Lesson 1/45 min
The 14 countries of Oceania
Oceania means the Australia region together with the islands of the Pacific Ocean. The book counts 14 independent countries. Memory trick: MP SPKS NTV ATN FM.
What the letters stand for
- M Micronesia (Federated States), P Palau
- S Samoa, P Papua New Guinea, K Kiribati, S Solomon Islands
- N New Zealand, T Tonga, V Vanuatu
- T Tuvalu, N Nauru, A Australia, F Fiji, M Marshall Islands
Capital, currency and independence
| Country | Capital | Currency | Independence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Canberra | Australian dollar | 1901 (Britain) |
| New Zealand | Wellington | New Zealand dollar | 1947 (Britain) |
| Tuvalu | Funafuti | Australian dollar | 1978 (Britain) |
| Samoa | Apia | Tala | 1962 (New Zealand) |
| Tonga | Nuku'alofa | Pa'anga | 1970 (Britain) |
| Nauru | Yaren | Australian dollar | 1968 (Australia, New Zealand and Britain) |
| Marshall Islands | Majuro | US dollar | 1986 (United States) |
| Kiribati | South Tarawa | Australian dollar | 1979 (Britain) |
| Fiji | Suva | Fiji dollar | 1970 (Britain) |
| Papua New Guinea | Port Moresby | Kina | 1975 (Australia) |
| Solomon Islands | Honiara | Solomon Islands dollar | 1978 (Britain) |
| Vanuatu | Port Vila | Vatu | 1980 (Britain and France) |
| Palau | Ngerulmud | US dollar | 1994 (US-run trust territory) |
| Federated States of Micronesia | Palikir | US dollar | 1986 (United States) |
Watch out: The book's table gives Britain alone for Vanuatu, and “Australia, New Zealand and Britain” for Palau and Nauru. In fact Vanuatu was ruled jointly by Britain and France, and Palau was a UN trust territory run by the United States. Nauru has no official capital; Yaren is the de facto one.
Territories that are not independent (as listed)
| Territory | Under |
|---|---|
| Cook Islands | New Zealand |
| Easter Island | Chile |
| Guam (capital Hagåtña) | United States |
| New Caledonia | France |
| Caroline Islands | Formerly Japan (per the book) |
Check yourself
How many independent countries are in Oceania, and what is the memory trick?
At a glance
- 1
Oceania has 14 independent countries; memory trick MP SPKS NTV ATN FM.
- 2
Capitals: Australia Canberra, New Zealand Wellington, Fiji Suva, Papua New Guinea Port Moresby, Tuvalu Funafuti.
- 3
Currencies: Samoa tala, Tonga pa'anga, Papua New Guinea kina, Vanuatu vatu.
- 4
Independence: Samoa 1962, Nauru 1968, Tonga and Fiji 1970, Papua New Guinea 1975, Tuvalu and Solomon Islands 1978, Kiribati 1979, Vanuatu 1980.
- 5
The Marshall Islands and Micronesia became independent in 1986; Palau in 1994.