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Oceania Facts


  • Continent Details: Note: All recognized countries of Oceania are shown in red on the map.
  • Namesake: The name "Oceania" (Océanie) was coined in 1812 by geographer Conrad Malte-Brun. It is from a French word derived from the Greek word (ōkeanós), or ocean.
  • Major Languages: Major languages include the Aboriginal Australian languages from the Pama–Nyungan and Trans–New Guinea families, and approximately forty Polynesian languages. Colonial languages include English in Australia and New Zealand,and in many other territories, while French is spoken in New Caledonia and French Polynesia. There are also mixtures of colonial languages with indigenous languages, such as Tok Pisin, Bislama, Chavacano, Norfuk and Pitkern. Also, as in other parts of planet, immigrants brought their own languages, such as Chinese, Greek and Italian.
  • Hawaii is politically a part of North America, but geographically not part of any continent.
  • Population: 35,670,000, 6th most populous continent.
  • Population Density: 4.2; without Australia's mainland, 16.1
  • Largest Countries (by size): Australia (7,686,850 sq km), Papua New Guinea (468,840), New Zealand (268,680 sq km)
  • Largest Countries (by pop.): Australia (22,028,000), Papua New Guinea (5,172,033), New Zealand (4,108,037)
  • Smallest Countries (by size): Nauru (21 sq km), Tuvalu (26 sq km), Marshall Islands (73,600 sq km)
  • Smallest Countries (by pop.): Tuvalu (11,046), Nauru(12,329), Palau (19,409)

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