Australia and Oceania. Geography of the population and economy of Australia and Oceania The economically most developed state of Oceania is

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General features of economic development in Oceania

Oceania is a geographical, often geopolitical, region of the world consisting primarily of hundreds of small islands and atolls in the central and western Pacific Ocean. total area is 8.52 million km², the population is 32.6 million people. Geographically, Oceania is divided into Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia; New Zealand is sometimes singled out.

Due to the long period of colonial rule and some other factors, the economy has not received significant development in the vast majority of Oceania countries. These are mainly agricultural countries, the basis of which is tropical agriculture - the cultivation of various vegetables and fruits and partly animal husbandry. Those types of agricultural production in which the colonial powers were interested (for example, the cultivation of coconut palms - their fruits in the form of dried pulp - copra are used to produce various products) received preferential development. Only in some countries (New Caledonia, Nauru), where mineral resources were available, was the mining industry created.

A significant hindrance to socio-economic development was the geographical disunity of most island territories, their distance from each other, and their position on the periphery of the world capitalist market. All these factors taken together contributed to the social and economic conservation of the Oceanic countries.

As a result of the rule of the colonialists, the countries of Oceania over time turned into raw materials appendages of the metropolises, exporting agricultural and industrial raw materials from there. And although, as mentioned above, many countries have now gained independence or achieved self-government, their economic and social enslavement continues, but in the form of neo-colonialism.

By controlling the economy of the countries of Oceania, the imperialist powers also direct their social life, establishing orders and norms inherent in the bourgeois social system. The modern economy of Oceania is characterized by the presence of different social structures. In addition to tropical agriculture, animal husbandry—breeding large and small cattle, pigs, and poultry—has developed little in the Oceanic countries.

The economic development of the states of Oceania largely depends on the energy availability of their economy. It should be said that energetic resources countries are small. Significant reserves of coal, oil and gas have not yet been found here. Oceania is also not rich in hydropower resources. Only a few islands have the capacity to produce hydroelectric power. Such opportunities exist, for example, in Papua New Guinea, but the construction of hydroelectric power stations here is difficult due to the lack of financial resources and technical experience.

Industry in most countries is poorly developed and does not meet the needs of the domestic market. Substantial part industrial enterprises engaged in the processing of agricultural raw materials. Small factories produce coconut oil, tobacco, tea, canned fruits and juices, etc. There are mills, sawmills, clothing, footwear, and other consumer goods. Traditional crafts are developed: weaving baskets, mats, etc., making artistic products from wood and other materials, jewelry, souvenirs intended for tourists and export.

The presence of mineral resources in some countries has contributed to the creation of the mining industry. Phosphorite mining is carried out on the island of Nauru, and mainly nickel is mined on New Caledonia. The industry's products are entirely exported, which gives these countries (for example, Nauru) significant cash receipts. But the economies of such countries are characterized by the dominant position of the mining industry among other sectors of the economy, while manufacturing and agriculture are much less developed.

Important sectors of the economy of the Oceanic states are fishing and related fish processing. Coastal fishing has always played a big role in the life of the local population. However, now fishing is becoming commercial and export oriented. Growing and promising sectors of the economy of some countries are the forestry and wood processing industries. Raw wood, wood chips, pulp and other wood products are exported on a large scale to Japan, Australia, New Zealand and other countries. The exploitation of the forest resources of island states, deforestation, destruction of valuable tree species, etc. lead to a sharp disruption of the ecological balance in nature, which has a negative impact on the living conditions of island peoples.

In the economy of many countries, the “tourism industry” has occupied an important place, which is a source of income foreign currency. Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, French Polynesia and some other countries receive 20-30% of their total currency from tourism. The development of tourism is accompanied by the construction of roads, airfields, trade and communication enterprises, etc. Tourism has caused an increase in demand for traditional handicrafts. A significant part of the local population was drawn into the tourist service sector.

Oceanic countries conduct foreign trade mainly with Australia, New Zealand, USA, Japan, Great Britain, Canada, and France. As mentioned above, these states export mineral raw materials, timber, and various agricultural products from Oceania, and import industrial and food products there. Thus, foreign trade remains one of the channels of economic expansion of major capitalist powers.

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 (copra and palm oil production) and fishing. Among the most important agricultural crops are the coconut palm, bananas, and breadfruit. Possessing huge exceptional economic zones and without a large fishing fleet, the governments of Oceania countries issue licenses for the right to catch fish to vessels of other states (mainly Japan, Taiwan, the USA), which significantly replenishes the state budget. Mining industry most developed in Papua New Guinea, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand. oceania production farming trade

A significant part of the population is employed in the public sector. IN Lately measures are being taken to develop the tourism sector of the economy.

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Economic geography of Oceania

In the Central and Western Pacific Ocean there is the largest collection of islands on the planet, called Oceania.

Neither from the point of view of nature and culture, nor from the socio-economic point of view, Oceania and Australia are a single whole.

The states of Oceania are very small in area and sparsely populated, with the exception of Papua New Guinea, which has a population of 5.5 million people.

The next country in Oceania, the Republic of Fiji, has a population of about 1 million people. The remaining inhabited areas of the islands have a small population or are not inhabited at all.

Oceania includes the following physiographic regions:

• New Guinea and the adjacent islands are located in the equatorial region;
• More distant from the equator are New Caledonia, New Hebrides, Fiji;
• Micronesia, which includes islands of coral or volcanic origin;
• Central and Southern Polynesia - Cook, Samoa, Tubuai, Marquesas and other islands;
• Northern Polynesia, which is represented by the Hawaiian Islands;
• New Zealand, located in subtropical and temperate latitudes.

Finished works on a similar topic

• Coursework 430 rub.
• Essay Economic geography of Australia and Oceania 260 rub.
• Test Economic geography of Australia and Oceania 230 rub.

Note 1

Most of Oceania is colonial possessions and only 10 islands are independent states.

Before the arrival of Europeans, the population of the inhabited islands was engaged in hunting, fishing, and primitive agriculture.

With the arrival of European colonialists, the development of plantation farming began, focused on exports - sugar cane, rubber, pineapples, bananas, coffee, cocoa, etc.

Valuable trees were being cut down. The economy of Oceania has acquired a monocultural export character.

The western part of the independent state of Papua New Guinea belongs to Indonesia, and the Hawaiian Islands are a US state.

New Zealand is a country with a developed market economy.

A characteristic feature of all states and possessions in Oceania is limited labor, land, and mineral resources.

Together with them, difficult intersectoral communications are a significant constraint on economic development.

The main activity of the population is related to the development of agriculture.

It must be said that some mineral deposits, for example, chromites, bauxites, oil, were discovered at the turn of the 20th-21st centuries. Papua New Guinea stands out in this regard. The country can become an exporter of gold and copper concentrate.

The industry of Oceania is represented by small enterprises engaged in the primary processing of export crops, timber, and mining.

A significant area of ​​the maritime economic zone allows the countries of Oceania to engage in fishing, the annual catch of which is 300 thousand tons.

Development in progress international tourism. Industries involved in export production are in the hands of international monopolies.

Until recently, the Republic of Nauru, with a population of 12 thousand people, stood out among all the countries in this region. Its main asset was phosphorite deposits with low production costs.

Nauru exported them to the foreign market and received significant income, becoming the richest state in Oceania. True, at present, phosphorite deposits are almost exhausted.

If we consider the countries of Oceania from the point of view of the well-being of the local population, they can be divided into four groups:

• The state of Nauru, which is similar in type of economy to Bahrain, Qatar, Brunei;
• The state of Fiji, where, in addition to plantation agriculture, the tourism industry and some manufacturing industries are developing;
• Papua New Guinea, dominated by agriculture, mining, fish processing, and services sectors;
• Small island states with a predominance of tropical agriculture.

Economic assessment of the natural conditions of Australia

The country's topography is mostly flat, and the mountains stretching in the eastern part of the mainland do not pose a big obstacle to development.

Australia's climatic conditions are far from ideal for agricultural development. Most of the continent is occupied by deserts with insufficient moisture, which can only be used as pastures for grazing sheep.

The country has significant mineral resources, arable land and pastures.

Figure 1. Minerals of Australia. Author24 - online exchange of student works

The country's arid regions have significant groundwater reserves. For the development of its own industry, Australia has many types of minerals, including lead, zinc with an admixture of silver and copper.

Large deposits of these ores are located in the west of the country in the desert region, on the island of Tasmania and in other areas.

Quite concentrated in the southwest large deposits gold, and smaller deposits are found in almost all states, and there are also deposits of bauxite.

The country occupies a prominent place in reserves of iron, manganese, tungsten, uranium ores and coal.

This economically developed country has a livestock-raising bias in agriculture - dairy and meat cattle breeding, sheep breeding. Australia ranks first in the world in terms of sheep population.

The export of wool, lamb, beef, and veal occupies a leading place in its economy. In addition, horse breeding, camel breeding, and poultry farming are developed in the country's livestock industry.

In this regard, in crop production, great importance is given to the cultivation of fodder crops, which occupy 49% of the arable land area.

There are some features of the country that negatively affect economic development, among them are extreme (desert) conditions for life and activity, covering a large territory, as well as large distances between individual areas, complicating communications between them, frequent droughts, floods and fires.

Industry of Australia

The presence in the bowels of the country of its own natural resources make the mining industry one of the important sectors of the economy.

Metallurgy, both ferrous and non-ferrous, is closely related to mining.

Mechanical engineering in Australia is engaged in the production of trucks and cars, agricultural equipment, electrical equipment, and instruments.

The petrochemical and chemical industry produces nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers, plastics and chemical fibers.

Products light industry is footwear, fabrics, knitwear, but the industry is mainly of local importance.

The food industry is important - meat, dairy, flour milling, sugar, fruits and vegetables and canning vegetables.

The food industry operates on local agricultural raw materials - large industry centers are in port cities and in the southeast of the country - Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle, Adelaide.

The industry's products are used not only within the country, but are also exported in large quantities.

Australia is characterized by internal differences in the level of development and specialization of the economy. There are four economic regions:

• The South-Eastern region is a leading region. It occupies 20% of the country's area, but concentrates 70% of the population and 80% of the manufacturing industry on its territory;
• The Northeast region specializes in the cultivation of sugar cane and tropical fruit crops, cattle breeding, bauxite and oil mining;
• The West Central region is the largest in area and the driest, with low population density and economic development. Its leading industries are mining and agriculture, and the main centers of the region are Perth and Darwin;
• The island of Tasmania is an area of ​​agriculture, non-ferrous metallurgy and developed tourism, the main center of the area is Hobart.

Note 2

Australia's main export is mineral resources and agricultural products; imports are dominated by industrial goods.

Due to the long period of colonial rule and some other factors in the vast majority of countries, Oceania has not received significant development. These are mainly agricultural countries, the basis of which is the tropical economy - the cultivation of various vegetables and fruits and partly animal husbandry. Those types of agricultural production in which the colonial powers were interested (for example, the cultivation of coconut palms - their fruits in the form of dried pulp - copra are used to produce various products) received preferential development. Only in some countries (Caledonia, Nauru), where mineral raw materials were available, was the mining industry created.

A significant hindrance to socio-economic development was the geographical disunity of most island territories, their distance from each other, and their position on the periphery of the world capitalist market. All these factors taken together contributed to the social and economic conservation of the Oceanic countries.

As a result of the rule of the colonialists of the country of Oceania over time, they turned into raw material appendages of the metropolises, exporting agricultural and industrial raw materials from there. And although, as mentioned above, many countries have now received or achieved self-government, their economic and social enslavement continues, but in the form of neo-colonialism. Taking advantage of the economic backwardness of countries, their lack of funds to finance the economy, monopolistic associations, individual entrepreneurs from Japan, the USA, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand invest their capital in the development of industries that are beneficial to them. Foreign capitalists are also attracted by mineral raw materials and favorable conditions for the production of tropical agricultural products: coconut palm fruits, coffee, cocoa beans, bananas; fish wealth, the opportunity to develop very profitable industry economics - and much more. And they organize forestry here, create mining enterprises, fish, develop transport and communications, build airfields and piers, trading enterprises, hotels and tourist centers.

Controlling the economies of Oceania, the imperialist powers also direct their social life, establishing orders and norms inherent in the bourgeois social system.

The modern economy of Oceania is characterized by the presence of different social structures. In most countries, the basis of the economy is made up of natural or semi-natural farms of the islanders, where tropical and tropical crops are grown for their own needs, and small amounts of poultry and livestock are kept. Part of the products produced on these farms is sold.

In many countries there are large capitalist plantation economies that use cheap labor. Some of these farms were created by the colonialists on lands taken away from the indigenous people. Now these large-scale capitalist enterprises, which produce coconut palm fruits, bananas and other crops that are in great demand on the world market, are owned not only by individual farmers, but also by monopolistic associations. The latter carry out storage of the crop, its processing and marketing. They also lease land to small farmers.

With the development of the capitalist plantation economy and economic ties With outside world The traditional local economy has undergone profound changes. Small tenant farmers appeared from among the local population, and the development of commodity-money relations intensified. However, to this day a significant part of the indigenous population is not drawn into the commodity sector of the economy.

Oceanic countries conduct foreign trade mainly with Australia, New Zealand, USA, Japan, Great Britain, Canada, France. As mentioned above, these states export mineral raw materials and various agricultural products from Oceania, and import industrial and food products there. Thus, it remains one of the channels for the economic expansion of major capitalist powers. The table below shows (in %) their participation in foreign trade some Oceanic states in the late 70s.

Dependency of Oceania countries from the major capitalist powers in the field of trade, as well as the penetration foreign capital in all areas of their economic and social life, impedes the achievement of economic independence of island states and threatens their sovereignty. This encourages the Oceanic states to look for ways and means to unite in order to jointly overcome economic and social backwardness and solve problems common to all.

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

Geographical position

Oceania is the world's largest collection of islands, located in the western and central Pacific Ocean, between the subtropical latitudes of the Northern and temperate Southern hemispheres. When dividing the entire landmass into parts of the world, Oceania is usually united 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 divided into Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia; New Zealand is sometimes 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 (Arafura Sea).

Countries and dependent territories

Geology

From a geological point of view, 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 of Gondwana. In the past, these islands were a single landmass, but as a result of rising sea levels, a significant part of the surface was under water. The relief of these islands is mountainous and highly 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 exhibit 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. Although its land area is only 16.32 km² (or 6.3 sq. miles), its lagoon area is 2,174 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 are also special type- a raised (or raised) atoll, which is a limestone plateau up to 50-60 m high above sea level. This type of island does not have a lagoon or there are traces of its past existence. Examples of such atolls are Nauru, Niue, and Banaba.

The relief and geological structure of the Pacific Ocean floor in the Oceania region has a complex structure. From the Alaska Peninsula (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 topography.

Most of the islands of Oceania have no mineral resources, only the largest of them are being developed: nickel (New Caledonia), oil and gas (New Guinea island, New Zealand), copper (Bougainville island in Papua New Guinea), gold (New Guinea , Fiji), phosphates (on most islands the deposits are almost or already developed, for example, in Nauru, on the islands of Banaba, Makatea). In the past, many islands in the region were heavily mined for guano, the decomposed droppings of seabirds, which were used as nitrogen and phosphorus 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.

Oceania Climate

Oceania is located within several climatic zones: equatorial, subequatorial, tropical, subtropical, temperate. Most of the islands have a tropical climate. Subequatorial climate prevails on the 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 - on most of the South Island in New Zealand.

The climate of the islands of Oceania is determined mainly by trade winds, so most of them receive heavy rainfall. Average annual rainfall ranges from 1,500 to 4,000 mm, although some islands (particularly due to topography and downwind areas) may have drier or wetter climates. Oceania is home to one of the wettest places on the planet: 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 about 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 Anomalies such as the El Niño and La Niña currents also have an effect. During El Niño, the intertropical convergence zone moves north toward the equator; during La Niña, it moves south away from the equator. In the latter case, the islands experience severe drought, while in the former, heavy rains occur.

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.

There are glaciers high in the mountains on the South Island of New Zealand and on the island of New Guinea, but due to global warming, their area is gradually decreasing.

Soils and hydrology

Due to various climatic conditions Oceania's soils 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 little organic and mineral substances with the exception of calcium, sodium and magnesium. The soils of volcanic islands are usually of volcanic origin and are characterized by high fertility. On large mountainous islands there are red-yellow, mountain lateritic, mountain-meadow, yellow-brown soils, yellow soils, and red soils.

Large rivers are found only on the South and North Islands of New Zealand, as well as on the island of New Guinea, which contains the largest rivers in Oceania, the Sepik (1126 km) and Fly (1050 km). The largest river in New Zealand is the Waikato (425 km). The rivers are fed primarily by rain, although in New Zealand and New Guinea the rivers are also fed by water from melting glaciers and snow. On atolls there are no rivers at all due to the high porosity of the soil. Instead, rainwater percolates 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, are 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, with three subregions distinguished: Melanesian-Micronesian, Hawaiian and New Zealand. Among the most widespread plants of Oceania are the coconut palm and the breadfruit tree, which play important role in the lives 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 forms the basis of exports for the countries of this region. A large number of epiphytes (ferns, orchids) also grow on the islands. The largest number of endemics (both flora and fauna) are recorded 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 faunal region with a subregion of the Hawaiian Islands. The fauna of New Zealand is allocated to an independent region, New Guinea - to 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 atolls have bird colonies where seabirds nest. 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 (Latin: Nestor notabilis, or nestor), kakapo (Latin: Strigops habroptilus, or owl parrot), takahe (Latin: Notoronis hochstelteri, or wingless plume). All the islands of Oceania are home to 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 contains 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 (area 410,500 km²).

Population

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

Polynesians living in the countries of Polynesia have a mixed racial type: in their appearance, features of the Caucasian and Mongoloid races are visible, and to a lesser extent - Australoid. The largest peoples of Polynesia are Hawaiians, Samoans, Tahitians, Tongans, Maoris, 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. Character traits Polynesian languages ​​- a small number of sounds, especially consonants, an abundance of vowels.

Micronesians live in the countries of Micronesia. The largest peoples are Carolinians, Kiribatis, Marshallese, Nauru, Chamorros and others. The native languages ​​belong to the Micronesian group of the Austronesian family of languages: Kiribati, Carolinian, Kusaie, Marshallese, Nauruan and others. The Palauan and Chamorro languages ​​belong to the West Malayo-Polynesian languages, and Yapese forms a separate branch of the Oceanian languages, which also includes the Micronesian languages.

Melanesians live in the countries of Melanesia. Racial type - 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 great, so that people from neighboring villages may not understand each other.

Papuans inhabit the island of New Guinea and some areas of Indonesia. In terms of 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 language. According to various sources of peoples and languages, the Papuans number from 300 to 800. However, there are difficulties in establishing the difference between an individual 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 situation 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 Maori make up up to 15% of the country's population. The share 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, whose share is also high in New Caledonia (34%) and French Polynesia (12%). On 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, the proportion of immigrants from Asia (mainly Chinese and Filipinos) has been increasing in the countries of Oceania. For example, in the Northern Mariana Islands, the share of Filipinos is 26.2%, and the Chinese are 22.1%.

The population of Oceania mainly professes Christianity, 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 arrived by canoe approximately 30-50 thousand years ago. About 2-4 thousand years ago, most of Micronesia and Polynesia were inhabited. The colonization process ended around 1200 AD. By the beginning of the 16th century, the peoples of Oceania were experiencing a period of decomposition of the primitive communal system and the formation of an early class society. Crafts, agriculture, and navigation actively developed.

Colonial period

The ships of the English explorer James Cook and the canoes of the natives in Matavai 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 study of Oceania by Europeans continued, who gradually began to populate the islands. However, the process of European colonization proceeded very slowly, since the region did not arouse much interest among foreigners due to the lack of natural resources, and had a negative impact on the local population: many diseases were introduced that had never existed in Oceania, and this led to epidemics, in as a result of which a significant part of the natives died. At the same time, there was a Christianization of the inhabitants, who worshiped numerous deities and spirits.

In the 18th-19th centuries, the islands of Oceania were divided between colonial powers, primarily the British Empire, Spain and France (later joined by the USA and the German Empire). Of particular interest to Europeans was the possibility of creating plantations on the islands (coconut palms for the production of copra, sugar cane), as well as the slave trade (the so-called “blackbird hunt,” which involved recruiting islanders to work on plantations).

New Zealand became a dominion in 1907, 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 World War II, Oceania was one of the theaters of war where many battles took place (mainly between Japanese and American forces).

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

Post-colonial period

After gaining independence, most countries in Oceania retained serious economic, political and social problems, which they are trying to solve thanks to the help of the world community (including the UN) and through regional cooperation. Despite the process of decolonization in the 20th century, some islands in the region still remain dependent to one degree or another: 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 minor outer islands except Navassa Island) from the United States.

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 (copra and palm oil production) and fishing. Among the most important agricultural crops are the coconut palm, bananas, and 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 ships of other countries (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 makes the local culture unique.

In the visual arts of the Polynesians, the main place belongs to wood carving and sculpture. Maori carving reached 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. Stone moai statues were created on Easter Island and the Marquesas Islands. Of the crafts, the most important was the construction of boats, as they made it possible to engage in fishing and travel over long distances (in connection with this, astronomy developed among the Polynesians). Tattooing is widespread among Polynesians. The clothing used was tapa, which was made from the bark of trees of the mulberry family. Myths, legends, fairy tales, singing and dancing were developed in Polynesia. Writing was probably only on Easter Island (rongo-rongo); on other islands folklore was transmitted orally.

Singing and dancing are popular forms of art 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 different types: dibenil - sailing boat, valab - large rowing boat. Megaliths are found on the Yap Islands. Of particular interest is Nan Madol, known as the “Venice of Micronesia”. This is a whole city on the water, in a lagoon on the island of Ponape. Stone structures were built on artificial islands.

Wood carving reached a special peak among the Melanesians. 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 tom-tom. The Papuans have widespread folklore, songs, dances, and myths. The songs and dances are very simple. The singing is called mun, the melody varies very little. Important has a cult of ancestors and skulls. Papuans make korvars - images of ancestors. Wood carving is well developed.

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Area - 7692.0 thousand km 2 Population (2018) - 24.1 million people. The capital is Canberra.

The Commonwealth of Australia is the only state that occupies an entire continent. In addition to the mainland of Australia, the state includes Tasmania and a number of other islands. In the north, west and south it is washed by the Indian Ocean, its seas and bays, and in the east by the seas of the Pacific Ocean. It is the sixth country in the world by area.

The economic and geographical position of Australia is characterized by its location in the Southern Hemisphere, far from the main economic centers peace. At the same time, modern sea and air transport provide constant and reliable communication between the country and the outside world.

The Commonwealth of Australia is a kingdom of the British Commonwealth, and the official head of state is the British monarch. In fact, the prime minister plays the leading role in governing the country. Australia is a federation of 6 states and 2 territories.
Natural conditions and resources. The relief of Australia consists mainly of plains and heavily eroded plateaus. Just to the east is the Great Dividing Range, which contains Australia's highest point, Mount Kosciuszko (2,228 m).
Australia is rich in a variety of mineral resources. The country stands out globally for its reserves of iron, copper, nickel, uranium, bauxite, coal, gold, and diamonds.

The territory of Australia is located mainly in the subequatorial, tropical and subtropical zones; the most important feature of its climate is aridity. Most of the country's territory is occupied by deserts, semi-deserts and savannas. The biggest disadvantage of Australia's natural conditions is the lack of water resources. The water content of the largest river, the Murray and its tributary the Darling, varies dramatically with the seasons.

Population. Australia ranks one of the last among countries in the world in terms of population density. There are an average of 3 people per 1 km2. The population is mainly concentrated in the south-eastern and eastern parts of Australia, while the interior is very sparsely populated.

The natural population growth of Australia is low, amounting to 0.5-0.6% per year. External migration has a great impact on population growth. The annual mechanical growth of the country's population is 0.8-1.0%.

Generally modern population Australia was formed as a result of migrations. The indigenous population of the mainland - the Aborigines of Australia - now make up only 1% of the population. The main nation is Anglo-Australians.

The Commonwealth of Australia belongs to a number of highly urbanized states. The share of the urban population is 90%. The largest cities are Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide.

Economy. Australia is an economically highly developed state. In terms of GDP, Australia is among the top twenty countries in the world, and GDP indicator per capita is higher here than in most European countries.

Australia's place in the world economy is largely determined by the mining and fuel industries. It is one of the three world leaders in the production of coal, uranium, iron, bauxite, gold, nickel, and zinc. The bulk of coal, liquefied gas, uranium, ferrous and non-ferrous metal ores is exported to Asian countries, primarily to China. Agriculture is also an important sector of the Australian economy. The main branches of livestock farming are sheep breeding and cattle breeding. Australia ranks 2nd in the number of sheep and wool shearing, and 1st in the world in the export of wool and beef. Agriculture specializes in grain farming, horticulture and viticulture.

Basic economic region Australia - southeast. 70% of the country's population lives here and 2 of its largest cities- Sydney and Melbourne.

Australia ranks one of the last among countries in the world in terms of population density. There are an average of 3 people per 1 km2. The population is mainly concentrated in the south-eastern and eastern parts of Australia, while the interior is very sparsely populated. The natural population growth of Australia is low, amounting to 0.5-0.6% per year. External migration has a great impact on population growth. The annual mechanical growth of the country's population is 0.8-1.0%.

A. Kayumov, I. Safarov, M. Tillabaeva "Economic and social geography of the world" Tashkent - "Uzbekistan" - 2014