14 COUNTRIES
- Australia
- Fiji
- Kiribati
- Marshall Islands
- Micronesia, Federated States of
- Nauru
- New Zealand1
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Samoa
- Solomon Islands
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
Australia is both a country and a continent but, by definition, is not an island. The term Oceania is of more recent acceptance to include many of the islands of the South Pacific. The exact definition of exactly what islands comprise Oceania is still to be determined. Basically, Oceania is a geographic region that includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia; spanning the eastern and western hemispheres.
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1 The Cook Islands are “self governed in free association” with New Zealand. The Cook Island government is in full control of internal issues while New Zealand remains responsible for external affairs and defense.