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A map of Oceania

A map of Oceania.
Image caption,
Map of Oceania
  • Most of Oceania is in the Southern Hemisphere.
  • There are fourteen countries in Oceania, including Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Australia.
  • Oceania is surrounded by the Indian Ocean to the south, and the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean to the west.
  • Oceania is made up of around 10,000 islands.
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Physical geography

Rabaul in Papua New Guinea.
Image caption,
Rabaul in Papua New Guinea.

Climate

  • Parts of Oceania can be very warm and get a lot of sun all year round.
  • The north of Oceania has a tropical climate, like in Papua New Guinea. There can be monsoons in the wet season as there is heavy rainfall.
  • Other parts of Oceania are very hot and dry, like Australia.
Rabaul in Papua New Guinea.
Image caption,
Rabaul in Papua New Guinea.
Aoraki mountain in New Zealand
Image caption,
Aoraki mountain in New Zealand

Features

  • Uluru in Australia is a famous sandstone rock. It is sacred to Aboriginal Australians.
  • The Great Barrier Reef off the coast of eastern Australia is the world’s largest coral reef system.
  • One of the highest mountains in New Zealand is Aoraki at 3,754m high.
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Human geography

  • Australia is Oceania's largest island and has a population of around 25 million people.
  • Key cities in Oceania include Australia's capital city Canberra, Sydney (also in Australia), Auckland (New Zealand), and Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea).
The city of Auckland in New Zealand
Image caption,
Auckland, New Zealand
  • Many languages are spoken across Oceania. There are over 700 languages spoken in Papua New Guinea alone.
  • Agriculture, fishing, forestry and tourism are some of Oceania's biggest industries.
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Activity: Quiz – Oceania

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