Oceania
An orthographic projection of geopolitical Oceania.
Geopolitical Oceania
Area8,525,989 km2 (3,291,903 sq mi)
Population44,491,724 (2021, 6th)
Population density4.19/km2 (10.9/sq mi)
DemonymOceanian
Countries
Associated (2) (list)
Dependencies
External (21) (list)
Internal (4) (list)
Languages
29
Time zonesUTC+14 (Kiribati) to UTC-11 (American Samoa and Niue) (West to East)
Largest cities

Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean.[1] Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania vary, with it being defined in various ways, often geopolitically or geographically. In the geopolitical conception used by the United Nations, International Olympic Committee, and many atlases, the Oceanic region includes Australia and the nations of the Pacific from Papua New Guinea east, but not the Malay Archipelago or Indonesian New Guinea.[2][3][4] The term is sometimes used more specifically to denote Australasia as a geographic continent,[5][6] or biogeographically as a synonym for either the Australasian realm (Wallacea and Australasia) or the Oceanian realm (Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia apart either from New Zealand[7] or from mainland New Guinea[8]).

Although Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands belong to the Commonwealth of Australia and are inhabited, they are nearer Indonesia than the Australian mainland, and are commonly associated with Asia instead of Oceania.

Demographics by territory

The demographic table below shows all inhabited states and territories of Oceania. The information in this chart comes from the CIA World Factbook[9] or the United States Department of State[10][m], unless noted otherwise or not available (NA); where sources differ, references are included.

PosCountryPopulation[11][12] (mid-2021 estimate)Area (km2)Population density (/km2)Urban populationLife expectancyLiteracy RateOfficial language(s)Top religion(s)Ethnic groups
1  Australia25,921,0897,682,3002.76889%81.6399%English 78.5% [13]Christian 64.6%, none 18.7%European/mixed European and other 85%, Asian/mixed Asian and other 12%, Indigenous Australian/mixed Indigenous Australian and other 2%[14][15]
2  Papua New Guinea9,949,437462,84012.83512%65.7557.3%Tok Pisin 75%,[16] English 1–2%, Hiri Motu <2%[a]Christian 96%New Guinea Papuan 84%, New Guinea Melanesian 15%, other 1%[17]
3  New Zealand5,129,727270,53415.57487%80.3699%English 91.2%, Māori 3.9%Christian 55.6%, None 34.7%European 74.0%, Asian 12%, Māori 15%, Pacific Islander 7%, other 1%[18]
–  Hawaii (United States)1,419,56128,31182.64792%80.3799%English 73.44%, Hawaiian 1.68%Christian 63%, None 26%, Buddhist 8%, Other 3%Asian 37.2%, Multiracial 25.3%, White 22.9%, Pacific Islander 10.8%, Black 1.6%, Native American 0.3%[19]
4  Fiji924,61018,27451.69718%70.7393.7%English, Fijian, HindiChristian 64.5%, Hindu 27.9%, Muslim 6.3%Fijian 57.3%, Indo-Fijians 37.6%, Rotuman 1.2%, other 3.9%
5  Solomon Islands707,85128,89620.61252%73.6976.6%[20]English 1–2%[b]Christian 95%Melanesian 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 1.3%
–  French Polynesia (France)304,0324,16768.88252%76.7198%French 61.1%, Polynesian 31.4%Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%
–  New Caledonia (France)287,80018,57512.24465%74.9896.8%FrenchRoman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%Melanesian 44.1%, European 34.1%, Wallisian & Futunian 9%, Tahitian 2.6%, Indonesian 2.5%, Vietnamese 1.4%, Ni-Vanuatu 1.1%, other 5.2%
6  Vanuatu319,13712,18918.17625%64.3374%English 23.1%, French 1.9%Christian 82%, indigenous beliefs 5.6%, other 10.9%, none 1%Ni-Vanuatu 98.5%, other 1.5%
7  Samoa218,7642,83167.82123%72.1399.7%SamoanChristian 98.9%Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7%, Europeans 0.4%
–  Guam (United States)170,5341,478122.37193%78.1899%English 38.3%, Chamorro 22.2%[21]Roman Catholic 85%Chamorro 37.1%, Filipino 26.3%, other Pacific islander 11.3%, white 6.9%, other 8.6%, mixed 9.8%
8  Tonga106,017747164.09625%71.0398.9%Tongan, EnglishChristianTongan 98%
9  Federated States of Micronesia113,131702152.64122%71.2389%EnglishRoman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%, others 3%Chuukese 48.8%, Pohnpeian 24.2%, Kosraean 6.2%, Yapese 5.2%, Yap outer islands 4.5%, Asian 1.8%, Polynesian 1.5%, other 7.8%
10  Kiribati128,874811122.66644%64.0392%English, Gilbertese (de facto)Roman Catholic 55%, Protestant 36%Micronesian 98.8%
–  American Samoa (United States)45,035199333.82992%73.9797%English, Samoan[c][22]Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30%native Pacific islander 91.6%, Asian 2.8%, white 1.1%, mixed 4.2%, other 0.3%
11  Marshall Islands42,050181363.86271%71.4893.7%Marshallese 98.2%, EnglishProtestant 54.8%, other Christian 40.6%Marshallese 92.1%, mixed Marshallese 5.9%, other 2%
–  Northern Mariana Islands (United States)49,481464104.13191%76.997%English[23]ChristianFilipino 35.3%, Chamorro 23.9%, Multiracial 12.7%, Chinese 6.8%, Carolinian 4.6%, Korean 4.2%, 2.3% Chuukese, 2.2% Palauan, 2.1% White, 5.9% other
12  Palau18,02445945.48881%71.5192%Paluan 64.7%[d], EnglishRoman Catholic 41.6%, Protestant 23.3%Palauan 69.9%, Filipino 15.3%, Chinese 4.9%, other Asian 2.4%, white 1.9%, Carolinian 1.4%, other Micronesian 1.1%, other 3.2%
–  Wallis and Futuna (France)11,627142108.0490%78.8350%[e]Wallisian 58.9%, Futunian 30.1%, French 10.8%Roman Catholic 99%Polynesian
–  Cook Islands (New Zealand)17,00323648.67874%74.4795%Māori, EnglishCook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, other Christian 30.5%Cook Island Māori 87.7%, part Cook Island Māori 5.8%, other 6.5%
13  Tuvalu11,20426401.61549%64.3993%[24]Tuvalu, EnglishChurch of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4%
14  Nauru12,51121441.286100%64.9999%[25]Nauruan[f]Nauru Congregational Church 35.4%, Roman Catholic 33.2%, Nauru Independent Church (Protestant)[26] 10.4%Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%
–  Norfolk Island (Australia)2,1553659.861NANANA[g]English, Norfuk[h]Anglican 31.8%, other Christian 30,9%, none 19.9%European, Tahitian, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesian
–  Tokelau (New Zealand)1,84912116.6670%69[27]NATokelauan, EnglishCongregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%[i]Polynesian
–  Niue (New Zealand)1,9372605.20839%69.5[28]NA[j]Niuean, EnglishEkalesia Niue (Protestant) 61.1%, other Christian 11%, Latter Day Saints 8.8%Niuean 78.2%, Pacific islander 10.2%, European 4.5%, mixed 3.9%, Asian 0.2%, unspecified 3%
–  Pitcairn Islands (United Kingdom)48471.021NANANA[k]English, PitkernSeventh-day Adventist 100%European, Tahitian[l]
– Total 44,491,7248,506,4274.07371%77.8791%73.3%[29]
– Total minus mainland Australia 18,570,635824,12716.24243%71.8978%

See also

Notes

    ^ a: Papua New Guinea has over 860 non-official languages, comprising approximately ten percent of all languages on Earth.[30]

    ^ b: Melanesian pidgin is lingua franca in much of the country, but English remains the official language.[31]

    ^ c: Samoan and English were declared the official languages of American Samoa in June, 2010, via a constitutional amendment to the 1967 Revised Constitution of American Samoa.[22]

    ^ d: Palaun is the official language in all islands except Sonsoral (Sonsoralese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official).

    ^ e: Based on a 1969 estimate.

    ^ f: English, while not an official language, is widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes.[32]

    ^ g: Norfuk was made the second official language of Norfolk Island in 2005.[33]

    ^ h: While no valid literacy data is available, Norfolk Island is assumed to have an adult literacy rate roughly at a par with Australia's literacy rate of 99%.[34]

    ^ i: On Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church predominant.

    ^ j: While no valid literacy data is available, Niue is assumed to have an adult literacy rate of almost 100%.[35]

    ^ k: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold any statistical information on the literacy rate of the Pitcairn population.[36]

    ^ l: The residents of the Pitcairn Islands are descendants of HMS Bounty mutineers[37] and their Tahitian wives.

    ^ m: Much of the information on these two websites is taken from the censuses of other countries, and are not based on independent US government research. The remaining figures are based on estimates, and have been used only where census information from the nation in question is incomplete, unclear, or nonexistent.

    References

    1. ↑ For a history of the term, see Douglas & Ballard (2008) Foreign bodies: Oceania and the science of race 1750–1940
    2. ↑ "United Nations Statistics Division – Countries of Oceania". Millenniumindicators.un.org. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
    3. ↑ Atlas of Canada Web Master (2004-08-17). "The Atlas of Canada – The World – Continents". Atlas.nrcan.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2012-11-04. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
    4. ↑ Current IOC members Archived 2009-10-02 at the Wayback Machine.
    5. ↑ "Encarta Mexico "Oceanía"". Mx.encarta.msn.com. Archived from the original on 2009-03-17. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
    6. ↑ Lewis, Martin W.; Kären E. Wigen (1997). The Myth of Continents: a Critique of Metageography. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 32. ISBN 0-520-20742-4, ISBN 0-520-20743-2. Interestingly enough, the answer [from a scholar who sought to calculate the number of continents] conformed almost precisely to the conventional list: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Oceania (Australia plus New Zealand), Africa, and Antarctica.
    7. ↑ Udvardy. 1975. A classification of the biogeographical provinces of the world
    8. ↑ Steadman. 2006. Extinction & biogeography of tropical Pacific birds
    9. ↑ CIA World Factbook
    10. ↑ A-Z List of Country and Other Area Pages. State.gov (2006-04-04). Retrieved on 2010-11-12.
    11. ↑ "World Population Prospects 2022". population.un.org. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
    12. ↑ "World Population Prospects 2022: Demographic indicators by region, subregion and country, annually for 1950-2100" (XSLX). population.un.org ("Total Population, as of 1 July (thousands)"). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
    13. ↑ Australia, CIA World Factbook
    14. ↑ McEvoy, Brian P., et al. "Geographical structure and differential natural selection among North European populations." Genome research 19.5 (2009): 804-814. "Approximately 85% of current Australians are descendants of European settlers who began arriving in 1788."
    15. ↑ BBC News - Young Asians making their mark on Australia
    16. ↑ Tok Pisin. Hawaii.edu. Retrieved on 2010-11-12.
    17. ↑ Papua New Guinea. Worldstatesmen.org. Retrieved on 2010-11-12.
    18. ↑ "2013 Census - Major ethnic groups in New Zealand". Statistics New Zealand. Statistics New Zealand. 29 January 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
    19. ↑ https://data.indystar.com/census/total-population/total-population-change/hawaii/040-15/
    20. ↑ Human Development Report 2009 – Adult literacy rate (% aged 15 and above) Archived 2010-07-15 at the Wayback Machine. Hdrstats.undp.org. Retrieved on 2010-11-12.
    21. ↑ Languages of Guam Archived December 23, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Ns.gov.gu. Retrieved on 2010-11-12.
    22. 1 2 Final Draft of 2010 Amendments to the 1967 Revised Constitution of American Samoa Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine. Approved by the 2010 Constitutional Convention, June 21 – July 3, 2010
    23. ↑ DOI Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) – Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Archived June 14, 2006, at the Wayback Machine. Doi.gov. Retrieved on 2010-11-12.
    24. ↑ Tuvalu. Talktalk.co.uk. Retrieved on 2010-11-12.
    25. ↑ Nauru. Talktalk.co.uk. Retrieved on 2010-11-12.
    26. ↑ Nauru. Travelblog.org. Retrieved on 2010-11-12.
    27. ↑ Pacific – Tokelau Information Bulletin – NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Archived 2014-05-13 at the Wayback Machine. Mfat.govt.nz (2010-09-27). Retrieved on 2010-11-12.
    28. ↑ Niue Archived 2010-06-18 at the Wayback Machine. Globaleducation.edna.edu.au (2009-04-02). Retrieved on 2010-11-12.
    29. ↑ "Christianity in its Global Contex" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-08-15. Retrieved 2015-07-18.
    30. ↑ Papua New Guinea, CIA World Factbook
    31. ↑ Solomon Islands, CIA World Factbook
    32. ↑ Nauru , CIA World Factbook
    33. ↑ "Norfuk declared official language in Norfolk Island - report". Radio New Zealand International. April 20, 2005. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
    34. ↑ Norfolk Island History and Facts in Brief. Erwin.bernhardt.net.nz. Retrieved on 2010-11-12.
    35. ↑ Niue: Report: Part II: Analytic Sections: cont. 1. Unesco.org. Retrieved on 2010-11-12.
    36. ↑ House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 05 Jan 2010 (pt 0051). Publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved on 2010-11-12.
    37. ↑ Pitcairn Islands, CIA World Factbook
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