Most of the oceanic islands. Features and personality traits of the nature of oceania. Great Barrier Reef
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE OF RUSSIA
Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Professional Education
"Voronezh State University»
Faculty of Geography, Geology and Tourism
on the topic "Features and personality traits of the nature of Oceania"
in the discipline "Nature and natural resources of continents and oceans"
E.V. Zhigulina
Voronezh 2014
Introduction
2 Tectonics, relief
3Climate
5Soils
6Flora and fauna
Conclusion
Bibliography
Introduction
Oceania became known to Europeans in the 16th century, since the circumnavigation of F. Magellan. special chapter in the history of its discovery and research are the voyages of J. Cook and the campaigns of Russian navigators V.M. Golovnina, F.P. Litke, S.O. Makarov and others. In the 19th century alone, more than 40 Russian expeditions visited the Pacific Ocean and collected valuable scientific information.
A great contribution to the study of the nature and population of Oceania was made by N.N. Miklukho Maclay. He not only studied the life and life of the peoples of the island New Guinea, but also made interesting descriptions shores of the tropical sea.
Photo 1. The life of the inhabitants of the islands of Oceania has not undergone significant changes over the past centuries.
The political map of Oceania was formed as a result of the capture of the islands by European and American colonialists in the 19th-20th centuries. Three decades ago, there was only one independent state in Oceania - New Zealand. Now there are more than ten politically independent countries: Fiji, Western Samoa, the Kingdom of Tonga, and others. The Hawaiian Islands are part of the United States as a separate state. But many islands in Oceania are still colonies.
Map 1. Political map of Australia and Oceania.
Chapter 1. Physical and geographical features of Oceania
1 Geographic location
Oceania is the name given to the islands that lie in the central and southwestern parts of Pacific Ocean northeast of Australia, between 28 0With. sh. and 53 0Yu. sh. and 130 0V. d. and 105 0h. e. Oceania includes more than 7 thousand islands with a total area of 1.3 million km 2. Most of The islands are grouped into archipelagos.
Map 2. physical map Oceania.
Usually Oceania is divided into Melanesia - the westernmost and largest islands; Micronesia - small islands north of Melanesin; Polynesia - all other islands and New Zealand. Melanesia (from Greek melas - black and nesos - island) includes archipelagos from New Guinea in the west to the Fiji Islands in the east, i.e. territory with a predominantly Papuan population. Polynesia (many islands) includes islands in central and southern parts Pacific Ocean east of 177° E by the most large archipelago Polynesia are the Hawaiian Islands, made up of 24 islands. Micronesia includes about 1,500 islands: the Kazan, Mariana, Caroline, Marshall, Gilbert and Nauru archipelagos. All islands are small; the largest of them Guam has an area of 583 km 2. New Zealand stands out as a special region of Oceania. And not only in terms of natural and ethnographic conditions, but also taking into account the level economic development throughout Oceania.
2Tectonics, relief
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, highest mountains 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). Distinctive feature such islands are large lagoons, which are surrounded by numerous islets. In Oceania, there is an atoll with the largest lagoon in the world - Kwajalein in the archipelago Marshall Islands. Even though its land area is only 16.32 km ² , lagoon area - 2174 km ². The largest atoll in terms of land area is Christmas Island (or Kiritimati) in the Line archipelago - 322 km ². 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 to New Zealand a large number of basins of the marginal seas, deep ocean trenches (Tonga, Kermadec, Bougainville), which form a geosynclinal belt characterized by active volcanism, seismicity and contrasting relief.
The islands of western Micronesia, Melanesia, and New Zealand are large, mountainous, and heavily dissected. mountain ranges and the peaks reach high altitude: Jaya in New Guinea (5029 m) - highest point Oceania Islands of eastern Micronesia and Polynesia. The islands of western Micronesia and Melanesia, composed of folded sedimentary suites, intrusive and especially effusive rocks (mainly andesites), lie in the Alpine geosyncline. western outskirts bottom of the Pacific Ocean, are folded island arcs - surface parts of huge mountain systems Meso- and Cenozoic folding. The incompleteness of mountain-building movements is evidenced by modern volcanism and earthquakes. The islands of the central part of the Pacific Ocean are giant basalt cones crowning volcanic ridges that arose during the outpouring of basalts along fault lines at the end of the Neogene - the beginning of the Anthropogen; their surface peaks are the highest volcanoes (over 9 thousand meters, if you count from the underwater base) - Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea on about. Hawaii. Among the volcanic islands are: Hawaiian, Samoa, Marquesas, Societies, Cook (Southern), Tubuai. O. Easter and other smaller ones. However b. h. volcanic peaks is submerged and crowned with coral buildings, the surface parts of which form atolls. With the exception of individual volcanic islands, the coral islands are: Marshall, Caroline, Gilbert, Ellis, Tokelau, Cook (Northern), Phoenix, Line, Tuamotu, Nauru, Ocean and other smaller ones.
Map 3. Pacific Ring of Fire.
Oceania is located within several climatic zones: equatorial, subequatorial, tropical, subtropical, temperate. Most of the islands have a tropical climate. The subequatorial climate prevails on islands near Australia and Asia, as well as east of the 180 meridian in the equator zone, equatorial - west of the 180 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.
On the climate of the islands of Oceania big influence also have 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, drought. 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.
On south island 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.
1.4 Water resources
Rivers and lakes are found mainly on large mountainous islands in the western part of Oceania, composed of sedimentary and crystalline rocks. There are very few or no rivers and lakes on volcanic and coral islands and in eastern Oceania, where atmospheric moisture seeps into porous basalts and limestones. Rivers are mainly fed by rain, only some mountain rivers New Guinea and New Zealand have additional snow and glacier nourishment. The maximum runoff occurs at the end of summer (with glacial feeding during the summer). Maximum winter flow - on short rivers New Zealand (South Island). Almost all large rivers begin high in the mountains, where they flow in deep valleys, have rapids channels, and have large reserves of hydropower. On the coastal lowlands, they sharply slow down the current, are navigable, and have marshy valleys. Mouths of small rivers blocked off sandbars, mangroves. Major rivers Oceania - Fly and Digul in New Guinea.
On coral and small volcanic islands have lenses fresh water lying above saline soils near the coast. Most large lakes Oceanias are volcanic or glacial, smaller ones are oxbow in wide valleys in the lowlands. In areas of active volcanism, there are many thermal and salt lakes. Most of the lakes are in New Zealand (there are many geysers on the North Island).
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.
1.5 Soils
The soils are very diverse various conditions soil formation. On the large mountainous islands of western Oceania, in a hot and humid climate, under moist evergreen forests, red-yellow lateritic soils are developed, higher along the slopes - mountain lateritic, zheltozems and krasnozems and yellow-brown; on the most high peaks- mountain-meadow. In central and eastern Oceania, lateritic soils are found only on major islands composed of weathered lavas. On fresh ashes and young lavas - andosols, dark-colored and fertile. Deforestation, plowing and natural disasters cause severe erosion. The soils of the atolls are thin, carbonate, often saline.
Photo 2. Breadfruit on depleted soils.
1.6 Flora and fauna
position in a huge body of water, the small size of land and remoteness from the continents and each other had a significant impact on the nature of the islands and the life of the peoples of Oceania.
Oceania is part of the Paleotropical vegetation region. There are 3 subregions: Malesian, Hawaiian, New Zealand. The Malesian is characterized by numerous tropical families (pandanus, palms, ficus, laurel, water lilies, bananas, and also widespread legumes). A lot of epiphytes (ferns, orchids). In the Hawaiian there are no gymnosperms, ficuses, there is only one genus of palm trees (pritchardia), few orchids, but many ferns - the first plants that settle in the cracks of the cooled lava flows. In the New Zealand subregion, there are numerous species of Compositae, ferns, sedges, and grasses.
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.
On high mountainous islands on damp windward slopes up to a height of 300-600 m, xerophilic hard-leaved forests, thickets of shrubs, and savannas are common; up to 1000-1800 m in a more humid, but still hot climate - humid evergreen forests. Up to 3000 m in a cool and very humid climate - "forests of the fog belt" with less tall trees, an abundance of mosses, lichens, ferns. Peaks highest islands have alpine vegetation (cushion grasses, undersized shrubs and shrubs). On the leeward, drier slopes below, there are deserted savannas and semi-deserts with xerophilous prickly, often cushion-like grasses, small-leaved shrubs, and low trees; higher - xerophilous hard-leaved forests, shrubs, savannahs. With a height of about 1500 m, a narrow belt of evergreen forests appears. On the coral islands, the vegetation is especially poor in species.
large areas occupied by plantation crops, rangelands (New Zealand); forest area has been greatly reduced. The introduced animals caused great damage to the vegetation.
Animal world Oceania belongs to the Polynesian faunal region with a subregion 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 Polynesian 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 have 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) .
Over time, the fauna and animal population of the islands change significantly. The study of the dynamics of island faunas is of great practical interest. The replenishment of the island biota depends, as already noted, on the area of the island and the distance from it to the mainland or another source of settlement.
The larger the area of the island, the more species dwells on it. This is due to the fact that large islands have more diverse habitats suitable for colonization by different species.
The peculiarity of island faunas is that they are often the last refuges of archaic animal species.
Chapter 2. Ecological problems of Oceania and their characteristics
oceania geographic vegetative climatic
The landscapes of the islands are extremely vulnerable to human activities. Great harm is caused by accidental or deliberate introduction of alien organisms - plants or animals - onto the islands.
Worsens the condition natural environment and unsustainable land use, cutting down valuable tree species, pollution of coastal waters and outright destruction of island land.
The nature of biogenic islands is the most vulnerable. The vulnerability of their flora and fauna, as well as the small volume of fresh water and surface land, create great difficulties for the conservation of the natural environment.
With a rapidly growing population, maintaining the necessary sanitary standards on the islands becomes a difficult task, especially since it is not easy to find a suitable place to dispose of waste and sewage.
Great devastation is caused by the mining of phosphorites on some islands. As a result, people form deserts, the restoration of which is practically inaccessible to the young states of Oceania.
Tourists - lovers of spearfishing and collectors of live souvenirs - cause great harm to the nature of the islands. Already, many states have passed laws prohibiting the breaking of corals, the collection of shells, the extraction of pearls, as well as the hunting of birds and animals.
People of their economic activity very quickly change the nature of the islands of Oceania. Where there were forests, crop plantations appeared. Coastal water pollution. Animals brought from other parts of the world also harm nature. So, rats bred on the islands, cats became wild and began to hunt birds. Goats and rabbits destroyed a significant part of the vegetation, which resulted in soil erosion. The transformation of some islands (Bikini, Guam, Mururoa) into military training grounds has also become a big problem. Some were used for testing atomic bombs. All this leads to a violation of the natural balance, to the destruction of the nature of the islands.
In addition, both nature and the life of people in the Ocean are highly dependent on natural disasters - typhoons, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions. Any of the islands can be devastated once in a hundred years.
Figure 1. Conducting nuclear weapons tests at Mururoa Atoll (1966).
Conclusion
The nature of Oceania is unusually picturesque, favorable for human life. The geographical position, size and origin of the islands are closely related to the structure of the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. There are volcanic, coral, mainland islands and those that are located on the tops of underwater ridges. The relief of the islands is closely related to their origin. On the islands, deposits of non-ferrous metal ores, coal, phosphorites, and bauxites are being developed.
The climate is formed under the influence of the ocean, it is warm, even, mild, with slight temperature fluctuations. Differences in climate are associated with the position of the islands at different latitudes, in different climatic zones.
The isolation of the islands is the reason for the originality of their organic world. Life is poorest on small and relatively young coral islands; on the mainland it is richer and more diverse. Most of the larger islands are covered by forests or savannahs. Among the plants there are many valuable and useful for humans: coconut and sago palms, banana, rubber plants, breadfruit and melon trees, mangoes, etc.
The islands of Oceania can be called a peculiar natural wonder, because each of the thousands of islands is unique world, with its mysteries and delights. These are the places where you can go for absolutely any purpose: cultural and educational tourism, outdoor activities, relaxation, recuperation, ecological tourism.
Bibliography
1. Anichkin O.N. Australia / O.N. Anichkin, L.I. Kurakova, L.G. Frolova.- M.: Publishing house Thought, 1983.- 218 p.
Weile Carl. History of mankind: Australia and Oceania / Carl Weil. - St. Petersburg. : Polygon, 2004 (GUP Chekhov. Polygraphic comb.). - 221 p.
Govorov K.A. Oceania / K.A. Talking.- M.: Publishing House of Science, 1971.- 143 p.
Derkunskaya S.I. Countries and peoples of the world. Australia and Oceania / [transl. with him. Derkunskaya S. I.]. - Moscow. : World of Books, 2009. - 70 p.
Kamyanov I.V. and others. Islands on political map of the world: (Ref. according to the state of the islands) / Prod. mapping community "Cartography". - M., 1991-. - 21 cm. Issue. 5: Australia and Oceania. Antarctica: At 2 p.m. / [Kamyanov I. V. et al.]. - M. : TsNIIGAIK, 1993. - 184 p.
6. Maksakovskiy V.P. Geography / V.P. Maksakovskiy, N.I. Petrova.- M.: Drofa Publishing House, 1998.- 458 p.
Nevsky V.V. Oceania / V.V. Nevsky, O.A. Nilson.- L.: Thought, 1965.- 180 p.
Nizovsky, A. Yu. Unsolved mysteries Australia and Oceania / A.Yu. Nizovsky. - M. : Veche, 2005. - 376 p.
9. Beginners V. B. America, Australia and Oceania. [Encyclopedia] / [Comp. V. B. Novichkov]. - M.: Mir kn., 2002. - 121 p.
10. Soviet Encyclopedic Dictionary.- M.: 1985
Internet resources
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The nature of Oceania is extremely peculiar, primarily in view of the insular position of the land that forms it and the scatter of the islands over the vast water area of the Pacific Ocean. Hence the peculiarity of the relief of the islands, the forms of which are genetically related to the geological structure, morphostructures of the ocean floor, level fluctuations and the physicochemical properties of its waters. common feature The climate of all the islands is oceanic, which, however, also depends on the proximity of Eurasia and Australia. Depletion and (for older islands) high endemism of flora and fauna are characteristic. The landscapes of the islands vary from equatorial to subtropical and temperate (in the Southern Hemisphere) geographical zones and zones (from the zone of humid equatorial forests to the zone of broad-leaved forests of temperate latitudes) and are distinguished by their unique originality natural complexes in an ocean environment. Large mountainous islands are characterized by altitudinal zonality of landscapes and their sharp differences depending on the exposure of slopes to wet and dry winds.
relief and geological structure . The islands of western Micronesia, Melanesia, and New Zealand are large, mountainous, and heavily dissected. Mountain ranges and peaks reach great heights: the city of Jaya in New Guinea (5029 m) is the highest point in Oceania. The islands of eastern Micronesia and Polynesia are small low coral atolls, less often mountainous, b. hours low. the islands of western Micronesia and Melanesia, composed of folded sedimentary suites, intrusive and especially effusive rocks (mainly andesites), lie in the Alpine geosyncline of the western margin of the Pacific Ocean floor, are folded island arcs - the above-water parts of the huge mountain systems of the Meso- and Cenozoic folding. The incompleteness of mountain-building movements is evidenced by modern volcanism and earthquakes. The islands of the central part of the Pacific Ocean are giant basalt cones crowning volcanic ridges that arose during the outpouring of basalts along fault lines at the end of the Neogene - the beginning of the Anthropogen; their surface peaks are the highest volcanoes (over 9 thousand meters, if you count from the underwater base) - Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea on about. Hawaii. Among the volcanic islands are: Hawaiian, Samoa, Marquesas, Societies, Cook (Southern), Tubuai. O. Easter and other smaller ones. However b. h. volcanic peaks is submerged and crowned with coral buildings, the surface parts of which form atolls. With the exception of individual volcanic islands, the coral islands are: Marshall, Caroline, Gilbert, Ellis, Tokelau, Cook (Northern), Phoenix, Line, Tuamotu, Nauru, Ocean, and other smaller ones.
Inland waters. Rivers and lakes are found mainly on large mountainous islands in the western part of Oceania, composed of sedimentary and crystalline rocks. There are very few or no rivers and lakes on the volcanic and coral islands and in eastern Oceania, where atmospheric moisture seeps into porous basalts and limestones. The rivers are mainly fed by rain, only some mountain rivers of New Guinea and New Zealand have additional snow and glacier feeding. The maximum runoff occurs at the end of summer (with glacial feeding during the summer). The maximum winter runoff is on the short rivers of New Zealand (South Island). Almost all large rivers begin high in the mountains, where they flow in deep valleys, have rapids channels, and have large reserves of hydropower. On the coastal lowlands, they sharply slow down the current, are navigable, and have marshy valleys. The mouths of small rivers are blocked by sand bars and mangroves. The largest rivers in Oceania are the Fly and the Digul in New Guinea. 
On coral and small volcanic islands, there are lenses of fresh water overlying salt water near the coast. The largest lakes in Oceania are volcanic or glacial, while the smaller lakes are oxbow lakes in wide valleys in the lowlands. There are many thermal and salt lakes in areas of active volcanism. Most of the lakes are in New Zealand (there are many geysers on the North Island).
Soils very diverse due to different soil formation conditions. On large mountainous islands Western Oceania in a hot and humid climate, under moist evergreen forests, red-yellow lateritic soils are developed, higher along the slopes - mountain lateritic, zheltozems and krasnozems and yellow-brown; on the highest peaks - mountain-meadow. In central and eastern Oceania, lateritic soils are found only on large islands composed of weathered lavas. On fresh ashes and young lavas there are Andosols, dark-colored and fertile. Deforestation, plowing and natural disasters cause severe erosion. The soils of the atolls are thin, carbonate, often saline.
Vegetation. Oceania is included in the Paleotropical region, the formation of the flora of Oceania came from the Asian (Malesian), American and Antarctic centers. There are 3 subregions: Malesian, Hawaiian, New Zealand. The Malesian is characterized by numerous tropical families (pandanus, palms, ficus, laurel, water lilies, bananas, and also widespread legumes). A lot of epiphytes (ferns, orchids). In Hawaiian there are no gymnosperms, ficuses, there is only one genus of palm trees (pritchardia), few orchids, but many ferns - the first plants that settle in the cracks of the cooled lava flows. In the New Zealand subregion, there are numerous species of Compositae, ferns, sedges, and grasses. On the islands of the eastern part of Oceania, there are especially many endemics (in the Hawaiian Islands, up to 90% of endemic species), while at the same time, as the distance to the East decreases, the number of plant species, genera, and families decreases (in New Guinea, over 6,800 species, and in the Hawaiian Islands, 1,100).
The vegetation of Oceania is extremely diverse. On high mountainous islands on damp windward slopes up to a height of 300-600 m, xerophilic hard-leaved forests, thickets of shrubs, and savannas are common; up to 1000-1800 m in a more humid, but still hot climate - humid evergreen forests. Up to 3000 m in a cool and very humid climate - “forests of the fog belt” with less tall trees, an abundance of mosses, lichens, and ferns. The tops of the highest islands have alpine vegetation (cushion grasses, undersized shrubs and shrubs). On the leeward, drier slopes below, there are deserted savannas and semi-deserts with xerophilic prickly, often cushion-like grasses, small-leaved shrubs, and low trees; above - xerophilic hard-leaved forests, shrubs, savannahs. With a height of about 1500 m, a narrow belt of evergreen forests appears. On the coral islands, the vegetation is especially poor in species. Along the outer edges of the atolls there are thickets of shrubs, then forests of pandanus and groves of coconut palms, breadfruit, etc. The inner lagoons are framed by mangroves. The vegetation cover of Oceania has been heavily modified by man, especially since colonization. Large areas are occupied by plantation crops, pastures (New Zealand); forest area has been greatly reduced. The introduced animals caused great damage to the vegetation. 
Animal world. B. h. Oceania belongs to the Polynesian faunistic region with a subregion of the Hawaiian Islands. The fauna of New Zealand stands out in an independent region, New Guinea - in the Papuan sub-region of the Australian region. The fauna of the Polynesian region is insular in nature (see Island fauna), represented mainly by wandering species introduced by man, transported to the islands by fins, wind, and currents. An almost complete absence of mammals and an abundance of birds are characteristic, although the eastern archipelagos have noticeably fewer land birds, especially songbirds. There are many endemics, but relatively few ancient relict animals. The fauna of New Guinea has the largest number of mammals (including oviparous and marsupials of Australian origin). In the Polynesian region, the fauna is richer in the west than in the east, where freshwater fish and turtles are absent; east Solomon Islands there are almost no land mammals (not counting mice and rats), snakes. Carnivorous bats are not found east of Samoa; insectivores still live in Micronesia. Cassowaries are known only in New Guinea and New Britain. Pigeons, flycatchers, parrots, honey flies are declining, especially in eastern Polynesia. The fauna of atolls is the poorest in Oceania. The fauna of Oceania has been greatly affected by the importation (intentional and accidental) of cattle and small cattle, rabbits, pigs, rats, mongoose, etc.
Oceania is a part of the world that is a separate geopolitical region, which consists of many islands and atolls located in the western and central Pacific Ocean.
Geographical position
The islands of Oceania are located between the temperate latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere and the subtropical latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Often in geography, Oceania is considered together with Australia.
There is even geographical name- Australia and Oceania. The total area of Oceania is 1.24 million km 2. The population is 10.6 million people.
Oceania is divided into three geographic region- Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia. Oceania is washed by numerous seas - the Coral, Solomon, New Guinea, Tasman Seas, the Koro and Fiji Seas, which belong to the Pacific Ocean, as well as the Arafura Sea (Indian Ocean).
Climate of Oceania
Most of Oceania has a tropical climate. Most of the islands in Oceania are characterized by heavy rainfall. On the islands that are 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 also influenced by currents such as La Niña and El Niño. Most of the islands of Oceania are exposed to the negative effects of active volcanoes, tsunamis and typhoons.
This region is characterized by a sharp change weather conditions Droughts are replaced by heavy rains.
Population of Oceania
The majority of the population of the islands of Oceania is represented by indigenous people, which include Micronesians, Polynesians, Papuans. Polynesians are mixed racial types - they show features of Caucasians and Mongoloids.
The largest peoples of the Polynesians are Hawaiians, Maori, Tongans, Tahitians. Each nationality has its own language, which is represented by an almost complete absence of consonants.
The racial type of the Melanesians is the Australoids. The linguistic fragmentation of the Melanesian tribes is very large - a frequent occurrence is that residents of neighboring villages cannot understand each other. The Papuans inhabit parts of Indonesia and New Guinea.
All Papuan languages are very similar to each other. They are based on English, so often, even residents remote regions speak English perfectly.
Economy
The vast majority of the states of Oceania have a very weak economy. The reasons for this are such factors as the remoteness of the islands from the developed superpowers, the limited natural resources, shortage of personnel.
Many countries are in complete economic dependence on Australia and the United States. The basis of the economy is agriculture. Among the most common crops are coconut palms, breadfruit, bananas. Some states have a fishing fleet.
The article talks about Oceania. Provides information about the flora and fauna of the island region. The material includes brief information regarding the climate characteristic of this part of the world. Data on the composition of the population of the region are given, indicating linguistic features.
Geographical position
Oceania is a part of the world, which is a geopolitical region with individual characteristics. The content of the region consists of islands and atolls, which are localized in the western and central parts of the Pacific.
The islands of Oceania are located in the zone of influence of the temperate latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere and the subtropical latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.
There are seven active volcanoes on the island of Hawaii. Among them is Mauna Loa - the world's largest shield-type volcano.
Rice. 1. Mauna Loa volcano.
The height of the volcano from the bottom of the sea to the peak is over a dozen km.
Often in geographical research and scientific works of Oceania to be analyzed together with Australia.
For this reason, the geographical name Australia and Oceania is used. The total area of the territory is 1.24 million km. sq. The number of inhabitants is 10.6 million people.
Oceania is made up of three geographic regions. Its shores are washed by many seas, including:
- coral sea;
- Solomon Sea;
- New Guinea Sea;
- Tasman Sea;
- the sea of Koro;
- sea of Fiji;
- Arafura Sea.
The geographical concept of "Oceania" was introduced into circulation by the explorer Conrad Malte-Brun in 1812. The name comes from the word "ōkeanós", which literally means "ocean".
Nature and population of Oceania
The majority of the region's islands are indigenous people. The indigenous population includes: Micronesians, Polynesians, Papuans.
Polynesians are a mixed racial group. This is indicated by the features that characterize Caucasians and Mongoloids.
Numerous Polynesian peoples are Hawaiians, Maori, Tongans, Tahitians.
Rice. 2. Hawaiians.
Each of these nationalities has its own language, which practically does not contain consonants.
The racial species of the Melanesians belongs to the type of Australoids. Linguistic diversity is often the reason why residents of neighboring villages simply do not understand each other.
The Papuans inhabit part of the regions of Indonesia and New Guinea.
All Papuan languages are similar to each other. Their base is English. Often, residents of distant regions own English language Ideally.
Oceania is characterized by a greater extent in latitude and meridian. This circumstance had a significant impact on the diversity flora islands. Breadfruit, orchids and ferns grow here.
The fauna of the islands is less rich due to the almost absolute absence of mammals.
Rice. 3. Breadfruit.
The diversity of the animal kingdom is noted only in New Zealand and New Guinea.
But the islands are generous with bird markets, where there are nesting places for sea birds. The most common species of New Zealand are the kiwi birds, which have become the national symbol of the state. Other types of birds such as kea, kakapo, takahe are also common.
What have we learned?
Find out where Oceania is. Get to know the peoples that make up indigenous people main territories. We found out which of the islands of Oceania is the largest in the world active volcano. Supplemented knowledge from the course of geography of continents and countries for grade 11. We received information about the flora and fauna of the region. We learned about the linguistic features of the peoples inhabiting Oceania.
