, a region of deserts and semi-arid land resulting from its large inland plains, location along the Tropic of Capricorn, and proximity to cool, dry southerly winds. In contrast, nearby islands like New Zealand feature glaciers due to high elevations and proximity to cool, moisture-bearing winds, while Papua New Guinea showcases highland rainforests due to high elevations, proximity to tropical winds, and location below the Equator.
Australian Government Bonds: Returns and Investment Insights
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Australia is located south of the Pacific Islands, which include Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Cook Islands, and Niue.
The islands north of Australia are part of the Malay Archipelago.
The Pacific Islands are often grouped with Australia and New Zealand as part of a region called Oceania, which is sometimes considered a continent, especially in non-English-speaking countries.
The Pacific Islands have diverse cultures with many unique traditions and languages. Their cuisine typically includes fresh seafood, tropical fruit, and root vegetables, with dishes like poke (raw fish), kokoda (Fijian fish salad), and umu (oven-cooked feast).
