Where is oceania. Great Victoria Desert. Great Barrier Reef

The fauna of Oceania, like the flora, is much richer in its western part and poorer in its eastern one. In general, the fauna of the islands of Oceania is typically insular, depleted in mammals and at the same time endemic.

The fauna of Oceania is divided into three zoogeographic regions: Australian (Papuan subregion). Polynesian and New Zealand.

In the Papuan sub-region (Australian region), which includes New Guinea, the Bismarck archipelagos, the Louisiades and the Solomon Islands, the fauna is much richer and more diverse than the other two regions. Oviparous echidna and proechidna, tree kangaroos, couscous, opossums and other marsupials live here, there are representatives of Asian fauna (for example, wild boar). The world of birds is very rich (up to 650 species), represented by cassowaries, lyrebirds, cockatoos, weed chickens, various types of pigeons and birds of paradise. There are crocodiles in the rivers. Lots of different insects.

The fauna of the New Zealand region is much poorer than the Papuan subregion. Of the mammals, bats and rats are found almost exclusively. Of the birds, wingless kiwis and two species of parrots are characteristic. Of the reptiles, the almost extinct tuatara is interesting.

The fauna of the Polynesian region is even poorer and most endemic. The fauna here has almost no animals, reptiles and amphibians. Mammals are represented by a few species of bats and dogs. In the extreme southeast, they completely disappear. The species composition of birds is richer, but there are also fewer of them here than in the west of Oceania. Few freshwater fish and insects.

The insular character of the very poor, exclusively endemic fauna of the Hawaiian Islands is pronounced. Of the birds, a family of flower girls stands out, one family of land mollusks is common, numbering several hundred species.

Lory

Gecko

Varan Gulda.
Gulda monitor lizard, seeing an enemy or rival, gets up, leaning on his tail, to his full height and opens his mouth menacingly. The body of a lizard is sometimes up to 1.5 m in length. With the onset of night, the monitor lizard goes hunting and catches small rodents, and sometimes birds.

Kiwi bird

Blue (small) penguin

Marsupial anteater.
The marsupial anteater is a big fan of termites and hunts them all day long. The animal carefully sniffs the ground in search of underground passages of these insects. Sensing prey, he sits on his hind legs and begins to rake the ground in order to stick his long tongue inside. The marsupial anteater eats up to 20,000 termites per day.

Platypus.
The platypus searches for food at the bottom of rivers: it dives and digs silt with a nose that looks like a duck's beak. There, between the stones, fish and larvae hide. Having seized the prey, the platypus rises to the surface to eat in peace. In summer, the animal feeds intensively and stores grass in its nest, because in winter the water cools and the fish become smaller.

Flying couscous.
Flying couscous lives in the tops of trees and very rarely descends to the ground. The front paws are connected to the back wide leather membranes. Thanks to this, the animal can, jumping, plan between trees and sometimes flies up to 45 meters.

Animals of Oceania

Animals of Oceania are divided into "wandering", capable of actively or passively settling on the islands, overcoming a water barrier, and autochthonous, who do not have this ability and are endemic species for one or another island.

Herons, frigatebirds, bitterns, geese, ducks, barn swallows, snipe cuckoos, pigeons and other birds nest on all the islands of Oceania.

Almost throughout Oceania, fruit-eating flying foxes and insect-eating bats are widespread. Amphibians and reptiles include blind snakes, leatherback turtles and geckos.

Of the autochthons of New Zealand, one can name the kiwi bird, New Caledonia - the kagu bird, Hawaii - flower girls, etc.

European colonizers greatly changed the fauna of Oceania, exterminating a number of local species, and brought many new animals from other parts of the world. On all the islands live pigs brought by the colonizers, then run wild (for example, the Papuan pig). Mice and rats appeared, brought by chance and spread almost everywhere. Especially a lot of animals were brought to New Zealand. Among them, cows, horses and sheep became the basis of the country's agricultural production.

howler monkeys

Koala.
The koala resembles a small bear: the animal has thick fur, a large nose and furry ears. Koalas live in forests on trees. All day long they tear and eat leaves. After eating, the koala grabs the trunk tightly and rests. A female koala has only one cub. Like the kangaroo, the female koala bears her cub in a pouch on her belly. After 6 months, the baby leaves the purse and travels on his mother's back, firmly clinging to her paws.

Cassowary.
Cassowary is a very large bird, its weight can reach 50 kg, and its height is one and a half meters. The bird feeds on fruits and mushrooms that have fallen to the ground. The cassowary is a big fancy bird. She has an almost round body, a high bone crest on her head, and her neck is covered with wrinkled skin.

stingray

Shark

Coral reef.
The coral reef consists of billions of microorganisms and small animals that build lime houses in the warm sea, placing them close to each other. The Australian Great Coral Reef stretches for almost 2,400 km. This is a real underwater fairy-tale world, where a great number of amazingly beautiful animals live - colorful fish, sea anemones, starfish ...

Oceania is part of the world; a geographic, often geopolitical region of the world consisting predominantly of hundreds of small islands and atolls in the central and western Pacific Ocean.

Geographical position

Oceania is the world's largest cluster of islands located in the western and central parts of the Pacific Ocean, between the subtropical latitudes of the northern and temperate southern hemispheres. When all the land is divided into parts of the world, Oceania is usually combined with Australia into a single part of the world Australia and Oceania, although sometimes it is separated into an independent part of the world.

The total area of ​​the islands is 1.26 million km² (together with Australia 8.52 million km²), the population is about 10.7 million people. (together with Australia 32.6 million people). Geographically, Oceania is subdivided into Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia; sometimes New Zealand is singled out.

The islands of Oceania are washed by numerous seas of the Pacific (Coral Sea, Tasman Sea, Fiji Sea, Koro Sea, Solomon Sea, New Guinea Sea, Philippine Sea) and Indian Oceans (Arafur Sea).

Countries and dependent territories

Geology

From the point of view of geology, Oceania is not a continent: only Australia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, New Guinea and Tasmania are of continental origin, having formed on the site of the hypothetical continent Gondwana. In the past, these islands were a single land, but as a result of the rise in the level of the World Ocean, a significant part of the surface was under water. The relief of these islands is mountainous and strongly dissected. For example, the highest mountains of Oceania, including Mount Jaya (5029 m), are located on the island of New Guinea.

Most of the islands of Oceania are of volcanic origin: some of them are the tops of large underwater volcanoes, some of which still show high volcanic activity (for example, the Hawaiian Islands).

Other islands are of coral origin, being atolls that were formed as a result of the formation of coral structures around submerged volcanoes (for example, the Gilbert Islands, Tuamotu). A distinctive feature of such islands are large lagoons, which are surrounded by numerous islets, or motu, the average height of which does not exceed three meters. In Oceania, there is an atoll with the largest lagoon in the world - Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands archipelago. Despite the fact that its land area is only 16.32 km² (or 6.3 sq. miles), the area of ​​​​the lagoon is 2174 km² (or 839.3 sq. miles). The largest atoll in terms of land area is Christmas Island (or Kiritimati) in the Line archipelago (or Central Polynesian Sporades) - 322 km². However, among the atolls there is also a special type - an elevated (or elevated) atoll, which is a limestone plateau up to 50-60 m above sea level. This type of island has no lagoon or traces of its past existence. Examples of such atolls are Nauru, Niue, Banaba.

The relief and geological structure of the bottom of the Pacific Ocean in the Oceania region has a complex structure. From the Alaska Peninsula (which is part of North America) to New Zealand, there are a large number of basins of marginal seas, deep ocean trenches (Tonga, Kermadec, Bougainville), which form a geosynclinal belt characterized by active volcanism, seismicity and contrasting relief.

There are no minerals on most of the islands of Oceania, only the largest of them are being developed: nickel (New Caledonia), oil and gas (New Guinea, New Zealand), copper (Bougainville Island in Papua New Guinea), gold (New Guinea , Fiji), phosphates (on most of the islands, the deposits are almost or have already been developed, for example, in Nauru, on the islands of Banaba, Makatea). In the past, many of the region's islands were heavily mined for guano, the decomposed dung of seabirds, which was used as a nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer. On the ocean floor of the exclusive economic zone of a number of countries there are large accumulations of iron-manganese nodules, as well as cobalt, but at the moment no development is being carried out due to economic inexpediency.

Climate of Oceania

Oceania is located within several climatic zones: equatorial, subequatorial, tropical, subtropical, temperate. Most of the islands have a tropical climate. The subequatorial climate dominates on islands near Australia and Asia, as well as east of the 180th meridian in the equator zone, equatorial - west of the 180th meridian, subtropical - north and south of the tropics, temperate - in most of the South Island in New Zealand.

The climate of the islands of Oceania is determined mainly by the trade winds, so most of them experience heavy rainfall. The average annual rainfall varies from 1500 to 4000 mm, although on some islands (due to topographical features and on the lee side in particular) the climate can be drier or wetter. One of the wettest places on the planet is located in Oceania: on the eastern slope of Mount Waialeale on the island of Kauai, up to 11,430 mm of precipitation falls annually (the absolute maximum was reached in 1982: then 16,916 mm fell). Near the tropics, the average temperature is around 23°C, near the equator - 27°C, with little difference between the hottest and coldest months.

The climate of the islands of Oceania is also greatly influenced by such anomalies as the El Niño and La Niña currents. During El Niño, the intertropical convergence zone moves northward towards the equator; during La Niña, it moves southward away from the equator. In the latter case, a severe drought is observed on the islands, in the first case, heavy rains.

Most of the islands of Oceania are subject to the destructive effects of natural disasters: volcanic eruptions (Hawaiian Islands, New Hebrides), earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones accompanied by typhoons and heavy rains, droughts. Many of them lead to significant material and human losses. For example, the tsunami in Papua New Guinea in July 1999 killed 2,200 people.

The South Island in New Zealand and the island of New Guinea have glaciers high in the mountains, but due to the process of global warming, their area is gradually shrinking.

Soils and hydrology

Due to the different climatic conditions, the soils of Oceania are very diverse. The soils of the atolls are highly alkaline, of coral origin, and very poor. They are usually porous, which is why they retain moisture very poorly, and also contain very few organic and mineral substances, with the exception of calcium, sodium and magnesium. The soils of volcanic islands, as a rule, are of volcanic origin and are highly fertile. On large mountainous islands, red-yellow, mountain lateritic, mountain-meadow, yellow-brown soils, yellow soils, and red soils are found.

There are large rivers only on the South and North Islands of New Zealand, as well as on the island of New Guinea, on which the largest rivers of Oceania, the Sepik (1126 km) and Fly (1050 km), are located. The largest river in New Zealand is the Waikato (425 km). The rivers are predominantly fed by rain, although in New Zealand and New Guinea, rivers are also fed by water from melting glaciers and snow. On the atolls, there are no rivers at all due to the high porosity of the soils. Instead, rainwater seeps through the soil to form a lens of slightly brackish water that can be reached by digging a well. On larger islands (usually of volcanic origin) there are small streams of water that flow towards the ocean.

The largest number of lakes, including thermal ones, is located in New Zealand, where there are also geysers. On other islands of Oceania, lakes are a rarity.

Flora and fauna

Oceania is included in the Paleotropical region of vegetation, while three sub-regions are distinguished: Melanesian-Micronesian, Hawaiian and New Zealand. Among the most widespread plants of Oceania, the coconut palm and breadfruit stand out, which play an important role in the life of local residents: the fruits are used for food, wood is a source of heat, a building material, copra is produced from the oily endosperm of coconut palm nuts, which is the basis of the export of countries of this region. A large number of epiphytes (ferns, orchids) also grow on the islands. The largest number of endemics (both representatives of flora and fauna) was registered in New Zealand and the Hawaiian Islands, while from west to east there is a decrease in the number of species, genera and families of plants.

The fauna of Oceania also belongs to the Polynesian faunistic region with the subregion of the Hawaiian Islands. The fauna of New Zealand stands out in an independent region, New Guinea - in the Papuan subregion of the Australian region. New Zealand and New Guinea are the most diverse. On the small islands of Oceania, primarily atolls, mammals are almost never found: many of them are inhabited only by the small rat. But the local avifauna is very rich. Most of the atolls have bird markets where seabirds nest. Of the representatives of the fauna of New Zealand, the most famous are the kiwi birds, which have become the national symbol of the country. Other endemics of the country are kea (lat. Nestor notabilis, or nestor), kakapo (lat. Strigops habroptilus, or owl parrot), takahe (lat. Notoronis hochstelteri, or wingless sultan). All the islands of Oceania are inhabited by a large number of lizards, snakes and insects.

During the European colonization of the islands, alien species of plants and animals were introduced to many of them, which negatively affected the local flora and fauna.

The region has a large number of protected areas, many of which occupy large areas. For example, the Phoenix Islands in the Republic of Kiribati have been the world's largest marine reserve since January 28, 2008 (the area is 410,500 km²).

Population

The indigenous inhabitants of Oceania are Polynesians, Micronesians, Melanesians and Papuans.

Polynesians living in the countries of Polynesia are of a mixed racial type: in their appearance, features of the Caucasoid and Mongoloid races are visible, and to a lesser extent - Australoid. The largest peoples of Polynesia are Hawaiians, Samoans, Tahitians, Tongans, Maori, Marquesans, Rapanui and others. Native languages ​​belong to the Polynesian subgroup of the Austronesian family of languages: Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahitian, Tongan, Maori, Marquesan, Rapanui and others. The characteristic features of the Polynesian languages ​​are a small number of sounds, especially consonants, and an abundance of vowels.

Micronesians live in the countries of Micronesia. The largest peoples are Carolinians, Kiribati, Marshallese, Nauru, Chamorro and others. Native languages ​​belong to the Micronesian group of the Austronesian family of languages: Kiribati, Caroline, Kusaie, Marshallese, Nauruan and others. The Palauan and Chamorro languages ​​belong to the Western Malayo-Polynesian languages, while Jap forms a separate branch within the Oceanic languages, which includes the Micronesian languages.

Melanesians live in the countries of Melanesia. The racial type is Australoid, with a small Mongoloid element, close to the Papuans of New Guinea. Melanesians speak Melanesian languages, but their languages, unlike Micronesian and Polynesian, do not form a separate genetic group, and the linguistic fragmentation is very large, so that people from neighboring villages may not understand each other.

The Papuans inhabit the island of New Guinea and parts of Indonesia. In anthropological type, they are close to the Melanesians, but differ from them in language. Not all Papuan languages ​​are related to each other. The national language of the Papuans in Papua New Guinea is the English-based Tok Pisin Creole. According to various sources of peoples and languages, the Papuans number from 300 to 800. At the same time, there are difficulties in establishing the difference between a separate language and a dialect.

Many languages ​​of Oceania are on the verge of extinction. In everyday life, they are increasingly being replaced by English and French.

The position of the indigenous population in the countries of Oceania is different. If, for example, in the Hawaiian Islands their share is very low, then in New Zealand the Maori make up to 15% of the country's population. The proportion of Polynesians in the Northern Mariana Islands, located in Micronesia, is about 21.3%. In Papua New Guinea, the majority of the population is made up of numerous Papuan peoples, although there is also a high proportion of people from other islands in the region.

In New Zealand and the Hawaiian Islands, the majority of the population is European, the share of which is also high in New Caledonia (34%) and French Polynesia (12%). In the Fiji Islands, 38.2% of the population is represented by Indo-Fijians, descendants of Indian contract workers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century.

Recently, in the countries of Oceania, the proportion of immigrants from Asia (mainly Chinese and Filipinos) has been increasing. For example, in the Northern Mariana Islands, the share of Filipinos is 26.2%, and the Chinese - 22.1%.

The population of Oceania is mainly Christian, adhering to either the Protestant or Catholic branches.

History of Oceania

Pre-colonial period

The island of New Guinea and the nearby islands of Melanesia were supposedly settled by people from Southeast Asia who sailed by canoe about 30-50 thousand years ago. About 2-4 thousand years ago, most of Micronesia and Polynesia were settled. The process of colonization ended around 1200 AD. By the beginning of the 16th century, the peoples of Oceania were going through a period of decomposition of the primitive communal system and the formation of an early class society. Crafts, agriculture, and navigation were actively developing.

colonial period

The ships of the English traveler James Cook and the canoes of the natives in Matawai Bay on the island of Tahiti (French Polynesia), artist William Hodges, 1776

In the period from the 16th to the 18th centuries, the period of exploration of Oceania by Europeans continued, which gradually began to populate the islands. However, the process of European colonization was very slow, since the region did not arouse much interest among foreigners due to the lack of natural resources, and negatively affected the local population: many diseases were introduced that had never been in Oceania, and this led to epidemics, in which resulted in the death of a significant part of the natives. At the same time, there was a Christianization of the inhabitants, who worshiped numerous deities and spirits.

In the XVIII-XIX centuries, the islands of Oceania were divided between the colonial powers, primarily the British Empire, Spain and France (later they were joined by the USA and the German Empire). Of particular interest to Europeans was the possibility of creating plantations on the islands (coconut palm for the production of copra, sugar cane), as well as the slave trade (the so-called "blackbird hunting", which involved recruiting islanders to work on plantations).

In 1907, New Zealand became a dominion, but it did not formally become a fully independent state until 1947. After the First World War, the first political organizations began to emerge ("May" in Western Samoa, "Fiji Youth" in Fiji), which fought for the independence of the colonies. During the Second World War, Oceania was one of the theaters of war, where many battles took place (mainly between Japanese and American troops).

After the war, there were some improvements in the economy in the region, but in most colonies it was one-sided (the predominance of the plantation economy and the almost complete absence of industry). Since the 1960s, the process of decolonization began: in 1962, Western Samoa gained independence, in 1963 - West Irian, in 1968 - Nauru. Subsequently, most of the colonies became independent.

Post-colonial period

After gaining independence, most countries in Oceania still have serious economic, political and social problems, which they are trying to solve with the help of the world community (including the UN) and through regional cooperation. Despite the process of decolonization in the 20th century, some islands of the region still remain dependent to some extent: New Caledonia, French Polynesia and Wallis and Futuna from France, the Pitcairn Islands from Great Britain, the Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau from New Zealand, a number islands (all outer small islands except Navassa Island) from the USA.

Economy

Most countries in Oceania have a very weak economy, which is due to several reasons: limited natural resources, remoteness from world markets for products, and a shortage of highly qualified specialists. Many states depend on financial assistance from other countries.

The basis of the economy of most countries in Oceania is agriculture (the production of copra and palm oil) and fishing. Among the most important agricultural crops stand out the coconut palm, bananas, breadfruit. Possessing huge exclusive economic zones and not having a large fishing fleet, the governments of the countries of Oceania issue licenses for the right to catch fish to vessels of other states (mainly Japan, Taiwan, the USA), which significantly replenishes the state budget. The mining industry is most developed in Papua New Guinea, Nauru, New Caledonia, and New Zealand.

A significant part of the population is employed in the public sector. Recently, measures have been taken to develop the tourism sector of the economy.

culture

The art of Oceania has developed a distinctive style that gives uniqueness to the local culture.

In the visual arts of the Polynesians, the main place belongs to woodcarving and sculpture. Maori carving reached a high level, they decorated boats, details of houses, carved statues of gods and ancestors, such a statue stands in every village. The main motif of the ornament is a spiral. Moai stone statues were created on Easter Island and the Marquesas Islands. Of the crafts, the most important was the construction of boats, as they allowed fishing and traveling long distances (in this regard, astronomy developed among the Polynesians). Among the Polynesians, tattooing has become widespread. Tapa, which was made from the bark of mulberry trees, served as clothing. In Polynesia, myths, legends, fairy tales, singing and dancing were developed. Writing, probably, was only on Easter Island (rongo-rongo), on other islands folklore was transmitted orally.

Singing and dancing are popular art forms among Micronesians. Each tribe has its own myths. In the life of the islanders, the main place was occupied by ships - boats. There were boats of different types: dibenil - sailing, valab - a large rowing boat. Megaliths are found on the Yap Islands. Of particular interest is Nan Madol, known as the "Micronesian Venice". This is a whole city on the water, in a lagoon on the island of Ponape. Stone structures are built on artificial islands.

Among the Melanesians, wood carving reached a special flowering. Unlike the Polynesians, the Melanesians were not so tied to the sea, they were more land dwellers. The main musical instrument is the drum, or tam-tom. Folklore, songs, dances, myths are widespread among the Papuans. The songs and dances are very simple. The singing is called mun, the melody varies very little. The cult of ancestors and skulls is of great importance. Papuans make korvara - images of ancestors. Well developed wood carving.

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The isolation of the island land was most strongly reflected in its flora and fauna.. Only those plants and animals that can spread through the air (for example, plants with the smallest fruits or spores, birds, some), through water (some reptiles) or organisms introduced by humans have got to the remote islands of Oceania.

Variety of plants and animals depends on the age of the islands, their size and position in relation to the mainland and other islands. The organic world of biogenic islands is the poorest. On the atolls, plants usually grow only a few dozen species, mainly from those whose fruits are easily carried by the waves of the ocean. On the raised atolls, as well as on volcanic islands, the number of species of higher plants alone reaches several hundred, on the Hawaiian Islands - more than 1700, and on New Guinea - more than 20 thousand. On the ancient islands of Oceania, the percentage of endemic, i.e., found nowhere else , species. This is partly due to the fact that many ancient species that disappeared in other regions of the Earth could survive here, but partly this is the result of speciation, which actively occurs during the isolation of small populations of the species. A striking example of the originality of island faunas can be the presence of flightless birds, for example, wingless, Maori shepherd - in New Zealand, - in New Caledonia, etc. Of the ancient reptiles, the first lizard, preserved on one of the islands near New Zealand, is very interesting. Unfortunately, many of these animals have been destroyed by man, in particular the giant flightless bird in New Zealand.

Another feature of insular and faunas is expressed in the fact that on many islands, entire groups of organisms common to continents are completely or almost completely absent. So, for example, before the appearance of man in Oceania, they were absent, except for representatives of the subclass of marsupials (and even then they are common only in New Guinea) and a detachment of rodents. Very poorly represented on the islands, reptiles, everywhere except New Guinea, there are no poisonous ones. But it is rich in insects (only in the Hawaiian Islands there are more than 3,700 species). Among the latter, of course, there are many flying. The number of bird species is high in New Guinea (more than 100). Only 5-7 species of birds nest on separate atolls, exclusively marine.

A certain defect is also observed in the flora of the islands. Many species of flowering plants found on the mainland are absent here. On the other hand, spore plants, in particular ferns, are very large, the spores of which are so light that they can even be carried by jet streams of the atmosphere (at an altitude of more than 10 km). On some islands, ancient plants that grew on the continents back in the Mesozoic, such as podocarpus, agathis (kauri), degeneria, etc., have been preserved.

By the way, the imperfection of the organic world has largely contributed to the conservation of rare species. Thus, the absence of predatory mammals allowed flightless birds to survive, the absence of rodents saved many species of original plants. Therefore, the violation of this species by man has caused and is causing irreparable harm to the nature of Oceania.

Deliberately or unintentionally brought to the islands many species of strangler vines, various weeds, some fruit trees, such as guava, which, having spread, displaced or destroyed many plants, taking their place in the plant communities of the islands.

Animals introduced by humans have caused even more damage.. The usual inhabitants of ship holds, devouring a large amount of valuable vegetation, have become almost universal. On many islands feral domestic birds have bred. On a number of islands, many species of birds were completely destroyed by them. A significant change in the vegetation cover was caused by goats brought in past centuries by whalers. On some islands, their influence on vegetation was so great that now it is dominated only by poisonous species that are not eaten by animals.

The almost total destruction of vegetation causes the breeding of rabbits. Attempts to breed these animals on some islands led not only to the destruction of herbaceous vegetation and araucaria trees (rabbits systematically destroyed trees), but also to the washing off of soils, which, having lost vegetation, could not withstand rainwater. Fortunately, the experiments on breeding rabbits were isolated.

Of the other animals, feral pigs and mongooses cause significant harm. Mongooses, brought, for example, to Fiji in order to fight rats, also began to destroy birds and some other animals.

landscapes. On the islands of different types, due to differences in age, size, geological structure and relief, various landscapes arose.

The simplest, relatively homogeneous and similar to each other are the landscapes of the atolls. Their islands have an elongated configuration and a small height. The development of vegetation and soils on them depends on the size of the lens of fresh soil-groundwater, which is formed from rains at a shallow depth below the surface of the island.

The biogenic islands were dominated by shrub or vegetation from a small number of plant species. Nowadays, the forests have given way to plantations of coconut palms, breadfruit and horticultural crops.

The natural complexes of biogenic islands are closely connected with the ocean due to amphibious organisms. Among them, crabs are especially widespread, including a large "" that feeds on the fruits of coconut palms. Many atolls are breeding grounds for seabirds: terns, boobies, petrels, etc. Their number can reach millions of specimens, and - one bird per 1 sq. km. m. Thanks to this, deposits containing .

Atoll islands are similar to each other. The most spectacular picture is the outer island facing the ocean. The greatness of the ocean element is especially felt here. Even in calm, calm weather, when there is almost no excitement on the surface of the ocean, every second it brings down thousands of tons of water onto the reef. During a storm, waves reach 7-8 m in height. Their traces are clearly recognizable by the storm bar rising 3-4 m above the beach. Only behind this heap of sand and broken, wave-rolled corals do the first plants begin to be found. Most often, these are pandanuses - trees on stilted roots - with long, coarse, fleshy leaves and thorns. There are picturesque bright green scaevola and tournefortia with ash-green leaves. These are adapted, as well as, to the effects of strong winds saturated with moisture and sea salt.

Behind a narrow strip of shrubs and trees, a palm forest begins. It is light in it, through the openwork crown of palm trees the rays of the sun penetrate to the very soil, creating an amazing play of chiaroscuro. However, walking through the forest is difficult. At every step there are fresh windblows: trunks, branches, rotten leaves, rotting fruits of palm trees. In this heap of plant remains, bright red large, weighing up to 3-4 kg, (palm thieves) and less exotic rats feel great. Lots of mosquitoes. In small puddles, in coconut shells gnawed by rats, they lay larvae and quickly breed. They are not as annoying as in the tundra, but dangerous because they are carriers of elephantiasis.

In the center of the island the forest ends. There is a strip of vegetable gardens here. Vegetable gardens occupy the central part of the island, because there the fresh ones are closest to the surface and they are the least saline. On the atolls of Polynesia, a common crop is a giant taro - a tuber whose leaves reach two meters in length. plantings, cassava and other garden crops rise high trunks of the breadfruit tree.

Behind the vegetable gardens, the palm forest begins again. Among the coconut palms here are often found trees with wide leathery leaves - callophyllums. They are highly valued as a material for building boats. Grows here and another - guettarda. Its soft, succulent leaves are used as compost, a necessary fertilizer for the poor, sandy soils of the atolls.

Above the misty crooked forest as if it restores its former grandeur and density, but not for long, there is already beginning to feel a lack of moisture. Trees are replaced by grasses - mountain or savannahs.

The climatic conditions of the coastal terraces of the islands and their young soils are favorable for the growth of the coconut palm. Its fruits contain many nutrients and are used to make valuable coconut oil. "" - an unripe coconut - is widely used in the diet of the islanders. Coconuts, however, are afraid of the competition of other plants; in the depths of the island, far from the ocean, they grow poorly, giving way to other crops.

The volcanic soils of the mountainous islands are exceptionally fertile, especially for bananas, as well as for tubers (taro, sweet potato, yams, cassava). Plantation crops can grow well on them: and. In the lowlands (in river deltas) there are lands suitable for rice cultivation.

It should be noted that the climate of Oceania, with all its positive features, also has some disadvantages. In some areas, where the sky is often covered with clouds, plants feel the lack of sunlight, especially ultraviolet, and this affects the yield of many crops, such as rice. Plants need the sun's rays especially to produce sugary substances. Due to the lack of solar radiation, sugar, which is cultivated only in the dry zones of some islands (mainly in Fiji), has not become widespread.

However, for the local population, even waterlogged lands have. There you can collect the fruits of mangrove plants or pandanuses that are eaten. Sago grows in the swamps of New Guinea, from the core of which some Papuan tribes prepare sago, their staple food.

Forests are also a great wealth of Oceania, especially continental and geosynclinal islands. In New Guinea, tropical forest species such as terminalia, intsia, alstonia, albizia are widely used in the timber industry, and araucaria and podocarpus in mountainous areas. All these species provide very valuable wood. But the kauri, or agatis, found in the forests of the Solomon Islands, New Hebrides and New Caledonia, is especially valued by timber merchants. However, the extensive felling of trees that is currently practiced, in which only valuable species are almost completely cut down, leads to a deterioration in the species composition of forests. This is how sandalwood trees were destroyed in the last century.

Beautiful beaches, warm ocean, oceanic landscapes, as well as soft, eternal - also unique and valuable resources that contribute to the development of tourism in the countries of Oceania.

The resources of Oceania are not only on land and in its bowels. The islanders have long enjoyed the gifts of the sea, and without the resources of the ocean it is impossible.

Thus, the natural resources of Oceania are diverse, and their protection is of great importance for the life of the island peoples.

Geographically, Oceania is the world's largest cluster of islands located in the western and central Pacific Ocean. Far from us, between the subtropical latitudes of the northern and temperate southern hemispheres. Many classifications usually group Oceania with Australia, even though Australia is a continent as we know it.

Oceania is a world of great contrasts, many interesting plants grow here, unique nature and unforgettable culture.

The total area of ​​the islands is 1.26 million square kilometers (and together with Australia 8.52 million km²). The population is almost 11 million people. (for the company with Australia - 32.6 million people).

Oceania is divided into three geographic regions, whose names alone evoke thoughts of adventure and wilderness. Their names are Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia. The islands of Oceania are washed by many seas of the Pacific Ocean basin - the Coral Sea, Solomon, New Guinea, Tasman Sea, Koro and Fiji, as well as the Arafura Sea, which belongs to the Indian Ocean basin.

Origin of land in Oceania

Geologically, only Australia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, New Guinea and Tasmania are of continental origin. Once they were part of the Gondwana proto-mainland, which broke apart. Then these islands were solid land, but the waters of the World Ocean rose to a considerable height and part of the surface was flooded. Now the highest parts of the land that belonged to Gondwana protrude above the water.

The relief of most of the islands is mountainous and heavily dissected. There are truly high peaks in Oceania, including Mount Jaya (mark 5029 m), on the island of New Guinea.

Island types

Collosal transformations took place once in these places, apparently. It is determined that most of the islands of Oceania arose as a result of volcanic activity. Some are the tops of large underwater volcanoes, some of which still show high volcanic activity (for example, in the Hawaiian Islands).

There are also many islands of coral origin in this region. These are atolls that arose as a result of the growth of corals around submerged volcanoes (for example, the Gilbert Islands, Tuamotu). On such islands, large lagoons are often found, which are protected from the open sea by numerous islets, the average height of which does not exceed three meters above the water level.

In Oceania, there is an atoll with the world's largest lagoon - Kwajalein (the archipelago of the Marshall Islands). The ratio of its land area is striking - 16.32 km², but the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe lagoon is 2174 km². So it is written in reference books, I had not imagined before that the area of ​​the island could be less than the area of ​​the bay (lagoon).

There is another record-breaking atoll in Oceania. This time the largest in terms of land area. It is called Christmas Island (or Kiritimati) in the Line archipelago, has an area of ​​322 km².

Among atolls, a special type is also found - an elevated (or elevated) atoll. Such an atoll is a limestone plateau with a height of up to 50-60 m above sea level. This type of island has no lagoon or traces of its existence in the past. Examples of such atolls are Nauru, Niue, Banaba.

In the Oceania region, the bottom of the World Ocean has a complex structure. The region is characterized by active volcanism, seismicity and contrasting relief.

Oceania countries

The all-knowing Wikipedia gives the following classification:

Oceania. Climate

Tropical climate prevails. Oceania is characterized by high rainfall. On the islands located closer to the tropical zone, the average annual temperature is +23 °C, on the islands near the equator - +27 °C.

The climate of Oceania is influenced by currents such as La Niña and El Niño. Most of the islands in Oceania are exposed to the negative effects of active volcanoes. Tsunamis and typhoons also happen here.

There are sharp changes in weather conditions here - heavy rains are replaced by droughts.

Population of Oceania

Although the colonialists from Europe and America actively tried to exploit these territories, the majority of the local population are indigenous people. Such as Micronesians, Polynesians, Papuans. Polynesians are mixed racial types - they show features of Caucasians and Mongoloids.

The largest groups of Polynesians include Hawaiians, Maori, Tongans, Tahitians. Each nationality has its own language, a feature of which is the almost complete absence of consonants.

Among the Melanesians, the linguistic fragmentation of the tribes is very large. Often, residents of even neighboring villages cannot understand each other. The Papuans, as in the time of Cook, inhabit some regions of Indonesia and New Guinea.

All Papuan languages ​​are very similar to each other. But now they are based on the native language of the same Cook, who, according to legend, was eaten, i.e. English. So if you speak English, you can easily speak with a Papuan.

Flora of Oceania

Oceania has a large extent both in latitude and along the meridian. Therefore, the flora of the islands is very diverse. There are representatives here that are absolutely amazing for us, such as:

• breadfruit,
• coconut palm,
• ferns
• orchids.

Animal world

The fauna of the islands of Oceania is less diverse, because mammals are practically absent.

The most diverse in Oceania are New Zealand and New Guinea. On the small islands of Oceania, primarily atolls, mammals are almost never found: many of them are inhabited only by rats, and even then few (they are probably guarded there!?).

But the islands are very rich in bird markets, where sea birds nest. Of the representatives of the fauna of New Zealand, the most famous are the kiwi birds, which have become the national symbol of the country. Other common bird species are kea (or nestor), kakapo (or owl parrot), takahe (or wingless sultan).

What else is abundant on all the islands of Oceania is lizards, snakes and insects.

During the European colonization of the islands, alien species of plants and animals were introduced to many of them, which negatively affected the local flora and fauna.

The region has a large number of protected areas, many of which occupy large areas. For example, the Phoenix Islands in the Republic of Kiribati have been the world's largest marine reserve since January 28, 2008 (the area is 410,500 km²).

Describe how to get to the countries of Oceania I don’t see the point here, because the region is very remote from our country, it’s most realistic to get there only by plane and how exactly it depends on the country you choose.

Composition, geological structure, relief and minerals

Between Southeast Asia and America huge water area Pacific Ocean occupies the world's largest cluster of islands. There are more than $10$ thousand of them. Oceania.

Definition 1

Oceania are islands and archipelagos located in the central and southwestern Pacific Ocean

This island land has a total area of ​​about $1.3 million sq. km, which is only $2$% of the ocean area. The geographical position of the islands, as well as their size and relief, are most directly related to their origin.

The genesis of the islands allows you to select $4 $ of the main types:

• mainland islands;
• Volcanic islands;
• Biogenic islands;
• geosynclinal islands.

To the islands mainland origin are the largest in area - New Guinea, New Zealand, which account for $80$% of the land area of ​​Oceania. In the relief of these islands there are mountain ranges and vast low-lying plains. Hawaiian islands, for example, are typical volcanic, A coral reefs and atolls have biogenic origin.

Definition 2

atolls- These are flat, low ring-shaped islands in the middle with a lagoon that has a connection with the ocean.

An example atolls are the islands of Central Polynesia - Tuamotu Archipelago, atoll Kwajalein having the largest lagoon in the world in the archipelago Marshall Islands. Coral islands formed in Quaternary the period when there was a subsidence of sections of the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. In the western part of Oceania lie geosynclinal islands. Most of the islands have volcanic origin and some represent peaks underwater volcanoes – Samoa, Cook, Easter, Marquesas Islands. Minerals are distributed over the islands extremely uneven, and on many of them just missing. Developments are carried out only on the largest ones. New Caledonia has nickel reserves, oil and gas are on New Guinea and New Zealand. New Guinea still has reserves copper and gold. Phosphate reserves have been found on atoll islands. As a nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer in the past, many atoll islands were actively developed guano- decomposed droppings of seabirds.

Remark 1

In Oceania, based on regional and landscape differences, $4$ physiographic countries are distinguished:

• Melanesia. It includes New Guinea, the Bismarck, Louisaids, Solomon Islands, New Hebrides, New Caledonia, Fiji, etc.
• Micronesia. It has $ 1,500 islands - among them are the archipelagos of Kazan, Mariana, Caroline, Marshall Islands, Gilbert Islands, Nauru. They are all small in size.
• New Zealand;
• Polynesia. " Poly» – a lot of islands. Polynesia can be described as a triangle whose corners are Hawaii-New Zealand-Easter Island.

Climate of Oceania

Remark 2

Oceania lies within the $3$ main and $2$ transitional climatic zones:

• equatorial belt;
• Subequatorial belt;
• Tropical belt;
• Subtropical belt;
• Temperate zone.

Dominant on the islands tropical climate, and subequatorial dominates near Australia and Asia. West of the $180$ meridian, the islands lie in equatorial climate, and in subtropical climate lie islands located north and south of the tropics. Moderate the belt occupies most of New Zealand. The climate of the islands is determined mainly trade winds, which means that heavy rains fall on them. During the year, the amount of precipitation can vary from $1500$-$4000$ mm. The land features of some islands and its lee sides reduce rainfall and the climate may be drier or wetter. One of the most wet places of the planet is located precisely in Oceania on the eastern slope of the mountain Vaialeale– $11430$ mm per year. The mountain is located on the island Kauai, where $16,916$ mm fell in $ 1982$ - it was an absolute maximum. The average temperature near the tropics is +$23$ degrees, and around the equator +$27$. The difference between summer and winter is negligible here. two ocean currents El Niño And La Niña have a great influence on the climate of Oceania. Flow El Niño due to the fact that the intertropical convergence zone is moving towards equator, i.e. to the north, at La Niña traffic goes south, i.e. from equator A. In the first case, abundant rains, in the second case, there is a strong drought. The river system of the islands is connected with the climate. Large rivers are only in New Zealand – the Waikato River and New Guinea - the Sepik and Fly Rivers. Feeding rivers, of course, rainy, and recharge comes from melting glaciers. On the atolls of the river missing at all. lakes, including thermal, are situated in New Zealand, is here and geysers. Lakes on other islands of Oceania are a rarity.

Nature of Oceania

The remoteness from the mainland, the small size of the islands and the vast expanse of water around to a large extent influenced the nature and life of peoples. Large islands were the centers of flora formation, but at the same time, many plant species from Australia, the Malay Archipelago and Southeast Asia migrated to the islands.

Remark 3

As a result, Oceania is included in Paleotropic area of ​​vegetation, in which $3$ subareas are distinguished:

• Malesian floristic subregion;
• Hawaiian subregion;
• New Zealand subregion.

Malesian the subregion is characterized by numerous tropical families - pandanus, ficus, water lily, banana, laurel and widespread legumes. There are many epiphytes - ferns, orchids.

Hawaiian the subregion is represented by one genus of palms, a small number of orchids, and the absence of gymnosperms and ficuses. But there are a lot of ferns here. These are the first plants that settle in the cracks of the cooled lava flows.

For New Zealand In the sub-regions, species of Compositae, ferns, sedges, and grasses will be numerous.

The most common plants in Oceania are coconut and breadfruit trees. Their fruits are used for food, and wood is a source of heat and building material. The endosperm of the coconut palm nuts is the source copra, and it is the basis of the export of the countries of Oceania. Hawaiian Islands and New Zealand there are endemics flora and fauna. coral the islands are very poor species composition. From cultivated plants grow pineapples, bananas, sugar cane. The composition of the fauna has specific features that are associated with the open spaces of the ocean, causing difficulties for the resettlement of animals. Species composition of the fauna poor, complete absence mammals. In this regard, a significant part of Oceania stands out in Polynesian zoogeographic region. Many flying birds - swifts, pigeons. From small animals - bats, dogs, foxes, lizards. Insects are accidentally introduced on the trunks of floating trees. In New Zealand, the representative of the fauna is kiwi is the national symbol of the country. Of the endemics - kea or nestor, kakapo or owl parrot, takahe or wingless sultan.

Remark 4

Oceania developed under conditions of long isolation from mainland land. It determined originality its landscapes, manifested in the geological structure and relief, in high endemism and poverty of species composition of flora and fauna. These reasons give grounds for singling out Oceania as a special part of the world unparalleled on the continents.