Oceania

     East and north-east of Australia lie a number of Pacific islands, mostly in tropical latitudes. The larger ones are quite close to the continent and were separated from it as a result of a sinking of the land. These are so-called continental islands: New Guinea and New Zealand, for example.

Fig. 200. A coral island. (Above) A general view of the island. (Below) A plan of the island.

Others are volcanoes rising steeply from the ocean and are called volcanic islands. Such are the Hawaiian Islands. Many of the smaller islands were formed by the coral polyp which builds on swellings and hills on the ocean floor. These are called coral islands. They are often ring-shaped and have shallow lagoons in the middle. A break in the rings surrounding the lagoons links them with the ocean (Fig. 200).

The bottom of the Pacific Ocean is very uneven in its western part where most of its islands lie. Side by side with swellings there are many deep-sea trenches near the islands, the deepest spot (over 11 kilometres) being near the Mariana Islands. The eastern part of the ocean has an evener bottom.
Many of the islands of Oceania were discovered by Russian explo­rers in the first half of the 19th century. Valuable contributions to the exploration of the Pacific Ocean were made by Soviet scientific expeditions (on the 'Vityaz' and other ships).
New Guinea. North of Australia is New Guinea, with the exception of Greenland, the largest island in the world. In the centre it is crossed by a lofty range of young snow-clad mountains, among which are several volcanoes. This is a region of violent earthquakes. New Guinea lies close to the Equator and is covered with dense rain fo­rests.
New Guinea is inhabited by the Papuans, a dark-skinned people. Unlike the Australians, the Papuans live in small villages. Such villages consist of only a few huts standing on piles from one to two metres high.

Fig. 201. New Guinea. Fishermen returning home after a fine catch in the Pacific

The inhabitants are engaged in hunting and fishing as well as pig-breeding and farming. First they fell the trees and burn them. Then they loosen the earth with sticks and spades and plant

their crops.  Their  weapons are the bow and  arrow and the spear.
New Guinea with its luxuriant tropical climate was almost un­explored until the second half of the 19th century. The first study of the country and its people was made by the great Russian traveller N. N. Mikloukho-Maklay. At the risk of his life he landed on the un­familiar north-east coast of the island, where he took up his quarters among the warlike natives (Fig. 202). Thanks to his friendly attitude the Papuans began to love and trust him, and for several years he studied their language and way of life. By his researches Mikloukho-Maklay destroyed the legend that non-Europeans are people of 'inferior' races and incapable of economic and cultural development. Mikloukho-Maklay took the part of the oppressed in the colonies and upheld their rights. Today the eastern part of New Guinea belongs to the Commonwealth of Australia, the western part to the Republic of Indonesia.
New Zealand. South-east of Australia lies New Zealand. It con­sists of two large islands separated by a strait. New Zealand con­tains lofty young mountains and is a region of violent earthquakes. On North Island there are many volcanoes, hot springs and geysers. This is part of the volcanic ring of the Pacific. The greater part of New Zealand has a wet subtropical climate and an evergreen vegeta­tion. It has 2,500,000 inhabitants whose chief occupation is raising sheep and cattle. Butter, cheese, meat and wool are among the pro­ducts exported.
Its people are almost entirely of British descent. (New Zealand is a dominion of Great Britain.) The natives are Maoris. More natives have survived here than in the Commonwealth of Australia. The cultural level of the Maoris is, besides, higher than that of the Aus­tralians.

Fig. 202. N. N. Mikloukho-Maklay's home on the north-east coast of New Guinea (Irom his own drawing). You can see the enormous trees and the climbing Ijjnas.

that are used for making oil. The mealy fruit of the latter is used as a food by the Polynesians. There are pineapple and sugar-cane plan­tations, especially on the Hawaiian Islands.
The islands of Polynesia are almost completely divided among Great Britain, France, the USA and New Zealand.
Questions and Assignments.

• Compare New Guinea and New Zealand as to natural features
  and ethnic structure.
• Determine New Zealand's distance from Australia.
• Mark New Guinea, New Zealand and Polynesia on the outline
  map.