Three main regions of Oceania: Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia

Polynesia map

Polynesia(from other Greek. πολύς and νῆσος - many islands) - a subregion consisting of more than 1000 islands scattered across the central and southern Pacific Ocean between 23 ° 30's. sh. - 28°S sh. and 176°E. d. - 109°20’W. e. Indigenous peoples inhabiting the islands of Polynesia are called Polynesians. They share many similarities, including language, culture, and beliefs. Historically, they are skilled seafarers, able to navigate at night and navigate by the stars.

The term "Polynesia" was first used by the French writer Charles Brosse in 1756, and was initially applied to all the islands of the Pacific Ocean. In 1831, during a lecture at the Paris Geographical Society, the French traveler, navigator, oceanographer Jules Dumont-Durville proposed a restriction on the use of the term.

It forms a triangle, the vertices of which are: the Hawaiian Islands in the north, in the southeast and in the southwest, however, on these islands now Polynesians make up only a small part of the population, even fewer people speak Polynesian languages.

Widespread in modern Polynesia English language(on most islands), French (in French Polynesia, as well as in , along with English - in ). Spanish is the predominant language on Easter Island.

Geography of Polynesia

"Polynesian Triangle"

Geology

The islands are mainly of volcanic and coral origin. Volcanic islands are mountainous (height over 4000 m; in the Hawaiian Islands 4202 m), coral - flat, low-lying. On the islands of Hawaii and Samoa - active volcanoes. Most of the islands are surrounded by coral reefs.

Territory

The area of ​​Polynesia (without New Zealand) is 26 thousand km².

Population

The population of Polynesia is 1.2 million people (1969).

History of Polynesia

Main article: History of Polynesia

Island groups

Cook Inlet on Moorea Island, French Polynesia

border territories

History of the peoples of Polynesia

Main article: Polynesians

Culture of the peoples of Polynesia

Languages ​​of Polynesia

The main languages ​​of Polynesia are the Polynesian languages. English and French are also common as external languages.

Economy of the states of Polynesia

Politics of the states of Polynesia

Navigation of the peoples of Polynesia

These peoples, being the "peoples of the sea", perfectly mastered the art of navigation, which was vital. They knew maps of the starry sky, navigated by them, knew the direction of the winds, nearby islands, and much more. Polynesian ships (proa) can be considered full-fledged conquerors of the expanses of the Pacific Ocean.

State structure

Island(s)	State affiliation	Capital, administrative center	Population
		(Tutuila Island)	65 519 (2013)
Hawaiian Islands		(Isle of Oahu)	1 360 301 (2010)
Western Samoa	republic	, Upolu Island	188 540 (2008)
		(North Island)	4 443 900 (2012)
			1 398 (2009)
		(Rarotonga island)	19 569 (2006)
		Fakaofo atoll	1 411 (2011)
Isla de Pascua (Easter Island)	Special Territory and Province	hanga roa	5 806 (2012)
	overseas territory	adamstown	69 people (2013)
	kingdom	(Tongatapu Island)	120 898 (2009)
	Independent member of the British Commonwealth	funafuti	10 544 (2011)
Tubuai marquesas islands Society Islands Tuamotu Gambier Islands	French Polynesia (Overseas Community of France)	(Tahiti island)	291 thousand (2010)
	Overseas Community of France	, Wallis Island	13 445 (2008)
Line Islands	,		8 809 (2005)
Phoenix Islands		On Canton Island	41 (2005)

Notes

1. Hiroa, Te Rangi (Sir Peter Henry Buck). Vikings of the Sunrise. - Whitcombe and Tombs Ltd, reprinted 1964. - P. 67.
2. Don Macnaughtan – Lane Community College Library – Bibliography of Prehistoric Settlement on Norfolk Island, the Kermadecs, Lord Howe, and the Auckland Islands (indefinite) . Lanecc.edu. Date of treatment September 11, 2011. Archived from the original on August 5, 2012.
3. O'Connor, Tom Polynesians in the Southern Ocean: Occupation of the Auckland Islands in Prehistory in New Zealand Geographic 69 (September-October 2004): 6-8)
4. To the Final Shore: Prehistoric Colonization of the Subantarctic Islands in South Polynesia in Australian Archaeologist: Collected Papers in Honor of Jim Allen Canberra: Australian National University, 2000. 440-454.
5. Anderson, Atholl J., & Gerard R. O'Regan The Polynesian Archeology of the Subantarctic Islands: An Initial Report on Enderby Island Southern Margins Project Report. Dunedin: Ngai Tahu Development Report, 1999
6. Anderson, Atholl J. Subpolar Settlement in South Polynesia Antiquity 79.306 (2005): 791-800
7. Unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States.
8. Independent State loosely associated with New Zealand
9. Dependent territory New Zealand

French Polynesia on the world map

French Polynesia is an overseas representation of France. This cluster of small islands is located in the South Pacific Ocean. The place is represented by several archipelagos, such as the Gambier, Tubuai, Marxist, Tuamotu Islands, as well as the community islands. Their origin is usually coral or volcanic.

French Polynesia on the world map
The map can be enlarged or reduced

French polynesia. Satellite map

French Polynesia Map

The climate in French Polynesia is trade wind, tropical. However, there are differences between winter and summer, although the temperature certainly does not fall below zero. The vegetation of the island depends on the origin of the island itself. On the volcanic islands You will meet dense, evergreen forests, among which there are plantations of bananas and coconut palms. Also on the islands you will find many rivers enclosed in deep narrow valleys, and, of course, great amount tropical waterfalls.

The population is about 300 thousand. The basis is made up of Polynesians, much less than the Chinese. The French are only 6%. The cuisine is mainly represented by fish. You will be happy to offer crustaceans and other seafood. French Polynesia is a paradise for lovers, spouses and honeymooners. Also, people who are not indifferent to beauty tend to come here. underwater world and marine fauna. Also, many people are attracted by the wedding under the mysterious ceremony of the Polynesian rite.

________________________________________________________________________

To date quality rest available to any residents of Russia, for example, travel agencies of Tyumen, whose promotions are known throughout the city - provide literally unique conditions for tourist travel. Any nuance, any desire of the client is taken into account here.

In the central and western part Pacific Ocean there are more than 1000 islands. This subregion of Oceania is called Polynesia.

What is Polynesia?

The Oceania region consists of three sub-regions forming an island region between Southwest Asia and North and South America. This region of Oceania includes Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia. Polynesia is made up of numerous islands in the Pacific Ocean inhabited by aborigines known as Polynesians.

The term "Polynesia" was first used by the French explorer Charles de Brosse in 1756 in relation to all the islands of the Pacific Ocean. A restriction on the use of this word was proposed by Jules Dumont-Durville in 1831. The islands of the South Pacific Ocean, the number of which exceeds 1000, are historically called the South Sea Islands.

Geographic location of Polynesia

The Polynesian region occupies a small part of the earth, covering a vast territory of the central and southern parts of the Pacific Ocean. The origin of most of the islands is volcanic. This region also includes the territories of New Zealand, the Norfolk Islands and Ueva Islands, which are part of the Zeeland microcontinent. It is believed that this continent sank about 23 million years ago and appeared only recently, thanks to the movement of the Pacific plate, which lifted part of New Zealand.

Polynesia is characterized by islands within the Polynesian Triangle, although some islands inhabited by Polynesians are not located in the area. The Polynesian Triangle is formed by three groups of islands: Hawaii, East Island and New Zealand. Geographically, a triangle is formed by connecting the locations of these three islands. Other island groups included in the Triangle: Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Tokelau, Niue and French Polynesia. The Polynesian region also includes some small settlements of Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Rotuma is a group of islands whose cultural features are extremely similar to those of Polynesia. Although these lands are located outside the Triangle. But, despite the similarities, the inhabitants of the island of Rotuma do not speak Polynesian.

Population development in Polynesia

The population of Polynesia is thought to have been influenced by the maritime migration of the Austronesians. Tracing the origin of the Polynesian languages ​​reveals that the ancestors of the current population lived in the Malay Archipelago and Taiwan. Austronesians began to migrate from Taiwan to the Southwest Asian Islands between 3000 and 1000 BC. Although there are some suggestions regarding the movement of people across the Pacific Ocean to Polynesia. The first hypothesis suggests that Taiwanese people migrated through the Philippines and Indonesia from New Guinea before reaching the islands of Western Polynesia around 900 BC. The second hypothesis is related to the history of the Austronesians, their beliefs and linguistic interaction with the natives. South-East Asia. According to this assumption, the Austronesians were the first Polynesians. And the last point of view is similar to the first hypothesis, with the only difference that according to the third model, the further stop of the settlers was in Melanesia. This theory is based on many linguistic and archaeological data.

Culture and Occupation of the Polynesians

There are about 2 million Polynesians worldwide. Most of them live in Polynesia, USA, Australia and New Zealand. The language, culture and occupation are different depending on whether we are talking about Western or Eastern Polynesians. The culture of Western Polynesia is associated with a high population density, a strong institution of marriage, a judicial system, and traditional trade. The leaders of Polynesia were elected through hereditary lines (with the exception of Samoa). Agriculture and fishing were the main areas of economic activity and developed quite well, since the life and well-being of the population depend on it.

Political history of Polynesia

Political history Polynesia depends on the history of the individual island that is part of the region. On the islands of Tonga, power was transferred from the Tui-kanokupolu dynasty after a bloody civil war in the 16th century In 1845, the islands of Tonga were united into a Western-style Kingdom by King Taufa'ahau, and the country was proclaimed a monarchy. In 1900, Tonga becomes a British protectorate under the Treaty of Friendship. On June 4, 1970, the Kingdom of Tonga gained independence from the British protectorate. New Zealand joined Great Britain in 1840 as New South Wales. Numerous chieftains ruled the Fiji Islands until the bulk of the land was unified by King Tacombau. The Lapita culture has existed in Fiji since about 3500 BC. for 1000 years, then was driven out by the Melanesians.

Polynesian shipping

The Polynesian islands are scattered along the Triangle with sides of 6.5 km. The Hawaiian Islands, East Island and New Zealand are inhabited by Polynesians. Sailors reached the inhabited lands, relying entirely on their feelings and knowledge, passed from mouth to mouth. Travelers memorized important events to determine direction at different times of the day and year. The stars were an important navigation tool. Other methods included the movement of wildlife species, the direction of the current in the ocean, and the color of the sea. The method of navigation of the Polynesians was lost due to contact with Europeans, who greatly influenced the existence of the Polynesians in isolated parts of the Pacific Ocean.

Polynesia. Traditional wedding dance. POLYNESIA, one of the main island groups in Oceania, in the central part of the Pacific Ocean. Stretches from north to south Hawaiian Islands to New Zealand (which is sometimes included in Polynesia). Square … Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

Polynesia- the general name of the islands in the center, the Pacific Ocean: Hawaiian, Cook, Line, Marquesas, Society, Easter, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuamotu, Tubuai, Tuvalu, Wallis, Fu tuna and ... Geographic Encyclopedia

POLYNESIA- "multi-island", otherwise called. Oceania, the islands of the Great Ocean, lying to the north and east of Australia. A complete dictionary of foreign words that have come into use in the Russian language. Popov M., 1907. POLYNESIA (Greek, from polys many, and nesos ... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

POLYNESIA- French (Polynesie Francaise) possession (since the 19th century) of France (in 1885 1958 it was called the French possessions in Oceania, in 1958 it received the status of an overseas territory of France) in the central part of the Pacific Ocean, in Polynesia. Includes islands: Societies (in… …

POLYNESIA- one of the main island groups in Oceania, in the central part of the Pacific. It stretches from the Hawaiian Islands in the north to Nov. Zealand (which is sometimes included in Polynesia) in the south. Area (excluding New Zealand) approx. 26 thousand km². The main groups ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Polynesia- I is one of the main island groups in Oceania, in the central part of the Pacific Ocean. It stretches from the Hawaiian Islands in the north to New Zealand (which is sometimes included in Polynesia) in the south. The area (without New Zealand) is about 26 thousand km2. ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Polynesia- noun, number of synonyms: 1 australia (8) ASIS synonym dictionary. V.N. Trishin. 2013 ... Synonym dictionary

POLYNESIA- (French). The territory is 4.2 thousand square kilometers, the population is 150 thousand people. The basis of the economy is agriculture, fishing and the extraction of mother-of-pearl shells and pearls. The number of sheep is 3 thousand ... World sheep breeding

Polynesia- I Polynesia (from Poly... and Greek. nesos island) the islands of Oceania (See Oceania), located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean, between 23 ° 30 s. sh. 28°S sh. and 176° E. 109°20 W d.p. includes: the islands of Tonga (an independent state with ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

POLYNESIA- French Polynesia Official name Territory of French Polynesia Located in the extreme east of Oceania. ... ... Encyclopedia of the countries of the world

Books

• Board game "Polynesia" (8783) , Knizia Rainer. Where the sun always shines, the endless ocean roars, and the houses stand right on the water, cheerful Polynesians live. They are not only skilled hunters and artisans, but also nimble traders. You - ... Buy for 2192 rubles
• In the South Seas, Stevenson Robert Lewis. Genuine, not fictitious adventures of the best of the authors of English historical-adventure prose. Exotic Polynesia - through the eyes of the great Robert Louis Stevenson, who made…

French Polynesia is known worldwide as one of the most exotic regions in the Pacific Ocean. This is a huge water area, which includes 118 islands of different scale and local color. The territory is the property of France - a country that has earned the status of "colonial mistress" several centuries ago. For a leading European power, this overseas land is a real tidbit - very profitable and promising. Every year the number of those wishing to plunge into the atmosphere of picturesque nature, the amazing underwater richness of the ocean and the amazing rest on the most fashionable beaches is increasing.

Islands where harmony lives

Five archipelagos - Society, Tuamotu, Marquesas, Tubuai, Gambier - make up the islands of French Polynesia. Located in the southern region of the Pacific Ocean, they occupy a total area of ​​about 4 thousand square meters. km. A distinctive feature of this region is the contrast of the local landscape. The islands are not only impressive azure shores, sandy beaches but also dense tropical forests.

These 2.5 million square kilometers of total area can be compared with the territory of the European Union. But a particle of solid soil in Polynesia will surprise you with its small size. The land here occupies a little more than 4 thousand square meters. kilometers. If you add up all the islands, you get something like the island of Mallorca. But it is not the size that catches this paradise, but its intangible beauty and amazing originality of nature. As for the population, the island of Tahiti is considered the most inhabited. It also leads in the number of tourists arriving on the island every year.

The Polynesian islands form groups characterized by certain features.

• Society Islands. This group includes the so-called Windward and Leeward Islands. This group of islands is home to the largest number people throughout French Polynesia. There are high mountain slopes covered with dense tropical forests. The local beauty is emphasized by coral reefs. by the most famous island this group is Bora Bora.

• Tuamotu Islands. In some sources, they received the romantic name "Strand of Tahitian Pearls." The area got its name due to the large-scale resources of black pearls. Also here is one of the largest coral atolls in Polynesia. The original name Tuamotu stands for "distant islands".

• Marquesas Islands. 15 islands strewn with mountain slopes are located on the equator. Of all the lands, only 6 are inhabited. It is interesting that the island system is called "mysterious". Most likely, this is due to the unusual nature that creates an unusual unique world.

• Gambier Islands. These islands are closely adjacent to the Tuamot, but they are still considered separate due to differences in culture and language. The uniqueness of the way of life and landscapes really allow Gambier to be a separate world.

• Austral Islands. If you are tired of society and want to be alone, this place is the perfect stopover. These islands are sparsely populated. Many of them do not know human traces at all.

French Polynesia: interesting facts

Unusual territory, exotic nature and unique animal world made the islands of French Polynesia filled with various mysteries and mysteries. A lot of interesting facts attract the attention of not only tourists, but also lovers of everything unusual, unique, inimitable. For example, did you already know that:

• On the islands of Polynesia, you will not meet snakes. This applies not only to poisonous representatives, but to the entire class of creeping ones;
  Polynesia is considered the birthplace of tattoos;
• The stars are considered the best compass here. The local population developed their own star navigation system, with the help of which ancient sailors got to the desired islands using maps in the night sky;
• Taaha Island can be safely called vanilla, because a huge amount of this delicate fragrant plant grows here.
• Moorea is the footprint of a dinosaur. You would think if you saw it from a bird's eye view.

• The local population knows what it means to seize the moment and not rush things. Dinner for an ordinary Polynesian family will take 3 hours. This is what it means to enjoy the meal and feel every note of the prepared delicacy.

There are many such interesting facts on the islands. Anyone who returns from this paradise, can name amazing things that will be remembered for a lifetime. It can be an unusual fish with bright colors, an exotic fruit with an inexplicable taste, or a different sunset of the tired sun every evening. There is some good magic and an amazing fairy tale on the islands of French Polynesia.