Difference between revisions of "Oceania" - New World Encyclopedia
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[[Image:LocationOceania.png|thumb|250px|World map showing Oceania (geographically)]] | [[Image:LocationOceania.png|thumb|250px|World map showing Oceania (geographically)]] | ||
− | '''Oceania''' is a | + | '''Oceania''' is a geographical (often geopolitical) region consisting of numerous countries and territories – mostly islands – in the [[Pacific Ocean]]. The exact scope of Oceania is controversial, with varying interpretations including East Timor, Australia, New Zealand, or none of these. The primary use of the term "Oceania" is to describe a continental region (like [[Europe]] or [[Africa]]) that lies between Asia and the Americas, with [[Australia]] as the major land mass. The name "Oceania" is used, rather than "Australia," because unlike the other continental groupings, it is the ocean rather than the continent that links the nations together. Oceania is the smallest continental grouping in land area and the second smallest, after [[Antarctica]], in population. |
− | + | ==Countries and territories== | |
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− | ==Countries and territories | ||
[[Image:Oceania-map.JPG|thumb|300px|Geopolitical map of Oceania]] | [[Image:Oceania-map.JPG|thumb|300px|Geopolitical map of Oceania]] | ||
− | Oceania has been traditionally divided into [[Micronesia]], [[Melanesia]] and [[Polynesia]] (originally by the French explorer [[Dumont d'Urville]] in | + | Oceania has been traditionally divided into [[Micronesia]], [[Melanesia]] and [[Polynesia]] (originally by the French explorer [[Dumont d'Urville]] in 1831). This subdivision is no longer recognised as correct by most geographers and scientists — who prefer to divide Oceania into Near Oceania and Remote Oceania — although it is still the most popular one. |
Most of Oceania consists of small island nations. Australia is the only continental country, and Papua New Guinea and East Timor are the only countries with land borders, both with [[Indonesia]]. | Most of Oceania consists of small island nations. Australia is the only continental country, and Papua New Guinea and East Timor are the only countries with land borders, both with [[Indonesia]]. | ||
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[[Melanesia]] | [[Melanesia]] | ||
− | * [[East Timor]] - | + | * [[East Timor]] - republic |
− | * [[Fiji]] - | + | * [[Fiji]] - republic |
− | * [[New Caledonia]] - | + | * [[New Caledonia]] - collectivity of [[France]]<sup>2</sup> |
* [[Papua New Guinea]] - Commonwealth Realm<sup>1</sup> | * [[Papua New Guinea]] - Commonwealth Realm<sup>1</sup> | ||
* [[Solomon Islands]] - Commonwealth Realm<sup>1</sup> | * [[Solomon Islands]] - Commonwealth Realm<sup>1</sup> | ||
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[[Micronesia]] | [[Micronesia]] | ||
− | * [[Guam]] - | + | * [[Guam]] - organised unincorporated territory of the United States |
* [[Kiribati]] - republic | * [[Kiribati]] - republic | ||
* [[Marshall Islands]] - republic in free association with the United States | * [[Marshall Islands]] - republic in free association with the United States | ||
− | * [[Federated States of Micronesia | + | * [[Federated States of Micronesia]] - republic in free association with the United States |
* [[Nauru]] - republic | * [[Nauru]] - republic | ||
* [[Northern Mariana Islands]] - organised, unincorporated [[Commonwealth (U.S. insular area)|commonwealth]] in political union with the United States | * [[Northern Mariana Islands]] - organised, unincorporated [[Commonwealth (U.S. insular area)|commonwealth]] in political union with the United States | ||
* [[Palau]] - republic in free association with the United States | * [[Palau]] - republic in free association with the United States | ||
− | * [[Wake Island]] - | + | * [[Wake Island]] - unorganised unincorporated territory of the United States |
[[Polynesia]] | [[Polynesia]] | ||
− | * [[American Samoa]]- | + | * [[American Samoa]]- unorganised, unincorporated territory of the [[United States]] |
− | * [[Cook Islands]] - self-governing state in | + | * [[Cook Islands]] - self-governing state in free association with New Zealand |
* [[French Polynesia]] - "overseas country" of [[France]]<sup>2</sup> | * [[French Polynesia]] - "overseas country" of [[France]]<sup>2</sup> | ||
* [[Niue]] - self-governing state in free association with New Zealand | * [[Niue]] - self-governing state in free association with New Zealand | ||
* [[New Zealand]] - Commonwealth Realm<sup>1</sup> | * [[New Zealand]] - Commonwealth Realm<sup>1</sup> | ||
− | * [[Pitcairn]] - | + | * [[Pitcairn]] - overseas territory of the [[United Kingdom]] |
− | * [[Samoa]] - | + | * [[Samoa]] - constitutional monarchy under Malietoa Tanumafili II |
* [[Tokelau]] - semi-autonomous territory of [[New Zealand]] | * [[Tokelau]] - semi-autonomous territory of [[New Zealand]] | ||
− | * [[Tonga]] - | + | * [[Tonga]] - absolute monarchy under King Taufa'ahau Tupou V |
* [[Tuvalu]] - Commonwealth Realm<sup>1</sup> | * [[Tuvalu]] - Commonwealth Realm<sup>1</sup> | ||
* [[Wallis and Futuna Islands]] - overseas collectivity of France<sup>2</sup> | * [[Wallis and Futuna Islands]] - overseas collectivity of France<sup>2</sup> | ||
− | + | Australia is sometimes not included in Oceania, although a term like the "Pacific islands" would normally be used to describe Oceania without Australia.[[Hawaii]] and the United States territories with no indigenous population in the North Pacific are sometimes included, but are normally grouped with the United States in [[North America]]. Hawaiians are a Polynesian race. [[Easter Island]] is a Polynesian island in the eastern Pacific Ocean, part of the territory of Chile, and is sometimes included in Oceania.On rare occasions the term may be stretched even further to include other Pacific island groups such as the [[Aleutian Islands]]. | |
− | + | ==Ecology== | |
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− | + | '''Oceania''' is one of eight terrestrial [[ecozone]]s, which constitute the major ecological regions of the planet. The [[Oceania ecozone]] includes all of Micronesia, [[Fiji]], and all of Polynesia except New Zealand. New Zealand, along with New Guinea and nearby islands, Australia, the [[Solomon Islands]], [[Vanuatu]], and [[New Caledonia]], constitute the separate [[Australasia ecozone]]. | |
− | + | ==Economy== | |
+ | The economy of [[Oceania]] is comprised of more than 14 separate countries and their associated economies. | ||
+ | On a total scale the region has approximately 35,834,670 inhabitants who are spread among 30,000 islands in the [[South Pacific]] bordered between [[Asia]] and the [[Americas]]. This region has a diverse mix of economies from the highly developed and globally competitive financial markets of [[Australia]] (1st) and [[New Zealand]] (2nd) boasting parity with much of [[Western Europe]], to the much less developed economies that belong to many of their island neighbours. | ||
+ | |||
+ | [[Image:Sydney Harbour Bridge night.jpg|thumb|left|599px|A [[panorama]] of [[Sydney]], Australia's most populous city and Oceania's only World City.]] | ||
+ | [[Image:View of Honiara.jpg|left|thumb|Honiara is the capital of the Soloman Islands.]] | ||
==Population density== | ==Population density== |
Revision as of 21:37, 1 December 2006
Oceania is a geographical (often geopolitical) region consisting of numerous countries and territories – mostly islands – in the Pacific Ocean. The exact scope of Oceania is controversial, with varying interpretations including East Timor, Australia, New Zealand, or none of these. The primary use of the term "Oceania" is to describe a continental region (like Europe or Africa) that lies between Asia and the Americas, with Australia as the major land mass. The name "Oceania" is used, rather than "Australia," because unlike the other continental groupings, it is the ocean rather than the continent that links the nations together. Oceania is the smallest continental grouping in land area and the second smallest, after Antarctica, in population.
Countries and territories
Oceania has been traditionally divided into Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia (originally by the French explorer Dumont d'Urville in 1831). This subdivision is no longer recognised as correct by most geographers and scientists — who prefer to divide Oceania into Near Oceania and Remote Oceania — although it is still the most popular one.
Most of Oceania consists of small island nations. Australia is the only continental country, and Papua New Guinea and East Timor are the only countries with land borders, both with Indonesia.
The nations of Oceania have varying degrees of independence from their colonial powers and have negotiated a wide range of constitutional arrangements to suit their circumstances. The following list contains the countries and territories that are classified as part of Oceania by UNESCO; other countries are sometimes considered part of Oceania (see Other Interpretations below).
- Australia - Commonwealth Realm1
- Norfolk Island - external territory of Australia
- East Timor - republic
- Fiji - republic
- New Caledonia - collectivity of France2
- Papua New Guinea - Commonwealth Realm1
- Solomon Islands - Commonwealth Realm1
- Vanuatu - republic
- Guam - organised unincorporated territory of the United States
- Kiribati - republic
- Marshall Islands - republic in free association with the United States
- Federated States of Micronesia - republic in free association with the United States
- Nauru - republic
- Northern Mariana Islands - organised, unincorporated commonwealth in political union with the United States
- Palau - republic in free association with the United States
- Wake Island - unorganised unincorporated territory of the United States
- American Samoa- unorganised, unincorporated territory of the United States
- Cook Islands - self-governing state in free association with New Zealand
- French Polynesia - "overseas country" of France2
- Niue - self-governing state in free association with New Zealand
- New Zealand - Commonwealth Realm1
- Pitcairn - overseas territory of the United Kingdom
- Samoa - constitutional monarchy under Malietoa Tanumafili II
- Tokelau - semi-autonomous territory of New Zealand
- Tonga - absolute monarchy under King Taufa'ahau Tupou V
- Tuvalu - Commonwealth Realm1
- Wallis and Futuna Islands - overseas collectivity of France2
Australia is sometimes not included in Oceania, although a term like the "Pacific islands" would normally be used to describe Oceania without Australia.Hawaii and the United States territories with no indigenous population in the North Pacific are sometimes included, but are normally grouped with the United States in North America. Hawaiians are a Polynesian race. Easter Island is a Polynesian island in the eastern Pacific Ocean, part of the territory of Chile, and is sometimes included in Oceania.On rare occasions the term may be stretched even further to include other Pacific island groups such as the Aleutian Islands.
Ecology
Oceania is one of eight terrestrial ecozones, which constitute the major ecological regions of the planet. The Oceania ecozone includes all of Micronesia, Fiji, and all of Polynesia except New Zealand. New Zealand, along with New Guinea and nearby islands, Australia, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia, constitute the separate Australasia ecozone.
Economy
The economy of Oceania is comprised of more than 14 separate countries and their associated economies. On a total scale the region has approximately 35,834,670 inhabitants who are spread among 30,000 islands in the South Pacific bordered between Asia and the Americas. This region has a diverse mix of economies from the highly developed and globally competitive financial markets of Australia (1st) and New Zealand (2nd) boasting parity with much of Western Europe, to the much less developed economies that belong to many of their island neighbours.
Population density
This is a list of countries/dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km².
Unlike the figures in the country articles, the figures in this table are based on areas including inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers) and may therefore be lower here.
country | pop. dens. | area | population |
---|---|---|---|
(/km²) | (km²) | (2002 est.) | |
Nauru | 587 | 21 | 12,329 |
Tuvalu | 429 | 26 | 11,146 |
Marshall Islands | 407 | 181 | 73,630 |
American Samoa (US) | 345 | 199 | 68,688 |
Guam (US) | 293 | 549 | 160,796 |
Federated States of Micronesia | 194 | 702 | 135,869 |
Northern Mariana Islands (US) | 162 | 477 | 77,311 |
Tokelau (N.Z.) | 143 | 10 | 1,431 |
Tonga | 142 | 748 | 106,137 |
Kiribati | 119 | 811 | 96,335 |
Cook Islands (N.Z.) | 87 | 240 | 20,811 |
East Timor | 68 | 15,007 | 1,019,252 |
French Polynesia (Fr.) | 62 | 4,167 | 257,847 |
Samoa | 61 | 2,944 | 178,631 |
Wallis and Futuna (Fr.) | 57 | 274 | 15,585 |
Norfolk Island (Aus) | 53 | 35 | 1,866 |
Fiji | 47 | 18,270 | 856,346 |
Cocos Islands (Aus) 1 | 45 | 14 | 632 |
Palau | 42 | 458 | 19,409 |
Solomon Islands | 17 | 28,450 | 494,786 |
Vanuatu | 16 | 12,200 | 196,178 |
New Zealand | 15 | 268,680 | 3,908,037 |
Papua New Guinea | 11 | 462,840 | 5,172,033 |
New Caledonia (Fr.) | 11 | 19,060 | 207,858 |
Niue (N.Z.) | 8.2 | 260 | 2,134 |
Christmas Island (Aus) 2 | 3.5 | 135 | 474 |
Australia | 2.5 | 7,686,850 | 19,546,792 |
Pitcairn Islands (UK) | 1.0 | 47 | 47 |
Total | 3.7 | 8,523,655 | 32,642,390 |
1 Located in the Indian Ocean, not in Oceania.
2 This Christmas Island is in the Indian Ocean—not the one part of the Line Islands;
a territory of Kiribati
Sport
External links
- Jane's Oceania Home Page
- Map showing Oceania in relation with America
- Map
- Map South Pacific
- Oceania photos and information
- Open-Site Oceania - Information about the different countries of Oceania.
- Pacific Pictures
- South Pacific Organizer
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