Oceania
From the coral atolls of Tuvalu to the rugged peaks of New Zealand’s Southern Alps, Oceania is a realm where ocean and land dance in constant conversation. Here, volcanic forces have shaped islands into emerald arcs, and vast reefs teem with life older than human memory. Cultures stretch across thousands of miles of open sea, weaving traditions of navigation, song, and story into the fabric of daily life. Whether you’re paddling through the lagoons of Fiji, tracing the ancestral routes of Polynesian wayfinders, or diving into the kaleidoscopic worlds of the Great Barrier Reef, Oceania is more than a scattering of islands, it’s a living tapestry of resilience, connection, and the boundless horizon.
Geographic Scope: ~8.5 million km², stretching from Australia and New Zealand through hundreds of islands in Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.
Biomes & Climate Zones: From Australia’s arid interior to Fiji’s tropical rainforests and New Zealand’s alpine peaks. (AP Environmental Science: biome diversity within a single region.)
Population & Density: ~44 million people total, with Australia holding over 60% of the population. Population distribution is highly uneven—most live in coastal cities. (AP Human Geo: population clustering.)
Cultural Snapshot: English and French are official in many areas, alongside hundreds of Indigenous languages (Tok Pisin, Samoan, Māori).
Fun “Identity” Fact: Oceania is home to the world’s smallest country by population—Nauru, with fewer than 13,000 residents.
Student
Spotlights
Meet the next generation of global explorers. In this section, students share their journeys through videos and written stories, bringing real-world experiences to life with curiosity, insight, and creativity.
Explore
Field
Notes
Countries
Australia
Marshall Islands
New Zealand
Samoa
Tuvalu
Fiji
Micronesia
Palau
Solomon Islands
Vanuatu
Kiribati
Nauru
Papua New Guinea
Tonga
