Oceania Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ==Demographics== {{Main|Demographics of Oceania}} The demographic table below shows the subregions and countries of geopolitical Oceania. The countries and territories in this table are categorised according to the scheme for geographic subregions used by the United Nations. The information shown follows sources in cross-referenced articles; where sources differ, provisos have been clearly indicated. These territories and regions are subject to various additional categorisations, depending on the source and purpose of each description. {| class="wikitable sortable" style="border:1px solid #aaa; font-size:90%;" |- style="background:#ececec;"| ! style="line-height:95%; width:4em" class="unsortable" | [[Coat of arms|Arms]] ! style="line-height:95%; width:2em" class="unsortable" | Flag ! Name of region, followed by countries<ref name="region"/> ! data-sort-type="number" | [[List of countries and outlying territories by total area|Area]]<br />(km<sup>2</sup>) ! data-sort-type="number" | [[List of countries by population|Population]]<br />({{UN_Population|Year}}){{UN_Population|ref}} ! data-sort-type="number" | [[List of countries and dependencies by population density|Population density]]<br />(per km<sup>2</sup>) ! [[Capital (political)|Capital]] ! [[ISO 3166-1 alpha-2|ISO 3166-1]] |- | colspan="8" style="background:#eee; text-align:center;"|'''[[Australasia]]'''<ref name="Australasia" /> |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|Australia}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Ashmore and Cartier Islands}} | [[Ashmore and Cartier Islands]] (Australia) | style="text-align:right;"| 199 | style="text-align:right;"| | style="text-align:right;"| | | |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|Australia}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Australia}} | '''[[Australia]]''' | style="text-align:right;"| 7,686,850 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|Australia}} | style="text-align:right;"| 3.1 | [[Canberra]] | AU |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|Australia}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Christmas Island}} | [[Christmas Island]] (Australia) | style="text-align:right;"| 135 | style="text-align:right;"| 1,692 | style="text-align:right;"| 12.5 | [[Flying Fish Cove]] | CX |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|Australia}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Cocos (Keeling) Islands}} | [[Cocos (Keeling) Islands]] (Australia) | style="text-align:right;"| 14 | style="text-align:right;"| 593 | style="text-align:right;"| 42.4 | [[West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands|West Island]] | CC |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|Australia}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Coral Sea Islands}} | [[Coral Sea Islands]] (Australia) | style="text-align:right;"| 10 | style="text-align:right;"| 4 | style="text-align:right;"| 0.4 | | |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|New Zealand}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|New Zealand}} | '''[[New Zealand]]'''<ref name="nzpol"/> | style="text-align:right;"| 268,680 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|New Zealand}} | style="text-align:right;"| 17.3 | [[Wellington]] | NZ |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|Norfolk Island}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Norfolk Island}} | [[Norfolk Island]] (Australia) | style="text-align:right;"| 35 | style="text-align:right;"| 2,302 | style="text-align:right;"| 65.8 | [[Kingston, Norfolk Island|Kingston]] | NF |- | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;"| | Australasia (total) | style="text-align:right;"| 7,955,923 | style="text-align:right;"| 29,645,874 | style="text-align:right;"| 3.7 | | |- | colspan="8" style="background:#eee; text-align:center;"| '''[[Melanesia]]'''<ref name="Melanesia"/> |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|Fiji}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Fiji}} | '''[[Fiji]]''' | style="text-align:right;"| 18,270 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|Fiji}} | style="text-align:right;"| 49.2 | [[Suva]] | FJ |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{center|[[File:Emblem of New Caledonia.svg|20px]]}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|New Caledonia|}} | [[New Caledonia]] (France) | style="text-align:right;"| 19,060 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|New Caledonia}} | style="text-align:right;"| 14.3 | [[Nouméa]] | NC |- | style="text-align:center;" | {{Coat of arms|text=none|Central Papua|link=Central Papua}} | style="text-align:center;" | {{Flagicon|Indonesia}} | [[Central Papua]] (Indonesia) | style="text-align:right;" | 61,073 | style="text-align:right;" | 1,431,000 | style="text-align:right;" | 23 | [[Nabire]] | |- | style="text-align:center;" | {{Coat of arms|text=none|Highland Papua|link=Highland Papua}} | style="text-align:center;" | {{Flagicon|Indonesia}} | [[Highland Papua]] (Indonesia) | style="text-align:right;" | 51,213 | style="text-align:right;" | 1,430,500 | style="text-align:right;" | 28 | [[Wamena]] | |- | style="text-align:center;" | {{Coat of arms|text=none|Papua|link=Papua (province)}} | style="text-align:center;" | {{Flagicon|Indonesia}} | [[Papua (province)|Papua]] (Indonesia)<ref name="note000" /><ref name="papauto" /> | style="text-align:right;" | 82,681 | style="text-align:right;" | 1,035,000 | style="text-align:right;" | 13 | [[Jayapura]] | |- | style="text-align:center;" | {{Coat of arms|text=none|South Papua|link=South Papua}} | style="text-align:center;" | {{Flagicon|Indonesia}} | [[South Papua]] (Indonesia) | style="text-align:right;" | 117,849 | style="text-align:right;" | 522,200 | style="text-align:right;" | 4.4 | [[Merauke]] | |- | style="text-align:center;" | {{Coat of arms|text=none|Southwest Papua|link=Southwest Papua}} | style="text-align:center;" | {{Flagicon|Indonesia}} | [[Southwest Papua]] (Indonesia) | style="text-align:right;" | 39,123 | style="text-align:right;" | 621,904 | style="text-align:right;" | 16 | [[Sorong]] | |- | style="text-align:center;" | {{Coat of arms|text=none|West Papua|link=West Papua (province)}} | style="text-align:center;" | {{Flagicon|Indonesia}} | [[West Papua (province)|West Papua]] (Indonesia)<ref name="note111" /><ref name="rnzi07" /> | style="text-align:right;" | 60,275 | style="text-align:right;" | 561,403 | style="text-align:right;" | 9 | [[Manokwari]] | |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{center|[[File:National emblem of Papua New Guinea.svg|30px]]}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Papua New Guinea}} | '''[[Papua New Guinea]]'''<ref name="pngaus"/> | style="text-align:right;"| 462,840 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|Papua New Guinea}} | style="text-align:right;"| 17.5 | [[Port Moresby]] | PG |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|Solomon Islands}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Solomon Islands}} | '''[[Solomon Islands]]''' | style="text-align:right;"| 28,450 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|Solomon Islands}} | style="text-align:right;"| 21.1 | [[Honiara]] | SB |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{center|[[File:Coat of arms of Vanuatu.svg|20px]]}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Vanuatu}} | '''[[Vanuatu]]''' | style="text-align:right;"| 12,200 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|Vanuatu}} | style="text-align:right;"| 22.2 | [[Port Vila]] | VU |- | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;"| | Melanesia (total) | style="text-align:right;"| 1,000,231 | style="text-align:right;"| 14,373,536 | style="text-align:right;"| 14.4 | | |- | colspan="8" style="background:#eee; text-align:center;"| '''[[Micronesia]]''' |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{center|[[File:Seal of the Federated States of Micronesia.svg|25px]]}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Federated States of Micronesia}} | '''[[Federated States of Micronesia]]''' | style="text-align:right;"| 702 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|Micronesia (Fed. States of)}} | style="text-align:right;"| 149.5 | [[Palikir]] | FM |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{center|[[File:Seal of Guam.svg|20px]]}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Guam}} | [[Guam]] (United States) | style="text-align:right;"| 549 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|Guam}} | style="text-align:right;"| 296.7 | [[Hagåtña, Guam|Hagåtña]] | GU |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|Kiribati}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Kiribati}} | '''[[Kiribati]]''' | style="text-align:right;"| 811 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|Kiribati}} | style="text-align:right;"| 141.1 | [[South Tarawa]] | KI |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{center|[[File:Seal of the Marshall Islands.svg|20px]]}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Marshall Islands}} | '''[[Marshall Islands]]''' | style="text-align:right;"| 181 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|Marshall Islands}} | style="text-align:right;"| 293.2 | [[Majuro]] | MH |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|Nauru}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Nauru}} | '''[[Nauru]]''' | style="text-align:right;"| 21 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|Nauru}} | style="text-align:right;"| 540.3 | [[Yaren District|Yaren]] <small>(''de facto'')</small> | NR |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{center|[[File:Seal of the Northern Mariana Islands.svg|20px]]}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Northern Mariana Islands}} | [[Northern Mariana Islands]] (United States) | style="text-align:right;"| 477 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|Northern Mariana Islands}} | style="text-align:right;"| 115.4 | [[Saipan]] | MP |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{center|[[File:Emblem of Ogasawara, Tokyo.svg|20px]]}} | style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Flag of Ogasawara, Tokyo.svg|centre|30px]] | [[Ogasawara Subprefecture|Ogasawara]] (Japan) | style="text-align:right;"| 104.35 | style="text-align:right;" | 3,026 | style="text-align:right;"| 26.5 | [[Chichijima]] |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{center| }} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Palau}} | '''[[Palau]]''' | style="text-align:right;"| 458 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|Palau}} | style="text-align:right;"| 46.9 | [[Ngerulmud]]<ref name="Palau"/> | PW |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|United States}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Wake Island|local}} | [[Wake Island]] (United States) | style="text-align:right;"| 2 | style="text-align:right;"| 150 | style="text-align:right;"| 75 | [[Wake Island]] | UM |- | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;"| | Micronesia (total) | style="text-align:right;"| 3,307 | style="text-align:right;"| 526,343 | style="text-align:right;"| 163.5 | | |- | colspan="8" style="background:#eee; text-align:center;"| '''[[Polynesia]]''' |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{center|[[File:Seal of American Samoa.svg|20px]]}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|American Samoa}} | [[American Samoa]] (United States) | style="text-align:right;"| 199 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|American Samoa}} | style="text-align:right;"| 279.4 | [[Pago Pago]], [[Fagatogo]]<ref name="ASamoa"/> | AS |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|Cook Islands}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Cook Islands}} | '''[[Cook Islands]]''' | style="text-align:right;"| 240 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|Cook Islands}} | style="text-align:right;"| 72.4 | [[Avarua]] | CK |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|Easter Island}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Easter Island}} | [[Easter Island]] (Chile) | style="text-align:right;"| 164 | style="text-align:right;"| 5,761 | style="text-align:right;"| 35.1 | [[Hanga Roa]] | CL |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|French Polynesia}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|French Polynesia}} | [[French Polynesia]] (France) | style="text-align:right;"| 4,167 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|French Polynesia}} | style="text-align:right;"| 67.2 | [[Papeete]] | PF |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|Hawaii}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Hawaii}} | [[Hawaii]] (United States) | style="text-align:right;"| 16,636 | style="text-align:right;"| 1,360,301 | style="text-align:right;"| 81.8 | [[Honolulu]] | US |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|United States}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Johnston Atoll}} | [[Johnston Atoll]] (United States) | style="text-align:right;"| 276.6 | style="text-align:right;"| 0 | style="text-align:right;"| 0 | [[Johnston Atoll]] | UM |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|United States}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Midway Atoll}} | [[Midway Atoll]] (United States) | style="text-align:right;"| 2,355 | style="text-align:right;"| 39 | style="text-align:right;"| 6.37 | [[Midway Atoll]] | UM |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|New Zealand}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Niue}} | '''[[Niue]]''' | style="text-align:right;"| 260 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|Niue}} | style="text-align:right;"| 6.2 | [[Alofi]] | NU |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|Pitcairn Islands}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Pitcairn Islands}} | [[Pitcairn Islands]] (United Kingdom) | style="text-align:right;"| 47 | style="text-align:right;"| 47 | style="text-align:right;"| 1 | [[Adamstown, Pitcairn Island|Adamstown]] | PN |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|Samoa}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Samoa}} | '''[[Samoa]]''' | style="text-align:right;"| 2,944 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|Samoa}} | style="text-align:right;"| 66.3 | [[Apia]] | WS |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{center|[[File:Badge of Tokelau.svg|20px]]}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Tokelau}} | [[Tokelau]] (New Zealand) | style="text-align:right;"| 10 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|Tokelau}} | style="text-align:right;"| 128.2 | [[Atafu]] <small>(''de facto'')</small> | TK |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|Tonga}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Tonga}} | '''[[Tonga]]''' | style="text-align:right;"| 748 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|Tonga}} | style="text-align:right;"| 143.2 | [[Nuku{{fakau'a}}alofa]] | TO |- | style="text-align:center;"| {{Coat of arms|text=none|Tuvalu}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Tuvalu}} | '''[[Tuvalu]]''' | style="text-align:right;"| 26 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|Tuvalu}} | style="text-align:right;"| 426.8 | [[Funafuti]] | TV |- | style="text-align:center;"| [[File:BlasonWallisetFutuna.svg|20px]] | style="text-align:center;"| {{Flagicon|Wallis and Futuna|local}} | [[Wallis and Futuna]] (France) | style="text-align:right;"| 274 | style="text-align:right;"| {{UN_Population|Wallis and Futuna Islands}} | style="text-align:right;"| 43.4 | [[Mata-Utu]] | WF |- | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;"| | Polynesia (total) | style="text-align:right;"| 25,715 | style="text-align:right;"| 2,047,444 | style="text-align:right;"| 79.6 | | |- ! colspan="3" | Total ! style="text-align:right;" | 8,919,530 ! style="text-align:right;" | {{formatnum:{{#expr:{{formatnum:{{UN_Population|Oceania}}|R}} + 3486432 + 760855 + 1360301}}}} ! style="text-align:right;" | 5.1 ! colspan="2" rowspan="2" | |- ! colspan="3" | Total ''minus mainland Australia'' ! style="text-align:right;" | 1,232,680 ! style="text-align:right;" | {{formatnum:{{#expr:{{formatnum:{{UN_Population|Oceania}}|R}} + 3486432 + 760855 + 1360301 - {{formatnum:{{UN_Population|Australia}}|R}}}}}} ! style="text-align:right;" | 16.6 |} ===Largest city for regions=== * [[Australasia]] (metro, urban or proper largest city: [[Sydney]]) * [[Melanesia]] (metro, urban or proper largest city: [[Jayapura]]) * [[Micronesia]] (metro, urban or proper largest city: [[Tarawa]]) * [[Polynesia]] (metro, urban or proper largest city: [[Honolulu]]) ===Cities by metropolitan area=== {{Largest population centres | country = Oceania | stat_ref = <ref>{{cite web|title=3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2016|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/3218.0Main+Features12016?OpenDocument|publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics|access-date=10 August 2017|language=en|date=28 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/latestProducts/3218.0Media%20Release12016-17?OpenDocument|title=What's driving population growth in Australia's cities?|publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics|access-date=25 April 2018}}</ref>{{NZ population data 2018|||y}} estimate ({{abbr|SSGA18|Statistical Standard for Geographic Areas 2018)}} boundaries){{NZ population data 2018||||y}} <ref name=USCB>{{Cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk |title=American FactFinder – Results |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=April 16, 2016 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6gpGlyhlr?url=http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk |archive-date=April 17, 2016 |url-status=dead |df=mdy }}</ref><ref>Biro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011.</ref> | list_by_pop = <!-- link to the list of cities in the given country, if possible sorted by population --> | div_name = Country | div_link = List of sovereign states and dependent territories in Oceania{{!}}Country | city_1 = Sydney| div_1 = Australia| pop_1 = 5,131,326| img_1 = Sydney Opera house 3.jpg | city_2 = Melbourne| div_2 = Australia| pop_2 = 5,031,195 | img_2 = Aerial of Melbourne's Central Business District (CBD).jpg | city_3 = Brisbane| div_3 = Australia| pop_3 = 2,408,223 | img_3 = River views of Brisbane CBD seen from the top of 135 Coronation Drive, in March 2019, 14.jpg | city_4 = Perth| div_4 = Australia| pop_4 = 2,043,138| img_4 = Skyline of Perth seen from Perth Stadium, March 2021 02.jpg | city_5 = Auckland| div_5 = New Zealand| pop_5 = {{NZ population data 2018|Auckland|y}} | city_6 = Adelaide| div_6 = Australia| pop_6 = 1,333,927 | city_7 = Honolulu| div_7 = United States| pop_7 = 953,207 | city_8 = Gold Coast, Queensland| div_8 = Australia| pop_8 = 646,983 | city_9 = Wellington| div_9 = New Zealand| pop_9 = 497,200<ref>Includes [[Kāpiti Coast]] statistical area</ref> | city_10 = Newcastle, New South Wales| div_10 = Australia| pop_10 = 436,171 | city_11 = Canberra| div_11 = Australia| pop_11 = 435,019 | city_12 = Christchurch| div_12 = New Zealand| pop_12 = {{NZ population data 2018|Christchurch|y}} | city_13 = Sunshine Coast, Queensland| div_13 = Australia| pop_13 = 317,404 | city_14 = Wollongong| div_14 = Australia| pop_14 = 295,669 | city_15 = Port Moresby| div_15 = Papua New Guinea| pop_15 = 283,733 | city_16 = Jayapura| div_16 = Indonesia| pop_16 = 256,705 | city_17 = Hobart| div_17 = Australia| pop_17 = 224,462 | city_18 = Geelong| div_18 = Australia| pop_18 = 196,393 | city_19 = Sorong| div_19 = Indonesia| pop_19 = 190,515 | city_20 = Hamilton, New Zealand| div_20 = New Zealand| pop_20 = {{NZ population data 2018|Hamilton|y}} }} ===Religion=== {{Main|Religion in Oceania}} [[File:Holy Innocent's Anglican Church, Amberley.jpg|thumb|left|Holy's Innocent Anglican Church in [[Amberley, New Zealand]]]] [[File:Saione.jpg|Saione, the church of the King, a [[Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga|Free Wesleyan Church]] in [[Kolomotu{{fakau'a}}a]], [[Tonga]]. Especially British and American missionaries brought various Protestant denominations to Oceania.|thumb]] [[File:Nadi_Sri_Siva_Subramaniya_Temple.jpg|thumb|[[Sri Siva Subramaniya temple]] in [[Fiji]]]] The predominant religion in Oceania is [[Christianity]] (73%).<ref name="Christianity in Oceania" /><ref name="US Dept of State Background Notes" /> A 2011 survey found that 92% in [[Melanesia]],<ref name="Christianity in Oceania" /> 93% in [[Micronesia]]<ref name="Christianity in Oceania" /> and 96% in [[Polynesia]] described themselves as [[Christians]].<ref name="Christianity in Oceania" /> Traditional religions are often [[Animism|animist]], and prevalent among traditional tribes is the belief in spirits (''masalai'' in [[Tok Pisin]]) representing natural forces.<ref name="Anthropology-Cowan-Messengers of the Gods" /> In the 2018 census, 37% of New Zealanders affiliated themselves with Christianity and 48% declared no religion.<ref name="quickstats" /> In the 2016 Census, 52% of the Australian population declared some variety of Christianity and 30% stated "no religion".<ref name="reflect" /> In recent Australian and New Zealand censuses, large proportions of the population say they belong to "[[Irreligion|no religion]]" (which includes [[atheism]], [[agnosticism]], [[deism]], and [[secular humanism]]). In [[Tonga]], everyday life is heavily influenced by [[Polynesian culture|Polynesian]] traditions and especially by the Christian faith. The [[Ahmadiyya]] mosque in Marshall Islands is the only mosque in Micronesia.<ref name="mosque2011" /> Another one in [[Tuvalu]] belongs to the same sect. The [[Baháʼí House of Worship]] in Tiapapata, [[Samoa]], is one of seven designations administered in the [[Baháʼí Faith]]. [[Hinduism]] is a minority faith in Oceania. [[Hinduism in Fiji|Fiji]] has the highest percentage of Hindus in Oceania at 29.7% <ref>{{Cite web|title=International Religious Freedom Report|url=https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/FIJI-2019-INTERNATIONAL-RELIGIOUS-FREEDOM-REPORT.pdf}}</ref> In absolute numbers, [[Hinduism in Australia|Australia]] has the largest population of Hindus in Oceania constituting 2.7% of the country's population.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-28 |title=2021 Census shows changes in Australia’s religious diversity {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/2021-census-shows-changes-australias-religious-diversity |access-date=2024-03-16 |website=www.abs.gov.au |language=en}}</ref> In [[Hinduism in New Zealand|New Zealand]], Hindus form 2.65% of the population of.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stats.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/2018-Census-totals-by-topic/Download-data/2018-census-totals-by-topic-national-highlights.xlsx|title=Table 26, 2018 Census Data – Tables}}</ref> [[Hinduism in Samoa|Samoa]] also has a significant Hindu population.<ref>{{Cite web |title=God is inside, says Hindu |url=https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/21867 |access-date=2024-03-16 |website=Samoa Observer |language=en}}</ref> Other religions in the region include [[Islam]] and [[Buddhism]], which are prominent [[minority religion]]s in Australia and New Zealand. [[Judaism]], [[Sikhism]] and [[Jainism]] are also present. Sir [[Isaac Isaacs]] was the first Australian-born [[Governor General of Australia]] and was the first Jewish vice-regal representative in the [[British Empire]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/first-australian-born-governor-general|title=First Australian-born governor-general |publisher=National Museum of Australia|date=11 March 2022|access-date=30 July 2022|archive-date=1 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220301202007/https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/first-australian-born-governor-general|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Prince Philip Movement]] is followed around [[Yaohnanen]] village on the southern island of [[Tanna (island)|Tanna]] in [[Vanuatu]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/apr/10/prince-philip-south-sea-island-god-duke-of-edinburgh |title=Prince Philip: the unlikely but willing Pacific deity {{pipe}} Prince Philip |work=The Guardian |date= 10 April 2021|access-date=1 March 2022 |archive-date=11 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220411102321/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/apr/10/prince-philip-south-sea-island-god-duke-of-edinburgh |url-status=live |last1=Davies |first1=Caroline }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-56713953 |title=Prince Philip: The Vanuatu tribes mourning the death of their "god" - BBC News |work=BBC News |date= 12 April 2021|access-date=1 March 2022 |archive-date=30 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530075046/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-56713953 |url-status=live }}</ref> ===Languages=== {{Main|Languages of Oceania}} Native languages of Oceania fall into three major geographic groups: * The large [[Austronesian languages|Austronesian]] [[language family]], with such languages as [[Malay language|Malay]] (Indonesian), and [[Oceanic languages]] such as [[Gilbertese language|Gilbertese]], [[Fijian language|Fijian]], [[Māori language|Māori]], and [[Hawaiian language|Hawai{{okina}}ian]] * The [[Aboriginal Australian languages]], including the large [[Pama–Nyungan]] family * The [[Papuan languages]] of [[New Guinea]] and neighbouring islands, including the large [[Trans–New Guinea]] family Non-indigenous languages include [[English language|English]] in Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, and many other territories; [[French language|French]] in [[New Caledonia]], [[French Polynesia]], [[Wallis and Futuna]]; Japanese in the [[Bonin Islands]];<ref name="realm"/> and [[Spanish language|Spanish]] on [[Easter Island]] and the [[Galápagos Islands]].<ref name="realm"/><ref name="ling">{{cite book |last1=Sebeok |first1=Thomas Albert |title=Current Trends in Linguistics: Linguistics in Oceania |date=1971 |publisher=the University of Michigan |page=950 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lYouAAAAMAAJ&q=%22multitude%22+oceania+%22linguistics%22 |access-date=2 February 2022 |quote=Most of this account of the influence of the Hispanic languages in Oceania has dealt with the Western Pacific, but the Eastern Pacific has not been without some share of the presence of the Portuguese and Spanish. The Eastern Pacific does not have the multitude of islands so characteristic of the Western regions of this great ocean, but there are some: Easter Island, 2000 miles off the Chilean coast, where a Polynesian tongue, Rapanui, is still spoken; the Juan Fernandez group, 400 miles west of Valparaiso; the Galapagos archipelago, 650 miles west of Ecuador; Malpelo and Cocos, 300 miles off the Colombian and Costa Rican coasts respectively; and others. Not many of these islands have extensive populations — some have been used effectively as prisons — but the official language on each is Spanish. |archive-date=30 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220730065403/https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Current_Trends_in_Linguistics_Linguistic/lYouAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%22multitude%22+oceania+%22linguistics%22&dq=%22multitude%22+oceania+%22linguistics%22&printsec=frontcover |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Silva |first=Diego B. |date=2019 |title=Language policy in Oceania |url=https://www.scielo.br/j/alfa/a/YPntRnVWDW5F8P8PYfJGPKd/?lang=en |journal=Alfa - Revista de Linguística |volume=63-2 |access-date=2022-07-30 |archive-date=2022-03-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331141629/https://www.scielo.br/j/alfa/a/YPntRnVWDW5F8P8PYfJGPKd/?lang=en |url-status=live }}</ref> There are also [[Creole language|Creoles]] formed from the interaction of Malay or the colonial languages with indigenous languages, such as [[Tok Pisin]], [[Bislama]], [[Chavacano]], various [[Malay trade and creole languages]], [[Hawaiian Pidgin]], [[Norfuk]], and [[Pitkern]]. Contact between Austronesian and Papuan resulted in several instances in mixed languages such as [[Maisin language|Maisin]]. Immigrants brought their own languages to the region, such as [[Standard Chinese|Mandarin]], Tagalog, Hindi, Italian, Arabic, Portuguese, Polish, German, Spanish, Russian, Korean, [[Cantonese]] and [[Greek language|Greek]], among many others, namely in Australia and New Zealand,<ref name="absgov20120621" /> or [[Fiji Hindi]] in [[Fiji]]. ===Immigration=== {{Main|Post-war immigration to Australia|Immigration to Australia|Immigration to New Zealand|Refugees in Australia|Refugees in New Zealand| Kanaka (Pacific Island worker)}} [[File:Dutch_Migrant_1954_MariaScholte%3D50000thToAustraliaPostWW2.jpg|thumb|left|[[Dutch Australians|Dutch]] immigrants arriving in Australia (1954)]] The most multicultural areas in Oceania, which have a [[List of sovereign states and dependent territories by immigrant population|high degree]] of [[immigration]], are Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii. Since 1945, more than 7 million people have settled in Australia. From the late 1970s, there was a significant increase in immigration from Asian and other non-European countries, making Australia a [[Multiculturalism in Australia|multicultural country]].<ref name="bureau181126" /> Sydney is the most [[Multiculturalism|multicultural]] city in Oceania, having more than 250 different languages spoken with about 40% of residents speaking a [[Languages Other Than English|language other than English]] at home.<ref name="herald231114" /> Furthermore, 36 percent of the population reported having been [[foreign born|born overseas]], with top countries being Italy, Lebanon, Vietnam and Iraq, among others.<ref name="TheAus" /><ref name="Population, dwellings, and ethnicity" /> [[Melbourne]] is also fairly multicultural, having the largest [[Greek community of Melbourne|Greek-speaking]] population outside of Europe,<ref name="oecd5024" /> and the second largest [[Asian Australians|Asian]] population in Australia after Sydney.<ref name="indiandir" /><ref name="srilandir" /><ref name="yarra062408" /> European migration to New Zealand provided a major influx following the signing of the [[Treaty of Waitangi]] in 1840. Subsequent immigration has been chiefly from the British Isles, but also from continental Europe, the Pacific, The Americas and Asia.<ref name="parlnz1840" /><ref name="immireg" /> [[Auckland]] is home to over half (51.6 percent) of New Zealand's overseas born population, including 72 percent of the country's Pacific Island-born population, 64 percent of its [[Asian people|Asian]]-born population, and 56 percent of its [[Middle Eastern people|Middle Eastern]] and African born population.<ref name="2013census" /> [[File:Portuguese immigrant family in Hawaii during the 19th century.jpg|thumb|Many [[Portuguese Americans|Portuguese]] immigrants in Hawaii were [[Azores|Azorean]] or [[Madeira]]n.]] Hawaii is a [[majority-minority state]].<ref name="reuter013113" /> [[Chinese people|Chinese]] workers on Western trading ships settled in Hawaii starting in 1789. In 1820, the first American missionaries arrived to preach Christianity and teach the Hawaiians Western ways.<ref name="Charles Williams" /> {{As of|2015}}, a large proportion of Hawaii's population have Asian ancestry – especially [[Filipino people|Filipino]], Japanese, [[Korean immigration to Hawaii|Korean]] and Chinese. Many are descendants of immigrants brought to work on the sugarcane plantations in the mid-to-late 19th century. Almost 13,000 [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]] immigrants had arrived by 1899; they also worked on the [[sugarcane]] plantations.<ref name="Hoffman" /> [[Puerto Rican immigration to Hawaii]] began in 1899 when Puerto Rico's sugar industry was devastated by two hurricanes, causing a worldwide shortage of sugar and a huge demand for sugar from Hawaii.<ref name="ricandias" /> Between 2001 and 2007 Australia's [[Pacific Solution]] policy transferred [[asylum seekers]] to several Pacific nations, including the [[Nauru detention centre]]. Australia, New Zealand, and other nations took part in the [[Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands]] between 2003 and 2017 after a request for aid.<ref name="bat" /> === Archaeogenetics === [[Archaeology]], [[linguistics]], and existing [[genetics|genetic studies]] indicate that Oceania was settled by two major waves of migration. The first migration of [[Australo-Melanesians]] took place {{circa}} 40 to 80 thousand years ago, and these migrants, [[Papuan people|Papuans]], colonised much of [[Near Oceania]]. Approximately 3.5 thousand years ago, a second expansion of [[Austronesian languages|Austronesian]] speakers arrived in Near Oceania, and the descendants of these people spread to the far corners of the Pacific, colonising [[Remote Oceania]].<ref name="doi10.1016/j.ajhg.2014.03.014"/> [[Mitochondrial DNA]] (mtDNA) studies quantify the magnitude of the [[Austronesian peoples|Austronesian expansion]] and demonstrate the homogenising effect of this expansion. With regards to Papuan influence, autochthonous [[haplogroup]]s support the hypothesis of a long history in Near Oceania, with some lineages suggesting a time depth of 60 thousand years. [[Santa Cruz Islands|Santa Cruz]], a population located in Remote Oceania, is an anomaly with extreme frequencies of autochthonous haplogroups of Near Oceanian origin.<ref name="doi10.1016/j.ajhg.2014.03.014"/> Large areas of [[New Guinea]] are unexplored by scientists and [[anthropologist]]s due to extensive [[forestation]] and mountainous terrain. Known indigenous tribes in [[Papua New Guinea]] have very little contact with local authorities aside from the authorities knowing who they are. Many remain [[preliterate]] and, at the national or international level, the names of tribes and information about them is extremely hard to obtain. The [[Indonesia]]n provinces of [[Papua (province)|Papua]] and [[West Papua (province)|West Papua]] on the island of New Guinea are home to an estimated 44 [[uncontacted peoples|uncontacted tribal groups]].<ref name="survival" /> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page