1. Oceania- Islands of the Pacific Section 3

2. Geographic Regions Ocean is made up of over 10,000 islands Three Regions – Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia Melanesia – Greek for “ black islands”, home of New Guinea and Fiji which are the most populous islands Micronesia – means “tiny islands,” the home of Guam and obviously derives its name from the size of the islands in the region Polynesia – mean “ many islands”, home of Hawaii, New Zealand, Easter Island, and Tahiti

4. Landforms Two types of Islands – High and Low Islands High islands are made from volcanoes and experience more rainfall and have fertile soil Low islands lie above coral reefs and reside mainly in Micronesia, due to their infertile soil people mainly fish Major volcanic islands – New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, and Hawaii

5. Climate and Resources Tropical and rainfall varies across the region Copra – Coconut meat is a major export Sugar, bananas, and pineapples are usually grown Sometimes the islands suffer from typhoons and tropical storms

6. Differing Traditions A complex region with different culture, religion, and language Theravada Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, Islam, Hindu, Roman Catholic, Protestantism, and Animism Animism – the worship of spirits in nature, especially in Bali where they worship a volcano considered the cradle of life European Imperialism caused forced migration and labor plantations – exporting copra, coconut oil, and sandalwood

7. Regional and Global Concerns Nuclear testing Global warming Depletion of resources Ravaged by World War II between America and Japan Mining has led to depletion of resources South Pacific Forum – 16-nation association for the protection of Oceania Opposes nuclear tests and the use of Japanese/ Korean fishing nets in the environment

8. HW Study Guide Exam This Wendesday