Oceania - coffinblog · 2013. 2. 21. · Polynesia (“many islands”) Melanesia (“black islands”) Micronesia (“tiny islands”). The largest regaion is Polynesia, which forms

2/21/2013

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The continent really is composed of Australia and Oceania together.

◦ Geographers differ on what the continent should be called.

Australia is usually combined with New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

Regarding Australia:

◦ Date of Independence: January 1, 1901.

◦ Percent Urban Population: 85%

◦ GDP per Capita: $27,000

◦ Largest City by Population: Sydney (approximately 4 million)

◦ It is the smallest continent, but is the sixth largest nation.

◦ Its land is millions of years old.

2/21/2013

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Australia’s ABORIGINES were hunters

and gatherers moving with the

seasons. Their society was based on

a complex network of kinship.

Social control was maintained by a

system of beliefs called THE

DREAMING (meaning the time of

creation).

The MAORI - indigenous Polynesian

people of New Zealand - arrived in

the 14th Century.

Australia dominates this region

economically.

It has strong economic ties to Asia

and the Pacific Rim (countries and

economies bordering the Pacific

Ocean).

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Geographers divide Oceania into

three major ethno-geographic

regions:

◦ Polynesia (“many islands”)

◦ Melanesia (“black islands”)

◦ Micronesia (“tiny islands”).

The largest regaion is Polynesia,

which forms a triangle with Hawaii

in the north, Easter Island in the

east, and New Zealand in the

southwest.

The best known island groups are

Hawaii, French Polynesia, Samoa,

the Cook Islands, and Easter Island

(made famous for its gigantic stone

statues in human form).

Micronesia’s most famous island

group is called the Mariana

Islands, which includes Guam, a

territory of the USA.

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Captain James Cook, a British

seaman, made three voyages of

discovery to the Pacific. The Cook

Islands are named for him.