Defining Trait of Oceania's Nations: They're Islands

Nearly every nation in Oceania is an island or island group. The region—spanning Australia, New Zealand, and thousands of Pacific islands—is defined by its oceanic geography. Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, and others are entirely insular. Even Papua New Guinea and Australia, while continental in scale, include vast island territories. This shared insularity shapes their economies, cultures, climate vulnerability, and global connections.