Oceania is all the islands in the Pacific Ocean including the Australian continent, extending to small atolls in the middle of the ocean. It has many ancient cultures and has modern cities. It is even home to the more remote communities on the planet.
We answer all your inquiries regarding the countries in Oceania in this guide. How many countries are in Oceania? What are they? What are their capitals?
Read below to find out more.
Oceania Countries
Oceania includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Countries such as Australia, New Zealand and many more in the Pacific are included in this region.
Oceania is also separated into four regions:
- Australia and New Zealand – the two largest and most populous countries in the region
- Melanesia – the island arc stretching from New Guinea to Fiji
- Micronesia – scattered island nations of the northwest Pacific
- Polynesia – the vast triangle of the central and eastern Pacific bounded by Hawaii, New Zealand, and Easter Island
Oceania contains 14 independent sovereign countries and several dependent territories. According to the United Nations, there are 14 countries in Oceania today.
How Many Countries in Oceania?
According to the United Nations, the count of Oceania’s countries is 14. Independent nations with their own central governments make up this count.
Of all the continents, Oceania has the fewest number of countries with Antarctic countries having none. Oceania has 14 countries.
Along with these independent nations, Oceania consists of 8 to 9 dependent territories. These are regions that are not self-governed and are controlled by other nations.
New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Guam, and American Samoa are some of these territories. Cook Islands are also included in these territories and are in free association with New Zealand.
What Are the 14 Countries in Oceania and Their Capitals?
Here is the complete list of the 14 sovereign countries in Oceania alongside their capital cities:
| Country | Capital |
| Australia | Canberra |
| Papua New Guinea | Port Moresby |
| New Zealand | Wellington |
| Fiji | Suva |
| Solomon Islands | Honiara |
| Vanuatu | Port Vila |
| Samoa | Apia |
| Kiribati | South Tarawa |
| Federated States of Micronesia | Palikir |
| Tonga | Nukuʻalofa |
| Marshall Islands | Majuro |
| Palau | Ngerulmud |
| Nauru | Yaren |
| Tuvalu | Funafuti |
Some of these capitals are well-known global cities, while others are small administrative centers on remote Pacific islands. Ngerulmud in Palau, for example, is one of the world’s least-populated capital cities, while Canberra was purpose-built as Australia’s capital to resolve a rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne.
Is the 7th Continent Australia or Oceania?
It is a widespread curiosity and varies case by case depending on who is asking the question..
The seven-continent model adopted by many English-speaking countries names Australia as the seventh continent. Following this model, the continents are Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.
By this model, both Australia and Oceania are countries and continents. Oceania includes the continent of Australia, New Zealand, and the many Pacific Islands.
In most non-English speaking countries, Australia is the name of the continental landmass, and Oceania is the continent. Many geographers contend that the continent of Australia is Oceania/Australasia, which is a more accurate name for the continent that includes all of Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and the many South Pacific islands that are coral atolls and volcanic in origin.
Oceania is characterized by its many island countries that are scattered across a vast watery expanse, and as such is sometimes considered a continent, but the main landmass is Australia.
So, what is the answer? In the English-speaking, seven-continent model, the continent is Australia. In a lot of the rest of the world, the continent is Oceania.
Both are correct and are used at the discretion of the geographer.
What Are the Five Largest Countries in Oceania?
When measuring by land area, the five largest countries in Oceania are:
| Rank | Country | Area (km²) | Subregion |
| 1 | Australia | 7,692,024 km² | Australia & New Zealand |
| 2 | Papua New Guinea | 462,840 km² | Melanesia |
| 3 | New Zealand | 270,467 km² | Australia & New Zealand |
| 4 | Solomon Islands | 28,900 km² | Melanesia |
| 5 | Fiji | 18,300 km² | Melanesia |
Australia takes the crown for being the largest country in Oceania. Measuring in at 7,692,024 square kilometers, Australia covers an overwhelming 86% of the total landmass making it the 6th largest Oceania country and a continent all by itself.
In stark contrast, Nauru is the smallest and measures in at 20 square kilometers. What makes Nauru even more impressive is that it consists of the smallest island nation, with Tuvalu coming in second at 26 square kilometers.
Oceania’s largest countries by population include:
- Australia with 27,200,000 people
- Papua New Guinea with 10,900,000
- and New Zealand with 5,300,000
The rest of Oceania’s countries are significantly less populated. Australia and New Zealand account for almost the entire population of Oceania, as the majority reside in these two countries.
Final Thoughts
Oceania offers many remarkable contrasts. Think about large regions of the Australian outback juxtaposed to the remote green volcanic islands. Consider the geothermal phenomenon of New Zealand next to the diminutive coral atolls of the rest of the region.
To know the countries of Oceanian, you need to know more than countries and capitals. You need to know the countries and cultures of the Pacific Ocean and the isolated island nations.
Whether you are planning a trip, studying, or just interested in the world, you should better know the 14 independent countries of Oceania with this guide.
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