Oceania is the smallest continent, lying between the Pacific and Indian oceans in the Southern Hemisphere and including all of those islands in the Pacific that are collectively referred to as Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia, Australia and New Zealand.

   Although the Pacific Ocean makes up nearly one-third of the Earth's surface, the Pacific Islands add up to a little less than 500,000 square miles (1,300,000 square kilometres) of land area divided among more than 10,000 scattered islands (Fiji, Solomons, Vanuatu, Samoa). Papua New Guinea (eastern part of the island of New Guinea) has a total area of 462.960 square kilometres. The Pacific Islands lie mainly in the area bounded by latitudes 23º N and 27º S and longitudes 130º E and 125º W.

   Australia is a compact tropical and near-tropical continent, bounded to the north-west by the Timor and the Arafura seas and located between latitudes 10º41' S and 43º39' S. No major arms or embayments of the sea penetrate far into the landmass. New Zealand, which lies in the southern temperate zone, stands in isolation at longitude 109º W, almost halfway to South America and has a land area is 270.500 square kilometres.

   The principal features of Oceania's climate stem from its position, shape, and size from to rainfall patterns, air circulation (monsoon) and distance from the sea.

Geographic Map

Area: 8.944.697 Km²
Population: 34.690.000
Density: 4 pop/Km²

Major City: Sydney (4.050.000 pop.)
Highest Mountain: Puncak Jaya 5030 m
Longest River: Darling 2740 Km
Largest Lake: Eyre 9500 Km²
Largest Island: New Guinea 785.000 Km²


Countries and Territories

Principal Mountains
Principal Islands
Principal Rivers
Principal Lakes

Major Cities
Order of Area, Population, Density
Demographic Statistics