What is oceania? »Its definition and meaning

Oceania is the smallest, least known and most depopulated continent on earth, made up of island formations, the main axis of which is the Australian continental shelf. These islands are located between Asia and America, and also constitute the oceanic continent: New Guinea, New Zealand and the volcanic and coral archipelagos, Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia, covering an area of 9,008,458 km² in the Pacific Ocean. Despite its small size, it is a continent rich in cultures due to the presence of a significant number of tribes.

What is oceania

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The concept of Oceania encompasses what is the smallest continent in the world, with a territorial extension that covers 9,008,458 square kilometers, divided into: Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. This continent, whose base is on the continental shelf of Australia, is considered insular, since it is made up mostly of islands, which are distributed in the Pacific Ocean, the largest in the world.

There are Anglo-Saxon continental models in which Australia is referred to as a continent without mentioning Oceania, but this concept does not include the rest of the Pacific islands.

The etymology of its name came from the French geographer Conrad Malte-Brun (1755-1826), who referred to the continent as Océanie, in a combination of the French word ocean meaning ocean, and the Latin suffix –ia, which refers to a feminine noun. Choose this term, as the definition of Oceania indicates that they are islands in the Pacific Ocean.

Portuguese and Spanish navigators were pioneers in reaching the area, and later the French, British and Americans colonized the region.

Where is the continent Oceania located

The Oceania continent is located between the Asia and America continents, more specifically southeast Asia, south of the Pacific Ocean and west of the Indian Ocean.

The approximately twenty-five thousand islands that make up this territory are located in the Pacific Ocean. Another important aspect is the location of Oceania, since it gives a remarkable particularity to tourism, due to its countless paradisiacal beaches and other exotic, unconventional natural settings that attract tourists from all over the world.

The extreme points of oceanic geography are: to the north Kure Atoll in Hawaii, to the south Macquarie Island in Australia, to the east Isla Sala and Gómez in Chile, and to the west Island West in Australia.

What are the countries and capitals that make up Oceania

The meaning of Oceania includes the 14 countries that are part of the continent and other dependencies, non-oceanic territories, but that are located in the area that covers the continent.

The countries of the Oceania continent are:

Australia (Commonwealth of Australia). Considered by some models as the smallest continent and one of the largest countries in the world, whose extension represents more than 44% of the total extension of Oceania. Its capital is Canberra, one of the main cities on the continent, along with Sydney and Melbourne.
Fiji (Republic of Fiji). They became known as the Cannibal Islands for the ferocity of their natives. This nation is made up of 322 islands, of which only 100 are inhabited, since the remaining 222 are natural reserves. Its capital is Suva, and Fiji is considered one of the main tourist attractions due to its exotic landscapes.
Marshall Islands (Republic of the Marshall Islands). Its capital is Majuro. They are composed of two archipelagos (Ralik and Ratak), and other formations, adding a total of 1,152 islands. Due to their low height (barely 10 meters above sea level), they are in danger of disappearing.
Solomon Islands. Its capital is Honiara. It has 990 islands between two archipelagos (the same name and the Santa Cruz islands), and the most distant from each other are at a distance of 1,500 kilometers.
Kiribati (Republic of Kiribati). Considered a sovereign state of Micronesia, whose island group includes Line, Phoenix and Gilbert. Most of these are uninhabited. This nation has 33 low-lying coral atolls (tips of underwater volcanoes). Its capital is Tarawa, the most populated area.
Micronesia (Federated States of Micronesia). Its capital is Palikir. It is made up of 607 islands that cover approximately 2,700 kilometers in the archipelago of the Caroline Islands.
Nauru (Republic of Nauru). Its capital is Yaren. It is the smallest sovereign state on the continent and the third in the world, with an area of just 21.3 square kilometers.
New Zealand. Located in the South Pacific Ocean, it is made up of several islands and the North and South islands, the latter being the main ones. It is highlighted by the contrast of natural settings, which have served as a tourist and film attraction. Its capital is Wellington, which is located on the North Island.
Palau (Republic of Palau). Its capital will depend on the source of the information, since according to Wikipedia, Google and the CIA, it is Ngerulmud; and according to the Royal Spanish Academy, it is Melekeok.
Papua New Guinea (Independent Nation of Papua New Guinea). Its capital is Port Moresby. It is one of the least explored countries and belongs to the megadiverse countries (which are home to the greatest biodiversity in the world).
Samoa (Independent State of Samoa). Its capital is Apia. Composed of two main islands (Upolu and Savai'i) and eight small islands.
Tonga (Kingdom of Tonga). It is an archipelago made up of 171 islands, of which only 45 are inhabited. All of its islands are distributed in four groups: Tongatapu, Vava'u, Niuas and Ha'apai. Its capital is Nukualofa.
Tuvalu Its capital is Funafuti according to Wikipedia, Google and the CIA; and Fongafale according to the Royal Spanish Academy. It is made up of four coral reefs and five atolls, ranking second as the country with the fewest inhabitants.
Vanuatu (Republic of Vanuatu). Its capital is Port Vila. It is made up of 83 islands, most of which are unstable with sloping surfaces and do not belong to any continental shelf, which is why it has been disappearing.

In addition to these 14 countries, there are 14 other agencies that could generate confusion regarding how many countries Oceania has, but these belong to other countries. These dependencies are:

Guam (Unincorporated Organized Territory).

Dependency on: United States.

Extension: 544 square kilometers.

Population: 162,742.
Christmas Island (External Territory).

Dependency on: Australia.

Extension: 135 square kilometers.

Population: 1,843.
Ashmore and Cartier Islands (External Territory).

Dependency on: Australia.

Extension: 199 square kilometers.

Population: Uninhabited.
Cocos Islands (External Territory).

Dependency on: Australia.

Extension: 14 square kilometers.

Population: 556.
Cook Islands (Commonwealth).

Dependency on: New Zealand.

Extension: 236 square kilometers.

Population: 9,556.
Coral Sea Islands (External Territory).

Dependency on: Australia.

Extension: 3 square kilometers.

Population: Uninhabited.
Northern Mariana Islands (Commonwealth).

Dependency on: United States.

Extension: 464 square kilometers.

Population: 53,467.
Pitcaim Islands (Overseas Territory).

Dependency on: United Kingdom.

Extension: 47 square kilometers.

Population: 54.
Minor Overseas Islands (Unincorporated Unorganized Territory).

Dependency on: United States.

Extension: 28.9 square kilometers.

Population: Uninhabited.
Niue (Commonwealth).

Dependency on: New Zealand.

Extension: 260 square kilometers.

Population: 1,190.
Norfolk Island (External Territory).

Dependency on: Australia.

Extension: 36 square kilometers.

Population: 2,210.
New Caledonia (Collectivity sui géneris).

Dependency on: France.

Extension: 18,575 square kilometers.

Population: 275,355.
French Polynesia (Overseas Collectivity).

Dependency on: France.

Extension: 4,167 square kilometers.

Population: 285,321.
American Samoa (Unincorporated Unorganized Territory).

Dependency on: United States.

Extension: 199 square kilometers.

Population: 54,194.
Tokelau (Dependent Territory).

Dependency on: New Zealand.

Extension: 12 square kilometers.

Population: 1,337.
Wallis and Futuna (Overseas Collectivity).

Dependency on: France.

Extension: 142 square kilometers.

Population: 15,664.

There are also five territories belonging to Oceania integrated into non-oceanic states: Hawaii (State of the United States), Easter Island (Commune Province of special regime of Chile), Moluccas (Province of Indonesia), Papua (Province of Indonesia) and West Papua (Province of Indonesia).

Oceania political map

In the following image you can find the map of Oceania:

Flags of the countries of Oceania

How is the weather in Oceania

The climate present in Oceania is varied, according to factors such as the location, the extension of the territory, the winds and the geophysical characteristics of the islands. However, the continent is continually exposed to storms and hurricanes.

There is a diversity of climates, and its greatest variation is found in Australia due to its great extension and location. Different climates occur, such as desert and arid, temperate, maritime, monsoon and Mediterranean. Similarly, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea have different climates.

The islands closest to the Equator have an equatorial climate, which is characterized by high temperatures and abundant rainfall, which makes it humid. The islands closest to the tropics have dry and humid climates, according to the time of year. The islands above the tropics and near Antarctica have maritime and tundra climates.

Population of the countries of Oceania in the last year

This is increasing, due to its low mortality rate and its average life span higher than the world average. The population of Oceania exceeds 41 million inhabitants among the countries that comprise it, according to 2019 figures. The estimated number of inhabitants per country is: Australia (25,150,000 inhabitants); Papua New Guinea (8,660,000 inhabitants); New Zealand (4,915,000 inhabitants); Fiji (891,000 inhabitants); Solomon Islands (681,000 inhabitants); Vanuatu (309,000 inhabitants); Samoa (200,000 inhabitants); Kiribati (121,000 inhabitants); Micronesia (105,000 inhabitants); Tonga (100,000 inhabitants); Marshall Islands (56,000 inhabitants); Palau (18,000 inhabitants); Nauru (11,000 inhabitants); Tuvalu (10,000 inhabitants).