Oceania

Oceania (.mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}UK: /ˌoʊsiˈɑːniə, ˌoʊʃi-, -ˈeɪn-/ OH-s(h)ee-AH-nee-ə, -⁠AY-, US: /ˌoʊʃiˈæniə, -ˈɑːn-/ ⓘ OH-shee-A(H)N-ee-ə)[5] is a geographical region including Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.[6][7] Outside of the English-speaking world, Oceania is generally considered a continent, while Mainland Australia is regarded as its continental landmass.[8][9][10][11] Spanning the Eastern and Western hemispheres, at the centre of the water hemisphere, Oceania is estimated to have a land area of about 9,000,000 square kilometres (3,500,000 sq mi) and a population of around 44.4 million as of 2022. Oceania is the smallest continent in land area and the second-least populated after Antarctica.

Oceania has a diverse mix of economies from the highly developed and globally competitive financial markets of Australia, French Polynesia, Hawaii, New Caledonia, and New Zealand, which rank high in quality of life and Human Development Index,[12][13] to the much less developed economies of Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Western New Guinea.[14] The largest and most populous country in Oceania is Australia, and the largest city is Sydney.[15] Puncak Jaya in Indonesia is the highest peak in Oceania at 4,884 m (16,024 ft).[16]

The first settlers of Australia, New Guinea, and the large islands just to the east arrived more than 60,000 years ago.[17] Oceania was first explored by Europeans from the 16th century onward. Portuguese explorers, between 1512 and 1526, reached the Tanimbar Islands, some of the Caroline Islands and west New Guinea. Spanish and Dutch explorers followed, then British and French. On his first voyage in the 18th century, James Cook, who later arrived at the highly developed Hawaiian Islands, went to Tahiti and followed the east coast of Australia for the first time.[18] The arrival of European settlers in subsequent centuries resulted in a significant alteration in the social and political landscape of Oceania. The Pacific theatre saw major action during the First and Second World Wars.

The rock art of Aboriginal Australians is the longest continuously practiced artistic tradition in the world.[19] Most Oceanian countries are parliamentary democracies, with tourism serving as a large source of income for the Pacific island nations.[20]