Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean.For a history of the term, see Douglas & Ballard (2008) Foreign bodies: Oceania and the science of race 1750–1940 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.Current IOC members . The term is sometimes used more specifically to denote Australasia as a geographic continent, 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 ZealandUdvardy. 1975. A classification of the biogeographical provinces of the world or from mainland New GuineaSteadman. 2006. Extinction & biogeography of tropical Pacific birds).

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 FactbookCIA World Factbook or the United States Department of StateA-Z List of Country and Other Area Pages. State.gov (2006-04-04). Retrieved on 2010-11-12., unless noted otherwise or not available (NA); where sources differ, references are included.

Pos Country Population (mid- estimate) Area (km2) Population density (/km2) Urban population Life expectancy Literacy Rate Official language(s) Top religion(s) Ethnic groups 1 7,682,300 2.768 89% 81.63 99% English 78.5% Australia, CIA World Factbook Christian 64.6%, none 18.7% European 57.2%, Oceanian 33.8% (including Australian Aborigines 2.9%), Asian, 17.4%.Cultural diversity data summary. 2021. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2 462,840 12.835 12% 65.75 57.3% Tok Pisin 75%,Tok Pisin. Hawaii.edu. Retrieved on 2010-11-12. English 1–2%, Hiri Motu <2% Christian 96% New Guinea Papuan 84%, New Guinea Melanesian 15%, other 1%Papua New Guinea. Worldstatesmen.org. Retrieved on 2010-11-12. 3 270,534 15.574 87% 80.36 99% English 91.2%, Māori 3.9% Christian 55.6%, None 34.7% European 74.0%, Asian 12%, Māori 15%, Pacific Islander 7%, other 1% – (United States) 1,419,561 28,311 82.647 92% 80.37 99% 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% 4 18,274 51.697 18% 70.73 93.7% English, Fijian, Hindi Christian 64.5%, Hindu 27.9%, Muslim 6.3% Fijian 57.3%, Indo-Fijians 37.6%, Rotuman 1.2%, other 3.9% 5 28,896 20.612 52% 73.69 76.6%Human Development Report 2009 – Adult literacy rate (% aged 15 and above) . Hdrstats.undp.org. Retrieved on 2010-11-12. English 1–2% Christian 95% Melanesian 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 1.3% – (France) 4,167 68.882 52% 76.71 98% 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% – (France) 18,575 12.244 65% 74.98 96.8% French Roman 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 12,189 18.176 25% 64.33 74% 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 2,831 67.821 23% 72.13 99.7% Samoan Christian 98.9% Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7%, Europeans 0.4% – (United States) 1,478 122.371 93% 78.18 99% English 38.3%, Chamorro 22.2%Languages of Guam . Ns.gov.gu. Retrieved on 2010-11-12. Roman Catholic 85% Chamorro 37.1%, Filipino 26.3%, other Pacific islander 11.3%, white 6.9%, other 8.6%, mixed 9.8% 8 747 164.096 25% 71.03 98.9% Tongan, English Christian Tongan 98% 9 702 152.641 22% 71.23 89% English Roman 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% 10 811 122.666 44% 64.03 92% English, Gilbertese (de facto) Roman Catholic 55%, Protestant 36% Micronesian 98.8% – (United States) 199 333.829 92% 73.97 97% English, SamoanFinal Draft of 2010 Amendments to the 1967 Revised Constitution of American Samoa . Approved by the 2010 Constitutional Convention, June 21 – July 3, 2010 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% 11 181 363.862 71% 71.48 93.7% Marshallese 98.2%, English Protestant 54.8%, other Christian 40.6% Marshallese 92.1%, mixed Marshallese 5.9%, other 2% – (United States) 464 104.131 91% 76.9 97% EnglishDOI Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) – Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands . Doi.gov. Retrieved on 2010-11-12. Christian Filipino 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 12 459 45.488 81% 71.51 92% Paluan 64.7%, English Roman 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% – (France) 142 108.049 0% 78.83 50% Wallisian 58.9%, Futunian 30.1%, French 10.8% Roman Catholic 99% Polynesian – (New Zealand) 236 48.678 74% 74.47 95% Māori, English Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, other Christian 30.5% Cook Island Māori 87.7%, part Cook Island Māori 5.8%, other 6.5% 13 26 401.615 49% 64.39 93%Tuvalu. Talktalk.co.uk. Retrieved on 2010-11-12. Tuvalu, English Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97% Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4% 14 21 441.286 100% 64.99 99%Nauru. Talktalk.co.uk. Retrieved on 2010-11-12. Nauruan Nauru Congregational Church 35.4%, Roman Catholic 33.2%, Nauru Independent Church (Protestant)Nauru. Travelblog.org. Retrieved on 2010-11-12. 10.4% Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8% – (Australia) 2,155 36 59.861 NA NA NA English, Norfuk Anglican 31.8%, other Christian 30,9%, none 19.9% European, Tahitian, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesian – (New Zealand) 12 116.667 0% 69Pacific – Tokelau Information Bulletin – NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade . Mfat.govt.nz (2010-09-27). Retrieved on 2010-11-12. NA Tokelauan, English Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28% Polynesian – (New Zealand) 260 5.208 39% 69.5Niue . Globaleducation.edna.edu.au (2009-04-02). Retrieved on 2010-11-12. NA Niuean, English Ekalesia 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% – (United Kingdom) 48 47 1.021 NA NA NA English, Pitkern Seventh-day Adventist 100% European, Tahitian – Total 8,506,427 4.073 71% 77.87 91% 73.3% – Total minus mainland Australia 824,127 16.242 43% 71.89 78%

See also Europeans in Oceania Indigenous peoples of Oceania Y-DNA haplogroups in populations of Oceania

Notes

References