Pacific Islands
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The Pacific Ocean has an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 islands; the exact number is unknown. These islands are also sometimes collectively called Oceania, and are traditionally grouped into three: (1) Melanesia, (2) Micronesia, and (3) Polynesia.
Melanesia means black islands. These include New Guinea (the largest Pacific island,which is divided into the nation of Papua New Guinea and the Indonesian province of Irian Jaya), New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, and the Solomon Islands.
Micronesia means small islands. These include the Marianas, Guam, Palau, the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, and the Federated States of Micronesia.
Polynesia means many islands. These include New Zealand, the Hawaiian Islands, the Midway Atoll, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, and Easter Island.
There are also many other islands located within the boundaries of the Pacific Ocean, but these are not considered part of Oceania. These islands include the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador; the Aleutian Islands in Alaska; the Russian islands of Sakhalin and Kuril Islands; the island nation of Japan, which includes the Ryukyu Islands; Taiwan; the Philippines; the South China Sea Islands; and most of the islands of Indonesia.
The Pacific Islands’ Geography: • About 25,000 islands dot the Pacific Ocean. • The region is divided into three areas; Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. • The region’s islands are also classified in two groups; high islands and low islands. • Volcanoes form high islands. • High islands support more people and have a more fertile soil. • Low islands are reef or atolls. • Low islands are built on coral reefs. • Low islands are quite small. • Melanesia is the most populated island region. • Most of Melanesia’s large islands are high islands. • Most of the islands of Micronesia lie north of the equator. • Polynesia is the largest island region in the Pacific Ocean. • The Pacific Island region has few natural resources.
List of Islands
- American Samoa (United States)
- Baker Island (United States)
- Chatham Islands (New Zealand)
- Clipperton Island (France)
- Easter Island/Rapa Nui (Chile)
- French Polynesia (France)
- Austral Islands
- Society Islands
- Iles du Vent (Windward Islands)
- Iles Sous le Vent (Leeward Islands)
- Marquises
- Tuamotus
- Gambier Islands
- Hawaiian Islands (United States)
- Howland Island (United States)
- Johnston Atoll (United States)
- Kermadec Islands (New Zealand)
- Line Islands
- Caroline Island
- Flint Island
- Jarvis Island (United States)
- Kingman Reef (United States)
- Kiritimati (Christmas Island)
- Malden Island
- Palmyra Atoll (United States)
- Starbuck Island
- Tabuaeran (Fanning Island)
- Teraina (Washington Island)
- Tongareva (Penhryn Island)
- Vostok Island
- Marianas Islands (United States)
- New Caledonia (France)
- New Zealand
- Main islands
- Other islands, see Islands of New Zealand
- Tuvalu
- Funafuti
- Amatuku
- Avalau
- Falaoigo
- Fale Fatu (or Falefatu)
- Fatato
- Fongafale
- Fuafatu
- Fuagea
- Fualefeke (or Fualifeke)
- Fualopa
- Funafala
- Funamanu
- Luamotu
- Mateiko
- Motugie
- Motuloa
- Mulitefala
- Papa Elise (or Funangongo)
- Teafuafou
- Te Afualiku
- Tefala
- Tengasu
- Telele
- Tengako (peninsula of Fongafale)
- Tepuka
- Tepuka Vili Vili
- Tutanga
- Vasafua
- Nanumanga (or Nanumaga)
- Nanumea
- Niulakita
- Niutao
- Nui
- Nukufetau
- Nukulaelae
- Vaitupu
- Funafuti
- Vanuatu (New Hebrides)
- Ambrym
- Anatom
- Aoba
- Éfaté
- Erromango
- Espiritu Santo
- Hunter (claimed by France and Vanuatu)
- Îles Banks
- Îles Torres
- Maéwo
- Matthew (claimed by France and Vanuatu)
- Malakula
- Pentecóte
- Tanna
- Wake Island (United States)
- Wallis and Futuna (France)
- Western Samoa (see Samoa)
See also
- List of islands in the United States
- List of islands in the Arctic Ocean
- List of islands in the Atlantic Ocean
- List of islands in the Caribbean
- List of islands in the Indian Ocean
- List of islands of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean
- List of islands of Australia
- List of islands of Asia
- List of islands of New Zealand
- List of islands of North America
- List of islands of South America
| Countries and territories in Oceania |
| Australia | American Samoa | Baker Island | Cook Islands | East Timor | Fiji | French Polynesia | Guam | Howland Island | Jarvis Island | Johnston Atoll | Kingman Reef | Kiribati | Marshall Islands | Federated States of Micronesia | Midway Atoll | Nauru | New Caledonia | New Zealand | Niue | Norfolk Island | Northern Mariana Islands | Palau | Palmyra Atoll | Papua New Guinea | Pitcairn | Samoa | Solomon Islands | Tokelau | Tonga | Tuvalu | Vanuatu | Wallis and Futuna | Wake Island |