1. II. Cultures and Lifestyles
A. Population Growth and Density
1. Populations vary greatly throughout Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica.
a) Australia is the most populous with more than 20 million people.
b) Population growth has slowed, but immigration has increased.
2. Population density differs throughout Australia and New Zealand.
a) Few people live in Australia’s outback.

2. II. Cultures and Lifestyles
b) Most Australians and New Zealanders live in coastal areas that have a mild climate, fertile soil, and access to the ocean.
3. All over Oceania, the population is growing rapidly.
a) Relatively young populations.
b) Population density varies greatly.
c) Papua New Guinea is most populous with 5.9 million with an area of 178,703 sq. mi. (low population density)
d) Nauru has 10,000 people with an area of 9 sq. mi. (high population density)
e) Many islanders have begun migrating due to overcrowding.

3. II. Cultures and Lifestyles
4. Antarctica does not support permanent settlement.
B. Urban and Rural Life
1. More than 85% of the people in Australia and New Zealand live in coastal urban areas.
a) Sydney and Melbourne in Australia and Wellington and Auckland in New Zealand are thriving modern commercial centers.
b) Other countries have few large commercial centers.
c) The largest is Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
d) A small # of Australians live in the bush.

4. II. Cultures and Lifestyles
e) Some people who live in the bush work on cattle and sheep ranches, or stations.
C. Ethnic Groups and Languages
1. People of European descent, mostly British and Irish, make up more than 90 percent of Australia’s population.
a) More diverse population.
b) Now more immigrants from Asia than from Europe.
c) Aboriginal population has now grown to 400,000.
2. New Zealand’s people are not as diverse as those of Australia’s.

5. II. Cultures and Lifestyles
a) About 75% are from British heritage.
b) The Maori make up 13%.
c) Asian and Pacific Islanders make up the remaining 10%.
d) Maori is recognized as the second official language.
3. Melanesians, Micronesians, and Polynesians are the three large ethnic groups of Oceania.
a) Oceania speaks more than 1,200 languages.
b) Many Papuans speak the pigdin language formed by combining parts of several different languages.
4. Most islands in Oceania also have small populations of European descent.
a) The largest European population is French Polynesia.

6. II. Cultures and Lifestyles
D. Religions
1. Christianity is the most widely practiced religion in Australia and Oceania.
a) Aboriginees believe in Dreamtime.
b) Dreamtime believes in all natural things have a spirit.
E. The Arts
1. The arts in Australia draw from the past as well as the present.
a) Aboriginal paintings on rocks to describe nature’s relationship to man.
2. Much of New Zealand’s art is inspired by the Maori culture.
a) The Maori have produced music called action songs which blends traditional dance with modern music.

7. II. Cultures and Lifestyles
3. The spirited and graceful dances of Oceania are an integral, or necessary, part of important events.
F. Daily Life
1. Modern and traditional ways both influence life in Australia and Oceania.
a) Families with European backgrounds typically live in nuclear families.
b) Aborigines and Pacific Islanders stress the importance of the extended family.
c) Maori households often include relatives from three or four generations, or groups of people about the same age.

8. II. Cultures and Lifestyles
2. One-floor brick or wood houses with tiled roofs are common in Australia.
a) New Zealanders live in timber houses with porches or in stone cottages.
b) Traditional homes in Oceania have thatched or tin roofs held up by posts.
c) Many homes, like the Samoan fale, have open sides that allow cooling ocean breezes to circulate.
3. Meat is the major part of the Australian and New Zealand diet.
a) Cooking outdoors is very popular.
b) People in Oceania eat a variety of foods including fish, pork, yams, taro, breadfruit, and fruit.
c) Taro is mashed to make the South Pacific dish known as poi.

9. II. Cultures and Lifestyles
4. Because of the generally pleasant weather, outdoor sports are popular.
a) Surfing, scuba diving, skiing, mountain climbing, boat racing, cricket, and rugby.