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South Pacific Travel Information

South Pacific is the smallest of the world's continents and is generally considered to be made up of country and island groups including Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Micronesia, Melanesia, Polynesia and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The South Pacific contains 29 countries and dependent states covering approximately 9,000,000 sq km (3 475 000 sq miles), with a population of about 35.8 million.

Along with Antarctica, South Pacific is the only continent that is completely surrounded by water. The other continents are all connected, in some part, to another continent. The largest country in the South Pacific is Australia.

There is a varying climate experienced across the region ranging from a tropical climate nearer the equator, to the harsher winters in Southern New Zealand.

The South Pacific is sometimes called Oceania, and is a highly diverse region. From the vast dry bush land of Western Australia to the dense rain forest of the tiny Solomon Islands, the South Pacific includes mountains, jungles and swamplands.

Australasia is another term that is variably used to describe a region of Oceania, incorporating Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and neighboring islands in the Pacific Ocean. Geopolitically, Australasia is sometimes used as a term for Australia and New Zealand together, in the absence of another word limited to those two countries. There are many organisations whose names are prefixed with "(Royal) Australasian Society", that are limited to just New Zealand and Australia.

South Pacific Photo Gallery

P&O Onboard Bar	Side of the P&O Boat	P&O Spa Baths	P&O Sun Baking Area
P&O Rescue Boats	Sun Deck Chairs	Onboard the P&O Boat	P&O Swimming Pool

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American Samoa

American Samoa is un unincorporated state of the United States of America and is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand. The territory of American Samoa consists of the main island Tutuila, the Man . . . more about American Samoa

Australia

Australia, located in the South Pacific is the only country in the world to have a continent to itself and is comprised of the mainland country of Australia plus it's island state Tasmania and other islands situated in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. . . . more about Australia

Cook Islands

The Cook Islands are a self-governing democracy that have free association with New Zealand. The Cook Islands are located in the South Pacific and are comprised of 15 small islands. . . . more about Cook Islands

Federated States of Micronesia

The Federated States of Micronesia is loctaed in the South Pacific and is an island nation comprised of over 600 small islands. The Federated States of Micronesia is a sovereign state in free association with the United States of America. . . . more about Federated States of Micronesia

Fiji

Fiji is an island nation located in the South Pacific that is comprised of over 300 islands and 500 islets. Only 160 of the Fijian islands are permanently inhabited and the two major islands Viti Levu and Vanua Levu are home to about 87% of Fiji's t . . . more about Fiji

French Polynesia

French Polynesia is an overseas collectivity of France and is located in the South Pacific about halfway between South America and Australia. French Polynesia consists of groups of small Polynesian islands such as the Society Islands which is where . . . more about French Polynesia

Guam

Guam is an island territory of the United States of America located in the South Pacific and is the largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands chain. Guam is located almost three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philipines and has . . . more about Guam

Kiribati

Kiribati is an island nation comprised of a raised coral island and 32 atolls that is located in the tropical centre of the South Pacific. The name Kiribati is the local form of 'Gilberts' and is a derivative of Kiribati's pre-independence name Gil . . . more about Kiribati

Marshall Islands

The Marshall Islands is an island nation consisting of 29 atolls and 5 isolated islands that is located in the South Pacific. The Marshall Islands also lay claim to Wake Island, which is administered by the United States of America, under the name E . . . more about Marshall Islands

Nauru

Nauru is the world's smallest island nation and is located in the South Pacific and is the only republican state in the world that does not have a capital city. Nauru houses an offshore detention centre that holds asylum seekers trying to gain entry . . . more about Nauru

New Caledonia

New Caledonia is a French overseas territory that is comprised of the main island of Grand Terre, the Loyalty Islands and many other smaller islands and atolls. New Caledonia is located in the South Pacific to the east of Australia and has a populat . . . more about New Caledonia

New Zealand

New Zealand is a country comprised of two large island, North Island and South Island, and numerous smaller islands that is located in the South Pacific. The indigenous Maori name for New Zealand is Aotearoa which, translated to English, means The L . . . more about New Zealand

Niue

Niue is a small island nation commonly referred to as the "Rock of Polynesia" or just 'the Rock' by the locals. Niue is in free association with New Zealand is is situated 2,400 kilometres northeast of the nation in the South Pacific. . . . more about Niue

Northern Mariana Islands

The Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the United States of America that is comprised of 15 islands that are located in the South Pacific, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philipines. The Northern Ma . . . more about Northern Mariana Islands

Palau

Palau is an island nation located in the South Pacific north of Indonesia and to the east of the Philipines. Palau is one of the world's youngest and smallest countries and has a population of 20,800 people. . . . more about Palau

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea in the South Pacific and is located just north of Australia. Numerous offshore islands also belong to Papua New Guinea. . . . more about Papua New Guinea

Pitcairn Islands

The Picairn Islands is the last remaining British overseas territory in the South Pacific and is comprised of a group of four islands; Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno. The only island which is inhabited is Pitcairn Island, the second largest of . . . more about Pitcairn Islands

Samoa

Samoa is a small island nation made up of two islands; Savai'i and Upolu and multipe islets which is located in the westernpart of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific. The islands of Samoa are located halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand and h . . . more about Samoa

Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands is an archipelago nation that consists of almost one thousand islands in the South Pacific, to the east of Papua New Guinea. The North Solomon Islands are divided between the Solomon Islands and the Bougainville Provence of Pap . . . more about Solomon Islands

Tahiti

Tahiti is the largest of the islands and atolls in French Polynesia and is located in the South Pacific. Tahiti is made up of two volcanic mountain ranges; the Tahiti Nui and the Tahiti Iti which make the shape of a turtle and has also been historic . . . more about Tahiti

Tokelau

Tokelau is a territory of New Zealand that is made up of three atolls; Atafu, Nukunonu and Fakaofo. Tokelau has a population of just under 1,500 people and is located in the South Pacific about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand. . . . more about Tokelau

Tonga

Tonga is a small archipelago nation in the South Pacific and is the last remaining monarchy of the South Pacific island nations. Tonga is located about a third of the way between Hawaii and New Zealand. . . . more about Tonga

Tuvalu

Tuvalu, which was formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a small Polynesian island nation located in the South Pacific halfway between Hawaii and Australia. Tuvalu is comprised of four reef islands and five atolls and is the second-least populated . . . more about Tuvalu

Vanuatu

Vanuatu, which was formerly known as the New Hebrides Islands, is an archipelago nation that consists of 83 islands and is located in the South Pacific to the east of northern Australia. Vanuatu has a population of almost 210,000 people. . . . more about Vanuatu

Wallis and Futuna

Wallis and Futuna is a French overseas territory located in the South Pacific between Fiji and Samoa that consists of three tropical volcanic islands and numerous tiny islets. Wallis and Futuna is split into two groups, the Wallis Islands and the Ho . . . more about Wallis and Futuna

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