Who discovered many islands of oceania. oceania message
Geographically, Oceania is the world's largest cluster of islands, which are located in the western and central parts of Pacific Ocean. Far from us, between the subtropical latitudes of the northern and temperate southern hemispheres. Many classifications usually group Oceania with Australia, even though Australia is a continent as we know it.
Oceania is a world of great contrasts, many interesting plants, unique nature and unforgettable culture.
The total area of the islands is 1.26 million square kilometers(and together with Australia 8.52 million km²). The population is almost 11 million people. (for the company with Australia - 32.6 million people).
Oceania is divided into three geographic regions, whose names alone evoke thoughts of adventure and wilderness. Their names are Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia. The islands of Oceania are washed by many seas of the Pacific Ocean basin - the Coral Sea, Solomon, New Guinea, Tasman Sea, Koro and Fiji, as well as the Arafura Sea, which belongs to the Indian Ocean basin.
Origin of land in Oceania
Geologically, only Australia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, New Guinea and Tasmania are of continental origin. Once they were part of the Gondwana proto-mainland, which broke apart. Then these islands were solid land, but the waters of the World Ocean rose to a considerable height and part of the surface was flooded. Now the highest parts of the land that belonged to Gondwana protrude above the water.
The relief of most of the islands is mountainous and heavily dissected. There is in Oceania and truly high peaks, including Mount Jaya (mark 5029 m), which is on the island of New Guinea.
Island types
Collosal transformations took place once in these places, apparently. It is determined that most of the islands of Oceania arose as a result of volcanic activity. Some are the tops of large underwater volcanoes, some of which still show high volcanic activity (for example, in the Hawaiian Islands). 
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There are also many islands of coral origin in this region. These are atolls that arose as a result of the growth of corals around submerged volcanoes (for example, the Gilbert Islands, Tuamotu). On such islands, large lagoons are often found, which are protected from high seas numerous islands, the average height of which above the water level does not exceed three meters. 
In Oceania, there is an atoll with the world's largest lagoon - Kwajalein (the archipelago of the Marshall Islands). The ratio of its land area is striking - 16.32 km², but the area of \u200b\u200bthe lagoon is 2174 km². So it is written in the reference books, I had not imagined before that the area of the island could be less area gulf (lagoon).
There is another record-breaking atoll in Oceania. This time the largest in terms of land area. It is called Christmas Island (or Kiritimati) in the Line archipelago, has an area of 322 km². 
Among the atolls, a special type is also found - an elevated (or elevated) atoll. Such an atoll is a limestone plateau with a height of up to 50-60 m above sea level. This type of island has no lagoon or traces of its existence in the past. Examples of such atolls are Nauru, Niue, Banaba. 
In the Oceania region, the bottom of the World Ocean has a complex structure. The region is characterized by active volcanism, seismicity and contrasting relief.
Oceania countries
The all-knowing Wikipedia gives the following classification:
| Name of the region, countries and country flag |
Square (km²) |
Population (est. July 2002) |
Population density (person/km²) |
Capital | Currency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | |||||
| Australia | 7 692 024 | 21 050 000 | 2,5 | Canberra | AUD (Australian Dollar) |
| Ashmore and Cartier Islands (Australia) | 5 | uninhabited | - | - | |
| Coral Sea Islands (Australia) | 7 | uninhabited | - | - | |
| Norfolk Island (Australia) | 35 | 1 866 | 53,3 | kingston | AUD (Australian Dollar) |
Melanesia |
|||||
| 12 190 | 196 178 | 16,1 | Port Vila | VUV (Vatu) | |
| Irian Jaya() | 421 981 | 2 646 489 | 6,27 | Jayapura, Manokwari | IDR (Rupiah) |
| New Caledonia (France) | 18 575 | 207 858 | 10,9 | Noumea | |
| Papua New Guinea | 462 840 | 5 172 033 | 11,2 | Port Moresby | PGK (Kina) |
| Solomon islands | 28 450 | 494 786 | 17,4 | Honiara | SBD (Solomon Islands Dollar) |
| Fiji | 18 274 | 856 346 | 46,9 | Suva | FJD (Fiji Dollar) |
micronesia |
|||||
| Guam (USA) | 541 | 160 796 | 292,9 | hagatna | USD (US Dollar) |
| Kiribati | 811 | 96 335 | 118,8 | South Tarawa | AUD (Australian Dollar) |
| 181 | 73 630 | 406,8 | Majuro | USD (US Dollar) | |
| Federated States micronesia | 702 | 135 869 | 193,5 | Palikir | USD (US Dollar) |
| Nauru | 21 | 12 329 | 587,1 | AUD (Australian Dollar) | |
| Palau | 458 | 19 409 | 42,4 | Ngerulmud | USD (US Dollar) |
| Northern Mariana Islands (USA) | 463,63 | 77 311 | 162,1 | Saipan | USD (US Dollar) |
| Wake Atoll (USA) | 7,4 | - | - | - | |
Polynesia |
|||||
| Baker Island (USA) | 1,24 | uninhabited | - | - | |
| Hawaii (USA) | 28 311 | 1 211 537 | 72,83 | Honolulu | USD (US Dollar) |
| Jarvis Island (USA) | 4,45 | uninhabited | - | - | |
| Johnston Atoll (USA) | 2,52 | - | - | - | |
| Kingman Reef (USA) | 0,01 | uninhabited | - | - | |
| Kiribati | 811 | 96 335 | 118,8 | South Tarawa | AUD (Australian Dollar) |
| Cook Islands (New Zealand) | 236,7 | 20 811 | 86,7 | Avarua | NZD (New Zealand Dollar) |
| Midway Islands (USA) | 6,23 | - | - | - | |
| Niue (New Zealand) | 261,46 | 2 134 | 8,2 | Alofi | NZD (New Zealand Dollar) |
| New Zealand | 268 680 | 4 108 037 | 14,5 | Wellington | NZD (New Zealand Dollar) |
| Palmyra Atoll (USA) | 6,56 | - | - | - | |
| Isla de Pascua (Chile) | 163,6 | 5806 | 23,1 | hanga roa | CLP (Chilean Pesso) |
| Pitcairn Islands (UK) | 47 | 47 | 10 | adamstown | NZD (New Zealand Dollar) |
| French Polynesia (France) | 4 167 | 257 847 | 61,9 | Papeete | XPF (French Pacific Franc) |
| American Samoa (USA) | 199 | 68 688 | 345,2 | Pago Pago, Fagatogo | USD (US Dollar) |
| Samoa | 2 935 | 178 631 | 60,7 | Apia | WST (Samoan tala) |
| Tokelau (New Zealand) | 10 | 1 431 | 143,1 | - | NZD (New Zealand Dollar) |
| Tonga | 748 | 106 137 | 141,9 | Nuku'alofa | TOP (Tongan pa'anga) |
| Tuvalu | 26 | 11 146 | 428,7 | funafuti | AUD (Australian Dollar) |
| Wallis and Futuna (France) | 274 | 15 585 | 56,9 | Mata Utu | XPF (French Pacific Franc) |
| Howland Island (USA) | 1,62 | uninhabited | - | - | |
Oceania. Climate
Tropical climate prevails. Oceania is characterized by high rainfall. On the islands located closer to the tropical zone, the average annual temperature is +23 °C, on the islands near the equator - +27 °C.
The climate of Oceania is influenced by currents such as La Niña and El Niño. Most of the islands in Oceania are affected active volcanoes. Tsunamis and typhoons also happen here.
There are drastic changes here. weather conditions- heavy rains followed by droughts.
Population of Oceania
Although the colonialists from Europe and America actively tried to exploit these territories, the majority of the local population are indigenous people. Such as Micronesians, Polynesians, Papuans. Polynesians are mixed racial types - they show features of Caucasians and Mongoloids.
The largest groups of Polynesians include Hawaiians, Maori, Tongans, Tahitians. Each nationality has its own language, a feature of which is the almost complete absence of consonants. 
Among the Melanesians, the linguistic fragmentation of the tribes is very large. Often, residents of even neighboring villages cannot understand each other. The Papuans, as in the time of Cook, inhabit some regions of Indonesia and New Guinea.
All Papuan languages are very similar to each other. But now they are based on native language the same Cook who, according to legend, was eaten, i.e. English. So if you speak English, you can easily speak with a Papuan. 
Flora of Oceania
Oceania has a large extent both in latitude and along the meridian. So vegetable world the islands are very diverse. There are representatives here that are absolutely amazing for us, such as:
- breadfruit,
- coconut palm,
- ferns
- orchids.
Animal world
The fauna of the islands of Oceania is less diverse, because mammals are practically absent.
The most diverse in Oceania are New Zealand and New Guinea. On the small islands of Oceania, primarily atolls, mammals are almost never found: many of them are inhabited only by rats, and even then few (they are probably guarded there!?).
But the islands are very rich in bird markets, where sea birds nest. Of the representatives of the fauna of New Zealand, the most famous are the kiwi birds, which have become the national symbol of the country. Other common bird species are kea (or nestor), kakapo (or owl parrot), takahe (or wingless sultan).
Message Oceania Grade 7 will briefly tell you a lot useful information about this geographic region of the world. Also information about Oceania report will help deepen your knowledge of geography.
Oceania Message
Oceania is a separate part of the geopolitical region. It consists of a large number of atolls and islands located in the central and western parts of the Pacific Ocean.
Oceania: a brief description
Oceania is located between the subtropical latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere and the temperate latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere. Often geographers consider Oceania as part of Australia. For this there is geographical name, which sounds like Australia and Oceania. The total area of the geopolitical region is 1.24 million km2. It is inhabited by 10.6 million people.
Oceania is divided into 3 geographical regions: Micronesia, Polynesia and Melanesia. It is washed by such seas of the Pacific basin as the Solomon, Coral, New Guinea, Koro and Fiji, Tasman Sea. And the Arafura Sea, which belongs to the Indian Ocean basin.
Climatic features of Oceania
Most of Oceania is dominated by a tropical climate and abundant annual rainfall. The islands, which are located closer to the tropical zone, are characterized by an average annual temperature of +23 ° C. In the area near the equator - 27 ° C. The climate of the geopolitical region is influenced by the course of El Niño and La Niña. Most of the islands are subject to the negative effects of tsunamis, active volcanoes and typhoons.
Oceania differs from other regions in a sharp change in weather conditions: heavy rains are replaced by a long drought.
Minerals of Oceania
Mineral deposits are due geological structure and the origin of the islands. Nickel, chromite and other metals are mined in the New Caledonia region. New Guinea has reserves of bauxite, coal and oil. Atoll islands are rich in phosphorites.
Flora and fauna of Oceania
Large islands are covered with moist evergreen forests or savannahs. Pandanuses, bamboos, ficuses, casuarinas predominate among the trees. Some types of trees are useful for human activity - sago and coconut palms, mangoes and bananas, melon and breadfruit. Also on the islands of Oceania there are endemic species: tree ferns, kauri pine, New Zealand flax and cabbage tree.
Animal world represented by echidna, tree kangaroo, crocodiles, kiwi bird. There are no predators and poisonous snakes on the islands; mammals practically do not live. Europeans brought pigs, cows, horses, goats, rabbits, and cats to Oceania.
- The indigenous inhabitants of Oceania are representatives of the Australoid-Mongoloid race.
- Here is the country of Caribati, which lies in all hemispheres.
- The region is located active volcano, not fading since 1902.
- Haydeway Island is distinguished by the fact that on its territory there is an underwater post office, the only one in the world.
- In the past, the inhabitants of Oceania practiced cannibalism.
We hope that the report on the theme "Oceania" has helped you to learn a lot of useful information about this part of the world. And you can add a message on the topic "Oceania" through the comment form below.
Oceania is part of the world; a geographic, often geopolitical region of the world consisting predominantly of hundreds of small islands and atolls in the central and western Pacific Ocean.
Geographical position
Oceania is the world's largest cluster of islands located in the western and central parts of the Pacific Ocean, between the subtropical latitudes of the northern and temperate southern hemispheres. When all the land is divided into parts of the world, Oceania is usually combined with Australia into a single part of the world Australia and Oceania, although sometimes it is separated into an independent part of the world.
The total area of the islands is 1.26 million km² (together with Australia 8.52 million km²), the population is about 10.7 million people. (together with Australia 32.6 million people). Geographically, Oceania is subdivided into Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia; sometimes isolated New Zealand.
The islands of Oceania are washed by numerous seas of the Pacific (Coral Sea, Tasman Sea, Fiji Sea, Koro Sea, Solomon Sea, New Guinea Sea, Philippine Sea) and Indian Oceans(Arafura Sea).
Countries and dependent territories
| Name of the region, countries |
Population |
Population density (person/km²) |
|||
| Australia | |||||
| Australia |
Canberra |
AUD (Australian Dollar) |
|||
| Ashmore and Cartier (Australia) |
uninhabited |
||||
| Cocos Islands (Australia) |
West Island |
AUD (Australian Dollar) |
|||
| Coral Sea Islands (Australia) |
uninhabited |
||||
| Norfolk (Australia) |
kingston |
AUD (Australian Dollar) |
|||
| Christmas Island (Australia) |
Flying Fish Cove |
AUD (Australian Dollar) |
|||
| Heard Island and McDonald Islands (Australia) |
uninhabited |
||||
| Melanesia | |||||
| Vanuatu |
Port Vila |
||||
| Irian Jaya (Indonesia) |
Jayapura, Manokwari |
||||
| New Caledonia (France) | |||||
| Papua New Guinea |
Port Moresby |
||||
| Solomon islands |
SBD (Solomon Islands Dollar) |
||||
| Fiji |
FJD (Fiji Dollar) |
||||
| micronesia | |||||
| Guam (USA) |
USD (US Dollar) |
||||
| Kiribati |
South Tarawa |
AUD (Australian Dollar) |
|||
| Marshall Islands |
USD (US Dollar) |
||||
| Nauru |
AUD (Australian Dollar) |
||||
| Palau |
Melekeok |
USD (US Dollar) |
|||
| Northern Mariana Islands (USA) |
USD (US Dollar) |
||||
| Wake (USA) | |||||
| Federated States of Micronesia |
USD (US Dollar) |
||||
| Polynesia | |||||
| American Samoa (USA) |
Pago Pago, Fagatogo |
USD (US Dollar) |
|||
| Baker (USA) |
uninhabited |
||||
| Hawaii (USA) |
Honolulu |
USD (US Dollar) |
|||
| Jarvis (USA) |
uninhabited |
||||
| Johnston (USA) | |||||
| Kingman (USA) |
uninhabited |
||||
| Kiribati |
South Tarawa |
AUD (Australian Dollar) |
|||
| Midway (USA) | |||||
| Niue (New Zealand) |
NZD (New Zealand Dollar) |
||||
| New Zealand |
Wellington |
NZD (New Zealand Dollar) |
|||
| Cook Islands (New Zealand) |
NZD (New Zealand Dollar) |
||||
|
Easter Island (Chile) |
Hanga Roa |
CLP (Chilean Pesso) |
|||
| Palmyra (USA) | |||||
| Pitcairn (UK) |
adamstown |
NZD (New Zealand Dollar) |
|||
| Samoa |
WST (Samoan tala) |
||||
| Tokelau (New Zealand) |
NZD (New Zealand Dollar) |
||||
| Tonga |
Nuku'alofa |
TOP (Tongan pa'anga) |
|||
| Tuvalu |
funafuti |
AUD (Australian Dollar) |
|||
| Wallis and Futuna (France) |
XPF (French Pacific Franc) |
||||
| French Polynesia (France) |
XPF (French Pacific Franc) |
||||
| Howland (USA) |
uninhabited |
Geology
From the point of view of geology, Oceania is not a continent: only Australia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, New Guinea and Tasmania are of continental origin, having formed on the site of the hypothetical mainland Gondwana. In the past, these islands were a single land, but as a result of the rise in the level of the World Ocean, a significant part of the surface was under water. The relief of these islands is mountainous and strongly dissected. For instance, 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 show 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, the average height of which does not exceed three meters. In Oceania, there is an atoll with the largest lagoon in the world - Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands archipelago. Despite the fact that its land area is only 16.32 km² (or 6.3 sq. miles), the area of the lagoon is 2174 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 the atolls there is also a special type - an elevated (or elevated) atoll, which is a limestone plateau up to 50-60 m above sea level. This type of island has no lagoon or traces of its past existence. Examples of such atolls are Nauru, Niue, Banaba.
The relief and geological structure of the bottom of the Pacific Ocean in the Oceania region has a complex structure. From the Alaska Peninsula (part of North America) to New Zealand is located a large number of basins of the marginal seas, deep ocean trenches (Tonga, Kermadec, Bougainville), which form a geosynclinal belt characterized by active volcanism, seismicity and contrasting relief. 
There are no minerals on most of the islands of Oceania, only the largest of them are being developed: nickel (New Caledonia), oil and gas (New Guinea, New Zealand), copper (Bougainville Island in Papua New Guinea), gold (New Guinea , Fiji), phosphates (on most of the islands, the deposits are almost or have already been developed, for example, in Nauru, on the islands of Banaba, Makatea). In the past, many of the region's islands were heavily mined for guano, the decomposed dung of seabirds, which was used as a nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer. On the ocean floor of the exclusive economic zone of a number of countries there are large accumulations of iron-manganese nodules, as well as cobalt, but at the moment no development is being carried out due to economic inexpediency.
Climate of Oceania
Oceania is located within several climatic zones: equatorial, subequatorial, tropical, subtropical, temperate. Most of the islands have a tropical climate. The subequatorial climate dominates 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 - in most of the South Island in New Zealand.
The climate of the islands of Oceania is determined mainly by the trade winds, so most of them experience heavy rainfall. The average annual rainfall varies from 1500 to 4000 mm, although on some islands (due to topography and on the lee side in particular) the climate may be drier or wetter. One of the wettest places on the planet is located in Oceania: 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). close to the tropics average temperature is about 23 °C, at the equator - 27 °C, with little difference between the hottest and coldest months. 
On the climate of the islands of Oceania big influence also have such anomalies as the El Niño and La Niña currents. During El Niño, the intertropical convergence zone moves northward towards the equator; during La Niña, it moves southward away from the equator. In the latter case, a severe drought is observed on the islands, in the first case, heavy rains.
Most of the islands of Oceania are subject to the destructive effects of natural disasters: volcanic eruptions(Hawaiian Islands, New Hebrides), earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones accompanied by typhoons and heavy rains, droughts. Many of them lead to significant material and human losses. For example, the tsunami in Papua New Guinea in July 1999 killed 2,200 people.
On the south island New Zealand and the island of New Guinea have glaciers high in the mountains, but due to the process of global warming, their area is gradually shrinking.
Soils and hydrology
Due to various climatic conditions The soils of Oceania 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 few organic and mineral substances, with the exception of calcium, sodium and magnesium. The soils of volcanic islands, as a rule, are of volcanic origin and are highly fertile. On large mountainous islands, red-yellow, mountain lateritic, mountain-meadow, yellow-brown soils, yellow soils, and red soils are found. 
There are large rivers only on the South and North Islands of New Zealand, as well as on the island of New Guinea, on which major rivers Oceania, Sepik (1126 km) and Fly (1050 km). The largest river in New Zealand is the Waikato (425 km). The rivers are predominantly fed by rain, although in New Zealand and New Guinea, rivers are also fed by water from melting glaciers and snow. On the atolls, there are no rivers at all due to the high porosity of the soils. Instead, rainwater seeps through the soil to form a lens of slightly brackish water that can be reached by digging a well. For more major islands(usually of volcanic origin) there are small streams of water that flow towards the ocean.
The largest number of lakes, including thermal ones, is located in New Zealand, where there are also geysers. On other islands of Oceania, lakes are a rarity.
Flora and fauna
Oceania is included in the Paleotropical region of vegetation, while three subregions are distinguished: Melanesian-Micronesian, Hawaiian and New Zealand. Among the most widely distributed plants in Oceania, the coconut palm and the breadfruit stand out, which play an important role in life. local residents: fruits are used for food, wood is a source of heat, a building material, copra is produced from the oily endosperm of coconut palm nuts, which is the main export of the countries of this region. A large number of epiphytes (ferns, orchids) also grow on the islands. The largest number of endemics (both representatives of flora and fauna) was registered in New Zealand and the Hawaiian Islands, while from west to east there is a decrease in the number of species, genera and families of plants.
The fauna of Oceania also belongs to the Polynesian faunistic region with a subregion Hawaiian Islands. The fauna of New Zealand stands out in an independent region, New Guinea - in 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 of the atolls have bird markets where seabirds nest. Of the representatives of the fauna of New Zealand, the most famous are the kiwi birds, which have become the national symbol of the country. Other endemics of the country are kea (lat. Nestor notabilis, or nestor), kakapo (lat. Strigops habroptilus, or owl parrot), takahe (lat. Notoronis hochstelteri, or wingless sultan). All the islands of Oceania are inhabited by a large number of lizards, snakes and insects.
During European colonization islands, many of them were introduced with alien species of plants and animals, which negatively affected the local flora and fauna.
The region has 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 (the area is 410,500 km²).
Population
The indigenous inhabitants of Oceania are Polynesians, Micronesians, Melanesians and Papuans.
Polynesians living in the countries of Polynesia are of a mixed racial type: in their appearance, features of the Caucasoid and Mongoloid races are visible, and to a lesser extent - Australoid. The largest peoples of Polynesia are Hawaiians, Samoans, Tahitians, Tongans, Maori, Marquesans, 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. The characteristic features of the 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, Kiribati, Marshallese, Nauru, Chamorro and others. Native languages belong to the Micronesian group of the Austronesian family of languages: Kiribati, Caroline, Kusaie, Marshallese, Nauruan and others. The Palauan and Chamorro languages belong to the Western Malayo-Polynesian languages, while Jap forms a separate branch within the Oceanic languages, which includes the Micronesian languages.
Melanesians live in the countries of Melanesia. The racial type is 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 grouping, and the linguistic fragmentation is very large, so that people from neighboring villages may not understand each other.
The Papuans inhabit the island of New Guinea and parts of Indonesia. In 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. According to various sources of peoples and languages, the Papuans number from 300 to 800. At the same time, there are difficulties in establishing the difference between a separate language and a dialect.
Many languages of Oceania are on the verge of extinction. In everyday life, they are increasingly being replaced by English and French.
The position 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 the Maori make up to 15% of the country's population. The proportion of Polynesians in the North 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, the share of which is also high in New Caledonia (34%) and French Polynesia (12%). In 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.
Recently, in the countries of Oceania, the proportion of immigrants from Asia (mainly Chinese and Filipinos) has been increasing. For example, in the Northern Mariana Islands, the share of Filipinos is 26.2%, and the Chinese - 22.1%.
The population of Oceania is mainly Christian, adhering to either the Protestant or Catholic branches.
History of Oceania
Pre-colonial period
The island of New Guinea and the nearby islands of Melanesia were presumably settled by people from South-East Asia who sailed by canoe about 30-50 thousand years ago. About 2-4 thousand years ago, most of Micronesia and Polynesia were settled. The process of colonization ended around 1200 AD. By the beginning of the 16th century, the peoples of Oceania were going through a period of decomposition of the primitive communal system and the formation of an early class society. Crafts, agriculture, and navigation were actively developing.
colonial period
The ships of the English traveler James Cook and the canoes of the natives in Matawai Bay on the island of Tahiti (French Polynesia), artist William Hodges, 1776
In the period from the 16th to the 18th centuries, the period of exploration of Oceania by Europeans continued, which gradually began to populate the islands. However, the process of European colonization was very slow, since the region did not arouse much interest among foreigners due to the lack of natural resources, and negatively affected local population: many diseases were introduced that had never been 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 XVIII-XIX centuries, the islands of Oceania were divided between the colonial powers, primarily the British Empire, Spain and France (later they were joined by the USA and the German Empire). Of particular interest to Europeans was the possibility of creating plantations on the islands (coconut palm for the production of copra, sugar cane), as well as the slave trade (the so-called "blackbird hunting", which involved recruiting islanders to work on plantations).
In 1907, New Zealand became a dominion, 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 the Second World War, Oceania was one of the theaters of war, where many battles took place (mainly between Japanese and American troops).
After the war, there were some improvements in the economy in the region, but in most colonies it was one-sided (the predominance of the plantation economy and the almost complete absence of industry). Since the 1960s, the process of decolonization began: in 1962, Western Samoa gained independence, in 1963 - West Irian, in 1968 - Nauru. Subsequently, most of the colonies became independent.
Post-colonial period
After gaining independence, most countries in Oceania still have serious economic, political and social problems, which they are trying to solve with the help of the world community (including the UN) and through regional cooperation. Despite the process of decolonization in the 20th century, some islands of the region still remain dependent to some extent: New Caledonia, French Polynesia and Wallis and Futuna from France, the Pitcairn Islands from Great Britain, the Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau from New Zealand, a number islands (all outer small islands except Navassa Island) from the USA.
Economy
Most countries in Oceania have a very weak economy, which is due to several reasons: limited natural resources, remoteness from world markets for products, and a shortage of highly qualified specialists. Many states depend on financial assistance from other countries.
The basis of the economy of most countries in Oceania is agriculture (the production of copra and palm oil) and fishing. Among the most important agricultural crops stand out the coconut palm, bananas, 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 vessels of other states (mainly Japan, Taiwan, the USA), which significantly replenishes the state budget. The mining industry is most developed in Papua New Guinea, Nauru, New Caledonia, and New Zealand. 
A significant part of the population is employed in the public sector. Recently, measures have been taken to develop the tourism sector of the economy.
culture
The art of Oceania has developed a distinctive style that gives uniqueness to the local culture.
V fine arts Polynesians the main place belongs to woodcarving and sculpture. Maori carving reached a high level, they decorated boats, details of houses, carved statues of gods and ancestors, such a statue stands in every village. The main motif of the ornament is a spiral. stone statues moai were created on Easter Island and the Marquesas Islands. Of the crafts, the most important was the construction of boats, as they allowed fishing and traveling long distances (in this regard, astronomy developed among the Polynesians). Among the Polynesians, tattooing has become widespread. Tapa, which was made from the bark of mulberry trees, served as clothing. In Polynesia, myths, legends, fairy tales, singing and dancing were developed. Writing, probably, was only on Easter Island (rongo-rongo), on other islands folklore was transmitted orally.
Singing and dancing are popular art forms among Micronesians. Each tribe has its own myths. In the life of the islanders, the main place was occupied by ships - boats. There were boats of different types: dibenil - sailing, valab - a large rowing boat. Megaliths are found on the Yap Islands. Of particular interest is Nan Madol, known as the "Micronesian Venice". This is a whole city on the water, in a lagoon on the island of Ponape. Stone structures are built on artificial islands.
Among the Melanesians, wood carving reached a special flowering. Unlike the Polynesians, the Melanesians were not so tied to the sea, they were more land dwellers. The main musical instrument is the drum, or tam-tom. Folklore, songs, dances, myths are widespread among the Papuans. The songs and dances are very simple. The singing is called mun, the melody varies very little. The cult of ancestors and skulls is of great importance. Papuans make korvara - images of ancestors. Well developed wood carving.
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- a geographical, often geopolitical region of the world, consisting mainly of hundreds of small islands and atolls in the central and western parts of the Pacific Ocean.
Total area of the islands- 1.26 million km² (together with Australia 8.52 million km²)
Population- 10.7 million people (together with Australia 32.6 million people)
Subdivided into Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia; sometimes New Zealand is singled out.
The islands of Oceania are washed by numerous seas of the Pacific (Coral Sea, Tasman Sea, Fiji Sea, Koro Sea, Solomon Sea, New Guinea Sea, Philippine Sea) and Indian Oceans (Arafur Sea).
Geology
From the point of view of geology, Oceania is not a continent: only Australia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, New Guinea and Tasmania are of continental origin, having formed on the site of the hypothetical mainland Gondwana. In the past, these islands were a single land, but as a result of the rise in the level of the World Ocean, a significant part of the surface was under water. The relief of these islands is mountainous and strongly dissected. For example, the highest mountains of Oceania, including, Mount Jaya (5029 m. the highest point in the ocean)
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 show high volcanic activity (for example, the Hawaiian Islands).
Climate
Oceania is located within several climatic zones: equatorial, subequatorial, tropical, subtropical, temperate. Most of the islands have a tropical climate. Subequatorial climate prevails on the islands near Australia and Asia, equatorial - west of the 180 meridian, tropical - north and south of the tropics, temperate - in most of the South Island in New Zealand.
The climate of the islands of Oceania is determined mainly by the trade winds, so most of them experience heavy rainfall.
The climate of the islands of Oceania is also greatly influenced by such anomalies as the El Niño and La Niña currents. During El Niño, the Intertropical Convergence Zone moves northward toward the equator; during La Niña, it moves southward away from the equator. In the latter case, a severe drought is observed on the islands, in the first case, heavy rains.
Most of the islands of Oceania are subject to the destructive effects of natural disasters: volcanic eruptions (Hawaiian Islands, New Hebrides), earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones accompanied by typhoons and heavy rains, droughts. Many of them lead to significant material and human losses. For example, the tsunami in Papua New Guinea in July 1999 killed 2,200 people.
The South Island in New Zealand and the island of New Guinea have glaciers high in the mountains, but due to the process of global warming, their area is gradually shrinking.
Soils and hydrology
Due to the different climatic conditions, the soils of Oceania 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 few organic and mineral substances, with the exception of calcium, sodium and magnesium. The soils of volcanic islands, as a rule, are of volcanic origin and are highly fertile. On large mountainous islands, red-yellow, mountain lateritic, mountain-meadow, yellow-brown soils, yellow soils, and red soils are found.
There are large rivers only on the South and North Islands of New Zealand, as well as on the island of New Guinea, on which the largest rivers of Oceania, the Sepik (1126 km) and Fly (1050 km), are located.
The largest river in New Zealand is the Waikato (425 km). 
Flora and fauna
Kiwi is the symbol of New Zealand. 
Oceania is included in the Paleotropical region of vegetation, while three sub-regions are distinguished: Malesian, Hawaiian and New Zealand. Among the most widespread plants of Oceania, the coconut palm and breadfruit stand out, which play an important role in the life of local residents: the fruits are used in writing, wood is a source of heat, a building material, copra is produced from the oily endosperm of coconut palm nuts, which is the basis of the export of countries of this region. A large number of epiphytes (ferns, orchids) also grow on the islands.
The fauna of Oceania belongs to the Polynesian faunistic region with a subregion of the Hawaiian Islands. The fauna of New Zealand stands out in an independent region, New Guinea - in the Papuan sub-region of the Australian region. New Zealand and New Guinea are the most diverse. On the small islands of Oceania, primarily atolls, mammals are almost never found: many of them are inhabited only by the Polynesian rat. But the local avifauna is very rich. Most of the atolls have bird markets where seabirds nest. Of the representatives of the fauna of New Zealand, the most famous are the kiwi birds, which have become the national symbol of the country. Other endemics of the country are kea, kakapo, takahe. All the islands of Oceania are inhabited by a large number of lizards, snakes and insects.
Minerals
There are no minerals on most of the islands of Oceania, only the largest of them are being developed: nickel (New Caledonia), oil and gas (New Guinea, New Zealand), copper (Bougainville Island in Papua New Guinea), gold (New Guinea , Fiji), phosphates (on most of the islands, the deposits are almost or have already been developed, for example, in Nauru, on the islands of Banaba, Makatea). In the past, many of the region's islands were heavily mined for guano, the decomposed dung of seabirds, which was used as a nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer. On the ocean floor of the exclusive economic zone of a number of countries there are large accumulations of iron-manganese nodules, as well as cobalt, but at the moment no development is being carried out due to economic inexpediency.
Geography of Australia and Oceania
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Oceania is divided into several large regions: Australia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.
In addition, Oceania includes thousands and thousands of coral islands located along the coasts of the countries of the region. Some definitions include in the region all states and territories in the Pacific Ocean between North and South America and Asia, in which case Taiwan and Japan would also be part of Oceania, not Asia.
Oceania is not only geographic region and ecozone, it is also a geopolitical region defined by the United Nations and includes Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and others island states, which are not included in the Asian region, as well as a mass of coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific, including Melanesian and Polynesian groups. Oceania also includes Micronesia, a highly scattered group of islands stretching along the northern and southern edge equator.
Oceania, the smallest continent on the planet, is without a doubt one of the most diverse and amazing regions on the planet.
Islands of Oceania
Geographic diversity of Oceania
Oceania is represented by a variety of landforms, the most significant of which are located in Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea. And, since most of the islands of Oceania are represented only by simple points on the map, it is impossible to display their relief and landscape features.
Many of these small islands are the result of ancient volcanic activity, or are coral atolls that surround part or all of the lagoon. Only a few islands have rivers of any significant size, and the same applies to lakes. Therefore, only recognized geographical features and landmarks of Australia.
Relief and landscape of Australia
Australia is very dry, with only 35 percent of the country receiving little rainfall (sometimes not at all). Nearly 20 percent of the country is desert in one form or another.
Lake Eyre Basin
Lake Eyre itself is located at 16 m below sea level, and is located in the driest part of Australia. It usually contains some water, but recently, due to the harsh arid conditions in the country, it has no water at all. The Lake Eyre Basin is considered the world's largest inland drainage system, covering an area one-sixth total area country. The rivers in this region flow in response to rainfall, and because of the very little rainfall, isolated water wells are essential to life.
Great Sandy Desert
South of the Kimberley Plateau, this arid Western Australian steppe covers nearly 300,000 square kilometers of scattered shrubs and rocks. Red sand ridges (dunes) stretch for miles, and very few people live on its territory.
Great Victoria Desert
Known for its red sand dunes, native wilderness, and isolation, the Victoria Desert (almost 350,000 sq km) is almost 750 km wide and is mostly a barren area of red sand hills and ridges. , dry salt lakes, with very little greenery.
Great Artesian Basin
It is one of the largest artesian ground basins in the world and is also source of life water for Australian agriculture.
Great Barrier Reef
This picturesque coral reef, approximately 2,000 km long, contains the world's largest coral deposits. It is not a single reef, but rather an unusual mosaic of over 2,800 independent coral reefs. Known throughout the world for its beauty and wildlife(the fish alone is represented by more than 1,500 species), it became the first Australian object world heritage in 1981
Big Dividing Range
Lying along the eastern/southeastern edge of the country and extending all the way to Tasmania, these mountain ranges and ranges separate the dry Australian interior from the coastal regions. The most highest point- Mount Kosciuszko (2228 m) in the Australian Alps. The Blue Mountains National Park, a World Heritage Site located in the state of New South Wales, two hours from Sydney, is one of the most beautiful places in the world, and one of the most visited places in Australia.
Shark Bay
Shark Bay is one of only 14 places on the planet that meet all four natural criteria for the title of World Heritage Site. These criteria include outstanding examples of earth evolution, biological and ecological processes, incredible natural beauty, and a significant amount of natural habitats for animals and plants. This bay has the largest number of seagrass species for a single site, and supports a rich aquatic life for dolphins, dugongs, sea snakes, turtles, whales, and of course sharks.
Fraser Island
Located along the Australian Coral Sea, north of Brisbane, Fraser Island is Australia's fourth largest island (after Tasmania, Melville, and Kangaroo), and the second largest sand island in the world. Created thanks to the efforts of the winds over thousands of years, this island is 120 km long and 15 km wide.
Cape York Peninsula
Considered one of the "last remaining undeveloped areas on Earth", Cape York contains a large number of jagged mountains, rainforest, vast mangrove forests, meadows, swamps, and fast-flowing rivers.
Kimberley Plateau
The Kimberley, most of which is still unexplored, is known for its dramatic red landscapes of cliffs and gorges, and for the twice-daily very strong ocean tide that accelerates the currents in the rivers to dangerous levels and creates whirlpools. Dozens of islands and coral reefs line the coastline, and access to this region of Australia is very difficult, as there are few roads leading here.
Gibson Desert
covered with small sand dunes and several rocky hills, this 156,000 sq. km. The desert is home to many Aboriginal reservations. Due to the lack of rain, farming and raising livestock are difficult here.
Simpson Desert
This desert, measuring 176,500 square kilometers, is drifting. Its windswept dunes lack rain, and the summer heat can be very brutal. High temperatures the desert often exceeds 50ºC, and while people are advised to exercise extreme caution in this region during the summer months, the desert itself is certainly not lifeless. Tourists often visit here winter time and they often visit impressive landscapes national park Queensland Simpson Desert.
Tanami Desert
Similar to Big sandy desert, this desert also has many red-sand plains, it is also dominated by shrub vegetation, and lonely hills are scattered across its territory. In general, the desert is uninhabited, except for a few mines, and a small ranch.
Nullarbor Plain
This sparsely populated area of southwestern Australia is very dry and has very little water. It can only be reached via the Air Highway crossing, named after the famous explorer Edward John Air, who became the first person to cross Australia from east to west in the mid-1800s. Along the southern coast of the Great Australian Bight, the local topography is second to none. Vast expanses of pure white sand, which can be found at the rocks of Baxter, along the Gulf, are very impressive.
Darling/Murray river system
The Darling River, 1,879 km long, flows southwest from the banks of the Great Dividing Range to the Murray River. The Murray originates in the Australian Alps and flows for 1,930 km. to Spencer Bay, immediately west of Adelaide. This longest river in Australia, and it is a vital source of irrigation for the country's largest agricultural area.
Darling Ridge
This low mountain range runs off the southwestern coast of Australia. Its highest point is Mount Cook (580 m).
McDonnell Ridge
Made famous for Ayers Rock, and as a favorite destination for hikers and rock climbers, this range of hills, mountain ranges, and valleys is very popular for its consistently good weather and beautiful scenery. The highest point is Mount Zil (height - 1531 m.).
Hamersley Range
A reddish-brown low mountain range located in Western Australia, home to many Aboriginal peoples. This national park known for its gorges and red stone waterfalls.
Ayers Rock (Uluru)
