Ruqayyah Snyder
Australia is often referred to as an island continent, with 8,222 islands within its maritime borders. The islands vary in size, with some being small rocks that are not covered by water at high tide, while others are more than twice the size of the Australian Capital Territory. Some of the largest islands in Australia include Tasmania, Melville Island, Kangaroo Island, and Groote Eylandt. Australia also has a number of islands in the Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans, as well as the Coral and Timor Seas, which form the country's External Territories. The islands in the Pacific Ocean that are closest to Australia are part of a region called Oceania, which includes New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and the Pacific archipelagos bordering the Far East Asian mainland. The islands in Oceania extend to New Guinea in the west, the Bonin Islands in the northwest, and the Hawaiian Islands in the northeast.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Northwest of Australia | New Guinea, New Zealand, the Malay Archipelago, the Bonin Islands, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Guam, the Northern Marianas, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomons |
| Number of islands | 8,222 within its maritime borders |
| Major offshore islands in the North West | Barrow Island, Monte Bello Islands, and the Dampier Archipelago |
| Area | 75,731 square miles (196,140 sq km) |
| Population | 10,000 |
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What You'll Learn
New Zealand is northwest of Australia
New Zealand is situated in the Pacific Ocean, and it makes up approximately nine-tenths of the land area of the Pacific Islands, along with the island of New Guinea. The country is considered part of Oceania, which includes all islands lying between Australia and the Americas, including Australia.
New Zealand is a popular tourist destination, with many visitors attracted by its fine beaches, fishing, boating, and local customs and crafts. It is also known for its varied landscapes, including freshwater lakes, sand dunes, wetlands, crystal clear lakes, and dense rainforests.
The country has a varied climate, ranging from wet on the West Coast of the South Island to almost semi-arid in Central Otago and subtropical in Northland. Snow falls in the South Island and at higher altitudes in the North Island, but it is extremely rare at sea level in the North Island.
New Zealand has a close relationship with Australia, and both countries became dominions in the 20th century, adopting the Statute of Westminster Act in 1942 and 1947, respectively. New Zealand also provides budgetary and development aid to smaller independent island states in the Pacific, along with Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
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New Guinea is northwest of Australia
The Pacific Islands cover more than 300,000 square miles (800,000 square km) of land, of which New Guinea and New Zealand make up approximately nine-tenths. New Guinea is one of the Pacific Islands with significant manufacturing, alongside Hawaii, New Zealand, Guam, Fiji, the Northern Marianas, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and the Solomons.
New Guinea's exports include frozen or canned fish, minerals, copra, cocoa, coffee, tea, and spices, which are traded mainly with Japan, France, the United States, and Australia. Machinery and transport equipment, mineral fuels, food, and manufactured goods are among the chief imports, sourced primarily from Australia, France, Japan, and the United States.
New Guinea is also one of the islands of Oceania, which extends to New Guinea in the west, the Bonin Islands in the northwest, the Hawaiian Islands in the northeast, Easter Island and Sala y Gómez Island in the east, and Macquarie Island in the south.
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The Bonin Islands are northwest of Australia
The Bonin Islands, also known as the Ogasawara Islands, are a Japanese archipelago of over 30 subtropical and tropical islands. They are located around 1,000 kilometres south of the main Japanese Archipelago and 1,600 kilometres northwest of Guam. The Bonin Islands are part of Tokyo, and the sole way to reach them is by a weekly 24-hour ferry ride from the city.
The Bonin Islands were discovered in 1593 by Ogasawara Sadayori, who claimed them for the Tokugawa Shogunate. However, they remained largely uninhabited until 1830 when a small group of Westerners and Pacific Islanders established a colony on Chichijima. The islands officially became Japanese territory in 1875 and later served as military bases during World War II. After the war, they were occupied by the United States until their return to Japan in 1968.
The Bonin Islands cover a surface area of 7,939 hectares, offering a variety of landscapes and ecosystems. They are home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, including the critically endangered Bonin Flying Fox bat and 195 endangered bird species. The islands' ecosystems reflect a range of evolutionary processes, with plant species from both southeast and northwest Asia, as well as many endemic species.
The Bonin Islands have a subtropical climate with warm temperatures all year round. They attract visitors with their remoteness, relaxed hospitality, beautiful beaches, coral reefs, and jungle-covered hills. Outdoor activities such as whale watching, swimming with dolphins, hiking, sea kayaking, snorkelling, and diving are popular among tourists.
The islands have a unique cultural history, with an ethnically diverse population that speaks a local Creole language known as Bonin English. The name "Bonin" originates from a French journal article in 1817, where the author, Jean-Pierre Abel-Rémusat, misread the description of the islands as their name. The correct Japanese name, Ogasawara, means "little hat-shaped fields" and is used to honour Ogasawara Sadayori, a supposed ancestor of the ronin Ogasawara Sadatō.
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The Dampier Archipelago is northwest of Australia
The Dampier Archipelago is a group of 42 islands and islets off the coast of Dampier and Point Samson in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It is a coastal playground that offers world-class fishing spots for deep water, reef, or sheltered inlet fishing. The area also boasts many varied natural land and marine habitats, and is an important nesting site for green, loggerhead, flatback, and hawksbill turtles. It is also possible to encounter dugongs, manta rays, and bottlenose dolphins in the waters surrounding the Dampier Archipelago. If visiting between July and September, humpback whales can be seen as they migrate.
The Dampier Archipelago is also a great place for boating, snorkelling, camping, and other recreational activities. Camping is permitted on some of the islands, but only up to 100m inland of the high-water mark on beaches zoned for recreation and for up to 5 nights only. There are no facilities on the islands. Public boat ramps are located at Dampier, Karratha Back Beach, Johns Creek, Point Samson, and Cossack, and boat charters are available from Dampier.
The original inhabitants of the Dampier Archipelago were the Yaburara Aboriginal language group. In 1699, William Dampier became the first recorded Englishman to visit the area. Local lore suggests that Sam, who arrived in the Pilbara in 1965, first visited the island now known as Sam's Island (originally Tidepole Island) on a makeshift raft, where he found himself stranded for a few days. His fondness for the island inspired him to construct a castle, carting materials from the mainland.
The Dampier Archipelago is a coastal wonderland that offers a range of recreational activities and opportunities to explore and appreciate the diverse natural habitats and wildlife of the region. Visitors can enjoy the warm waters, discover some of the 150 beaches, and experience the rich history and culture of the area.
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Barrow Island is northwest of Australia
The North West has a rich history, with the whole area north of the Murchison River designated as the North District by land regulations gazetted in 1862. From February 1865, the North District was officially administered by a Government Resident, Robert John Sholl, initially based in Camden Harbour. Sholl later moved to Roebourne in November 1865.
Two legislated regions of Western Australia, the Pilbara and Kimberley, comprise an alternate, popular definition of the North West. The Gascoyne is often added to these, although it may also be considered part of the "Greater Mid West." During the 1960s, a pamphlet published by the State Government described the region as being bounded by the Indian Ocean in the west and the Central Division in the east.
Barrow Island is part of this dynamic and diverse region of Australia, known for its natural resources and geographical significance.
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Frequently asked questions
The island of New Guinea is northwest of Australia.
There are 8,222 islands within Australia's maritime borders. Some of the larger islands include Tasmania, Melville Island, Kangaroo Island, and K'gari, which is the world's largest sand island.
The region northwest of Australia is called North West Australia, which is usually an informal name for the northern regions of the State of Western Australia.
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