Oceania

Oceania, vast section of the Pacific Ocean, stretching roughly from Hawaii to New Zealand and from New Guinea to Easter Island, divided into 3 broad cultural areas: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. The area has about 25,000 small islands ranging from large masses of ancient rock to minute coral atolls and the vegetation varies from lush jungles to scanty palm trees. The native islanders live mainly by fishing and farming.

See also: Pacific Islands.