Oceania is a very large region in the Pacific Ocean. Its boundaries are not definitive. However, the Hawaiian Islands (Hawaii) are generally considered to be the farthest land mass to the North, Easter Island to the East, and the islands of Palau and New Guinea to the West. The area known as Australasia (consisting of Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, and its adjoining islands) marks the southern boundary. Oceania contains about 25,000 islands spread out over the Pacific, some of which are independent nations (13), and some of which are territories and colonies of the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and France. U.S. Territories in Oceania include American Samoa, a United States Trust Territory since 1922. The Republic of Palau and Federated States of Micronesia were the Caroline Islands, a United Nations Trust Territory administered by the United States from 1947-1994, when they obtained their independence. The Northern Mariana Islands, also formerly part of the United Nations Trust Territory, have been a U.S. Commonwealth since 1976. Guam is geographically part of the Northern Mariana Islands group, but is a separate unincorporated territory. The Marshall Islands group, also formerly included in the United Nations Trust Territory, are now independent, in a free association with the United States, as of 1986. Hawaii is a U.S. State. Some of the islands are known in geologic terms as “continental” islands because they are made up of geologically ancient rock which dates from the folding process which formed the Southeast Asia area. The island group of New Guinea is an example of this type. The remaining islands are either high volcanic islands or low coral atolls. The high islands were formed by volcanic activity, the low islands are composed of coral sand. The people of Oceania have been ethnographically described as falling into three groups, Micronesians, Melanesians, and Polynesians, according to physical and linguistic characteristics observed by Europeans in the area. European explorers, Christian missionaries, and (later) whalers and traders made the first contacts with the people of Oceania. Settlers followed, and resulting conflicts led to European powers assuming responsibility for governance. Military activity in the form of combat and delivery of supplies and war materiel broadened the influence of the Allies in the region during World War II and brought tremendous change. The region has a rich religious and literary and artistic folk culture. Some of the islands and island groups, such as Hawaii, Fiji, and Tahiti, have thriving tourist economies. Other islands struggle economically, since there are few natural resources. Web SitesCatalogSearch the library's catalog for Oceania. DatabasesEnter Oceania in these databases:
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