Pacific Ocean and Islands Overview

Pacific Background

• Pacific Ocean is the largest geographical feature on Earth, encompassing nearly one-third of the planet's surface.
• It holds nearly half of the Earth's seawater (46%).
• The Pacific is wider than both the Moon and Mars.
• The top 5cm of the Pacific Ocean holds more water than the Earth's atmosphere.
• The Pacific has a greater concentration of living creatures than anywhere else on Earth.
• The Pacific is 252 times larger than France (approximately 544,000 km²).
• The Pacific Ocean's maximum depth is 15,000km.
• Its width is 19,000km (Paris to New York is roughly 18,500 km).
• The Pacific Ocean's total area is 165.2 million km².

Pacific Islands

• Easter Island, while in the Pacific Ocean, is considered part of Chile, not a Pacific island nation.

• The Mariana Trench is the deepest location on Earth, reaching 11km below sea level.

• It is also one of the most volcanically active regions of the Earth.

• The Pacific "Ring of Fire" encompasses 75% of the world's active volcanoes and over 90% of the Earth's earthquakes.

• Tambora Eruption (1815) resulted in the deaths of over 10,000 directly, and an estimated 80,000 indirectly from crop failure/famine.

• Atolls are ring-shaped coral reefs surrounding lagoons, with over 440 observed in the Pacific.

• Coral reefs flourish in clear, shallow waters (21-29°C) with ample sunlight.

• 25,000 islands exist in the Pacific Ocean.

• Over 1,000 islands are found in each Pacific country.

• Many Pacific Islands were grouped into countries by European and U.S. colonisers in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Pacific Demography

• The Pacific population is approximately 18 million (2022).
• Papua New Guinea (PNG) has an estimated 9 million people.
• New Zealand's population is around 5 million.
• Hawaii's population is roughly 1.4 million.
• Smaller Pacific island states have a collective population of approximately 2.5 million.
• A combined total of 18 million people live in the Pacific Island region.
• Estimates for Micronesia: 0.5 million
• Estimates for Polynesia: 0.75 million + NZ + 5 million
• Estimates for Melanesia: 11 million (with PNG having approximately 10 million).
• Palau, Nauru, and Tuvalu are among the least populated Pacific countries.
• Pitcairn Island has only a population of roughly 67 people in 2022.
• Tuvalu is considered one of the least visited countries globally.
• Not all Pacific islands are independent.

Pacific History

• Pacific peoples are considered the original sea explorers.
• The early arrival of Papuan (aboriginal) peoples is believed to have occurred over 30,000 years ago, following migration routes to PNG and Australia.
• About 2,500 to 1,500 BC, Austronesian migration occurred from Southeast Asia to Melanesia.
• Later, Austronesians moved from Melanesia to Samoa and Tonga (around 900 BC).
• Austronesians later settled Polynesia (approximately 1,000 years ago.)
• European explorers ventured into the Pacific from 1521 onwards.
• Austronesian migrations across the Pacific were contemporaneous with Viking voyages across the Atlantic.

Pacific Languages

• The most common languages spoken in Melanesia come from the Papuan (1057) family.
• 27 distinct Austronesian languages are present in Micronesia.
• 19 Austronesian languages are found within Melanesia.
• 6 colonial languages are prevalent throughout the Pacific region.