List of islands in the Pacific Ocean
The Pacific islands are a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are further categorized into three major island groups: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Depending on the context, the term Pacific Islands may refer to one of several different concepts: (1) those countries and islands with common Austronesian origins, (2) the islands once (or currently) colonized, or (3) the geographical region of Oceania.
This list of islands in the Pacific Ocean is organized by archipelago or political boundary. In order to keep this list of moderate size, the more complete lists for countries with large numbers of small or uninhabited islands have been hyperlinked.
Name ambiguity and groupings
The umbrella term Pacific Islands has taken on several meanings.[1] Sometimes it is used to refer only to the islands defined as lying within Oceania.[2][3][4] At other times, it is used to refer to the islands of the Pacific Ocean that were previously colonized by the British, French, Spaniards, Portuguese, Dutch, or Japanese, or by the United States. Examples include Borneo, the Pitcairn Islands and Taiwan (also known as Formosa).[5]
A commonly applied biogeographic definition includes islands with
- Western Melanesia
- The Bismarck Archipelago and other islands directly east of New Guinea
- Bougainville and Buka Island
- The Solomon Islands
- Eastern Melanesia
- Subtropical islands in the Australia/New Zealand region
- Micronesia
- The Bonin Islands and Volcano Islands
- Marcus Island
- The Northern Marianas
- The Southern Marianas
- The Caroline Islands
- Nauru and Banaba
- Wake Island
- Palau
- The Marshall Islands
- The Gilbert Islands (Kiribati)
- Central Polynesia
- Johnston Atoll
- The Phoenix Islands
- The Line Islands
- Howland Island, Baker Island, Jarvis Island, Malden Island and Starbuck Island
- Penrhyn, Suwarrow and Palmerston)
- Western Polynesia
- Eastern Polynesia
- The rest of the Cook Islands
- The Austral Islands
- The Society Islands
- The Tuamotu Archipelago and the Pitcairn Islands
- Easter Island and Salas y Gómez
- The Marquesas Islands
- Northern Polynesia
- The Hawaiian Islands
- Oceanic islands of the Eastern Pacific
Geopolitics and Oceania grouping
The 2007 book Asia in the Pacific Islands: Replacing the West, by
Since the beginning of the 19th century, Australia and the islands of the Pacific have been grouped by geographers into a region called Oceania.
Certain anthropological definitions restrict Oceania even further to only include islands which are culturally within Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.
Since the 1950s, many (particularly in English-speaking countries) have viewed Australia as a continent-sized landmass, although they are still sometimes viewed as a Pacific Island, or as both a continent and a Pacific Island.[38] Australia is a founding member of the Pacific Islands Forum, which is now recognized as the main governing body for the Oceania region.[39] It functions as a trade bloc and deals with defense issues, unlike with the Pacific Community, which includes most of the same members. By 2021, the Pacific Islands Forum included all sovereign Pacific Island nations, such as Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji and Tonga, in addition to dependencies of other nations, such as American Samoa, French Polynesia and Guam. Islands which have been fully integrated into other nations, including Easter Island (Chile) and Hawaii (United States), have also shown interest in joining.[40] Tony deBrum, Foreign Minister for the Marshall Islands, stated in 2014, "Not only [is Australia] our big brother down south, Australia is a member of the Pacific Islands Forum and Australia is a Pacific island, a big island, but a Pacific island."[38] Japan and certain nations of the Malay Archipelago (including East Timor, Indonesia and the Philippines) have representation in the Pacific Islands Forum, but none are full members. The nations of the Malay Archipelago have their own regional governing organization called ASEAN, which includes mainland Southeast Asian nations such as Vietnam and Thailand.[41][42] In July 2019, at the inaugural Indonesian Exposition held in Auckland, Indonesia launched its 'Pacific Elevation' program, which would encompass a new era of elevated engagement with the region, with the country also using the event to lay claim that Indonesia is culturally and ethnically linked to the Pacific islands. The event was attended by dignitaries from Australia, New Zealand and some Pacific island countries.[43]
List of the largest Pacific islands
Islands of the Pacific Ocean proper, with an area larger than 10,000 km2.
By continent
Antarctica
Asia
- List of islands of Asia
North America
Oceania
- List of islands of Australia
- List of islands of Britain
- List of islands of the Pitcairn Islands
- List of islands of Fiji
- List of islands of France, section Pacific Ocean
- List of islands of Hawaii
- List of islands of Kiribati
- List of islands of the Marshall Islands
- List of islands of New Zealand
- List of islands of Papua New Guinea
- List of islands of the Solomon Islands
- List of islands of Tonga
- List of islands of Tuvalu
- List of islands of the United States, section Insular areas
- List of islands of Vanuatu
South America
- List of islands of South America
- List of islands of Chile
- List of islands of Colombia
- List of islands of Ecuador
- List of islands of Peru
By country
American Samoa
- American Samoa
- Aunuu
- Ofu-Olosega
- Rose Atoll
- Swains Island (Olosenga, Olohega) (Disputed)
- Tau
- Tutuila
Australia
- List of islands of Australia, including:
- Coral Sea Islands
- Lord Howe Island
- Norfolk Island
- Torres Strait Islands
Brunei
Canada
- List of islands of British Columbia, many islands including:
- Haida Gwaii, some 400 islands near Alaska
- Graham Island, the main northern island
- Moresby Island, the main southern island
- Vancouver Island, Canada's largest Pacific island
- Gulf Islands, numerous islands off the southeast coast of V.I. near the U.S. San Juan Islands
- Haida Gwaii, some 400 islands near Alaska
Chile
- Chiloé Island
- Desventuradas Islands
- Easter Island/Rapa Nui
- Isla Salas y Gómez
- Juan Fernández Islands
China
Colombia
Cook Islands
- Aitutaki
- Atiu
- Pamati (Palmerston)
- Mangaia
- Manihiki (Humphrey)
- Manuae (Hervey)
- Mauke (Parry)
- Mitiaro (Nukuroa)
- Nassau
- Pukapuka (Danger)
- Rakahanga (Reirson)
- Rarotonga
- Suwarrow (Anchorage)
- Takutea
- Tongareva(Penrhyn)
Costa Rica
Ecuador
- Galapagos Islands
- Puná Island
Fiji
- Principal islands:
- Significant outliers:
- Conway Reef
- Kadavu Island
- Taveuni
- Rotuma Island
- Archipelagos:
France
French Polynesia
- French Polynesia (Autonomous Overseas Territory of France)
- Austral Islands
- Tubuai
- Society Islands
- Marquesas
- Tuamotus
- Gambier Islands
- Mangareva
- Helena Island
- Austral Islands
Guam
Hong Kong
- List of islands of Hong Kong
- Hong Kong Island
- Lantau
Indonesia
- Western New Guinea
- Borneo
- Natuna Islands
Japan
- List of islands of Japan, including:
- The five main islands:
- Hokkaido - the northernmost and second largest main island.
- Honshu - the largest and most populous island; home of the capital Tokyo.
- Kyushu - the third largest main island and closest to the Asian continent.
- Shikoku - the second smallest main island after Okinawa; between Honshu and Kyushu
- Okinawa Island - the smallest and southernmost of the main islands
- Other notable islands:
- Marcus Island
- Okinotori Islands
Kiribati
- List of islands of Kiribati:
- Caroline Island
- Flint Island
- Gilbert Islands
- Line Islands (8 of 11)
- Kiritimati/Christmas Island
- Malden Island
- Phoenix Islands
- Starbuck Island
- Tabuaeran/Fanning Island
- Teraina/Washington Island
- Vostok Island
Macau
- List of islands of Macau
Malaysia
Marshall Islands
Mexico
Micronesia
Islands of Federated States of Micronesia
Nauru
- Nauru, a country and single island
New Caledonia
- New Caledonia (special collectivity of France)
- Grande Terre (New Caledonia)
- Chesterfield Islands
- Ilots du Mouillage
- Isle of Pines
- Belep Islands
- New Caledonia
- Loyalty Islands
- Matthew Island and Hunter Island, administered by France as part of New Caledonia but also claimed by Vanuatu
New Zealand
- Islands of New Zealand, around 600 islands including:
- Auckland Islands
- Chatham Islands
- d'Urville Island
- Great Barrier Island
- Kapiti Island
- Kermadec Islands
- North Island
- South Island
- Stewart Island/Rakiura
- Waiheke Island
Niue
- Niue, a country and single island
Northern Mariana Islands
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Saipan
- Rota
- Tinian
- Maug
- Pagan Island
- Alamagan
- Farallon de Pajaros
Palau
Palau has over 250 islands, including:
- Angaur
- Babeldaob
- Caroline Islands
- Kayangel
- Ngerekebesang Island
- Oreor
- Peleliu
- Southwest Islands
Panama
Papua New Guinea
- List of islands of Papua New Guinea
- New Guinea, eastern half
- Bismarck Archipelago
- Admiralty Islands
- Karkar Island
- New Britain
- New Ireland
- Saint Matthias Group
- Solomon Islands archipelago(northern part)
- Trobriand Islands
- Woodlark Island
- D'Entrecasteaux Islands
- Louisiade Archipelago
- Misima Island
- Tagula Island or Sudest Island
- Rossel Island
- Samarai
- Daru Island
- Kiwai Island
Philippines
- List of islands of the Philippines, over 7600 islands including:
- Spratly Islands (disputed)
- Scarborough Shoal (disputed)
Pitcairn Islands
- Pitcairn Islands, four islands:
Russia
Samoa
Singapore
Solomon Islands
- Islands of the Solomon Islands
- Bellona
- Choiseul
- Florida Island
- Guadalcanal
- Malaita
- Maramasike
- New Georgia Islands
- Rennell
- Russell Islands
- San Cristobal
- Santa Cruz Islands
- Santa Isabel
- Shortland Islands
- Sikaiana (Stewart Islands)
- Tulagi
- Ulawa
- Uki
Taiwan
- List of islands of Taiwan, 166 islands including:
- Taiwan, the main island with over 99% of the country's total area
Tokelau
Tonga
- List of islands in Tonga; in north to south order:
- Niuafoou
- Niuatoputapu (Keppel's Island)
- Vavau
- Kao
- Tofua
- Haapai
- Tongatapu
- Eua
Tuvalu
- Islands of Tuvalu
United States
- Alaska, many islands including:
- List of islands of California
- Hawaiian Islands, many islands and islets including:
- List of islands of Oregon
- Wake Atoll)
- List of islands of Washington state
Vanuatu
- List of islands of Vanuatu, some 83 islands including (north to south approximately):
- Torres Islands
- Banks Islands
- Espiritu Santo
- Malakula
- Ambrym
- Paama
- Epi
- Shepherd Islands
- Efate, home of the national capital Port Vila
- Lelepa
- Erromango
- Tanna
- Disputed:
- Matthew Island and Hunter Island, administered by France as part of New Caledonia but also claimed by Vanuatu
Wallis and Futuna
- Wallis and Futuna
- Alofi
- Futuna
- Wallis (Uvea)
Notes
- ISBN 0-00-448227-1
- ISBN 9780207127618. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
- ISBN 978-0-8248-3297-1. Archived from the originalon 2014-10-30. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
- JSTOR j.ctt6wqh08.(subscription required)
This is the only contemporary text on the Pacific Islands that covers both environment and sociocultural issues and will thus be indispensable for any serious student of the region. Unlike other reviews, it treats the entirety of Oceania (with the exception of Australia) and is well illustrated with numerous photos and maps, including a regional atlas.
– via JSTOR - (subscription required)
- ^ R. Zug, George (2013). Reptiles and Amphibians of the Pacific Islands: A Comprehensive Guide. University of California Press. p. 10.
One cannot refer to "Pacific islands" and ignore the Galapagos Islands and other eastern Pacific islands.
- ISBN 9780824821159. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- S2CID 53970527.
- ^ Udvardy, Miklos D.F. "A Classification of the Biogeographical Provinces of the World" (PDF). UNESCO. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 May 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
- ^ Doran, Edwin B. (1959). Handbook of Selected Pacific Islands. The University of California. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ISBN 9780824822651. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- better source needed]
- ^ Pacific Science Volume 46, April 1992
- ^ Mueller-Dombois, Dieter; Fosberg, Frederic R. (1998). Vegetation of the Tropical Pacific Islands. Springer. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
- ^ ISBN 9789820203884. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
- ISBN 9780160882326.
- ^ Barrington-Ward, Mark James (1879). The child's geography. Oxford University. p. 56. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
There are six great divisions of the earth— Asia, Africa, Europe, North and South America and Oceania. Of these, Asia is largest, Europe smallest. Oceania is made up of Australia and many scattered islands.
- ^ a b Brown, Robert (1876). "Oceania: General Characteristics". The countries of the world. Oxford University. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
- ^ Society, National Geographic (4 January 2012). "Australia and Oceania: Physical Geography". National Geographic Society.
- ^ "Divisões dos continentes" (PDF). IBGE. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
- ^ Wallace, Alfred Russel (1879). Australasia. The University of Michigan. p. 2. Archived from the original on 30 July 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
Oceania is the word often used by continental geographers to describe the great world of islands we are now entering upon [...] This boundless watery domain, which extends northwards of Behring Straits and southward to the Antarctic barrier of ice, is studded with many island groups, which are, however, very irregularly distributed over its surface. The more northerly section, lying between Japan and California and between the Aleutian and Hawaiian Archipelagos is relived by nothing but a few solitary reefs and rocks at enormously distant intervals.
- ^ Ireland, A. (1863). The Geography and History of Oceania. W. Fletcher, printer. p. 1. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
Oceania, the fifth great division of the earth's surface, includes the numerous islands scattered over the great ocean which extends from the south - eastern shores of Asia to the western coast of America.
- ^ Wallace, Alfred Russel (1879). Australasia. The University of Michigan. p. 2. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
Oceania is the word often used by continental geographers to describe the great world of islands we are now entering upon [...] This boundless watery domain, which extends northwards of Behring Straits and southward to the Antarctic barrier of ice, is studded with many island groups, which are, however, very irregularly distributed over its surface. The more northerly section, lying between Japan and California and between the Aleutian and Hawaiian Archipelagos is relived by nothing but a few solitary reefs and rocks at enormously distant intervals.
- ^ Chambers, William (1856). Chambers's Parlour Atlas with Descriptive Introduction and Copious Consulting Index. The University of Virginia.
Oceania, the fifth great division of the earth's surface, includes the numerous islands scattered over the great ocean which extends from the south - eastern shores of Asia to the western coast of America. It is separated from Asia by the Str. of Malacca, the Chinese Sea, and the Channel of Formosa; and from America by a broad belt of ocean comparatively free of islands.
- ^ Chambers's New Handy Volume American Encyclopædia: Volume 9. The University of Virginia. 1885. p. 657. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
the whole region has sometimes been called Oceania, and sometimes Australasia—generally, however, in modern times, to the exclusion of the islands in the Indian archipelago, to which certain writers have given the name of Malaysia [...] we have the three geographical divisions of Malaysia, Australasia and Polynesia, the last mentioned of which embraces all the groups and single islands not included under the other two. Accepting this arrangement, still the limits between Australasia and Polynesia have not been very accurately defined; indeed, scarcely any two geographers appear to be quite agreed upon the subject; neither shall we pretend to decide in the matter. The following list, however, comprises all the principal groups and single island not previously named as coming under the division of Australasia: 1. North of the equator—The Ladrone or Marian islands. the Pelew islands, the Caroline islands, the Radack and Ralick chains, the Sandwich islands, Gilbert's or Kingstnill's archipelago. and the Galapagos. 2. South of the equator—The Ellice group, the Phoenix and Union groups. the Fiji islands, the Friendly islands, the Navigator's islands. Cook's or Harvey islands, the Society islands. the Dangerous archipelago, the Marquesas islands, Pitcairn island, and Easter island.
- ^ Cornell, Sophia S. (1857). Cornell's Primary Geography: Forming Part First of a Systematic Series of School Geographies. Harvard University. Archived from the original on 30 July 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
- ^ Missionary Review of the World: Volume 18. Funk & Wagnalls. 1895. p. 533. Archived from the original on 30 July 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
- ISBN 978-1-349-39416-6.
- ISBN 9781317464006. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
- ^ a b "Pacific Islands | Countries, Map, & Facts". Britannica. Archived from the original on Jan 5, 2024.
- ISBN 978-0-19-255646-2. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
It is generally accepted that Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan, and the islands north of Japan (the Kurils and Aleutians) are excluded
- ^ Henderson, John William (1971). Area Handbook for Oceania. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 5. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
- ^ "Oceania | Definition, Population, & Facts". Britannica. Archived from the original on Dec 8, 2023.
- ISBN 9788179360149. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
- ^ paul d'Arcy paul d'Arcy (2012-09-18). "Oceania and Australasia | The Oxford Handbook of World History | Oxford Academic". Academic.oup.com. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
- better source needed]
- ^ "UNSD — Methodology". Unstats.un.org. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
- ^ a b O'Malley, Nick (September 21, 2014). "'Australia is a Pacific island - it has a responsibility'". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ "Consultations on Pacific Islands Forum 2050 Strategy". Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
- ^ "Pacific forum looks to widen entry - ABC News". ABC News. Abc.net.au. 27 August 2012. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
- ^ "The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) | Coopération Régionale et Relations Extérieures de la Nouvelle-Calédonie". Cooperation-regionale.gouv.nc. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
- ^ "Japan, U.S. Increase cooperation to enhance Pacific islands' security | Indo-Pacific Defense Forum".
- ^ "Indonesia's "Pacific elevation": Elevating what and who? - Griffith Asia Insights".