This is a list of all present sovereign states in Oceania and their predecessors. The region of Oceania is generally defined geographically to include the subregions of Australasia,The use and scope of this term varies. The UN designation for this subregion is "Australia and New Zealand." Melanesia,Excludes parts of Indonesia, island territories in Southeast Asia (UN region) frequently reckoned in this region. Micronesia and Polynesia, and their respective sovereign states. Oceania was originally colonised by Europeans with Australia and New Zealand primarily by the British, and the Pacific Islands primarily by the British, French and Dutch. Today, Oceania consists of fourteen sovereign states of various government types, the most common consisting of parliamentary systems.
Sovereign state Predecessors Australia British Colonial Period Colony of New South Wales (1788–1901) Van Diemen's Land Colony (1825–1856), later Colony of Tasmania (1856–1901) Swan River Colony (1829–1832), later Colony of Western Australia (1832–1901) Province of South Australia (1836–1901) Victoria Colony (1851–1901) Colony of Queensland (1859–1901) (1901–present) Fiji Kingdom of Fiji (1871–1874) Colony of Fiji (1874–1970) Dominion of Fiji (1970–1987) (1987–present) Kiribati Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony (1892–1975) Colony of Gilbert Islands (1975–1979) (1979–present) Marshall Islands German New Guinea (1884–1919) South Pacific Mandate (1919–1947) Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (1947–1994) (Marshall Islands participation until 1979) (1979–present) Federated States of Micronesia Spanish East Indies (1565–1898) German New Guinea (1884–1919) South Pacific Mandate (1919–1947) Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (1947–1994) (FSM participation until 1979) (1979–present) Nauru German New Guinea (1884–1919) (participation 1888–1914) Nauru (1914–1942) (League of Nations mandate 1932–1942) Japanese occupation of Nauru (1942–1945) Nauru (1945–1968) (UN Trust Territory 1947–1968) (1968–present) New Zealand Colony of New South Wales (1788–1901) (NZ participation 1788–1841) Colony of New Zealand (1841–1907) Dominion of New Zealand (1907–1947) (1947–present) Palau Spanish East Indies (1565–1898) German New Guinea (1884–1919) South Pacific Mandate (1919–1947) Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (1947–1994) (1994–present) Papua New Guinea Territory of Papua (1884–1975) and German New Guinea (1884–1919), later Territory of New Guinea (1919–1975) (League of Nations mandate, later UN Trust Territory) Territory of Papua and New Guinea (1949–1975) (administrative union between Territory of Papua and Territory of New Guinea) (1975–present) Samoa German Samoa (1900–1920) Western Samoa Trust Territory (1920–1962) (League of Nations mandate of Britain, later UN Trust Territory of New Zealand)
(1962–1997) (1997–present) Solomon Islands German New Guinea (1884–1919) (Solomon Islands participation 1884–1893) British Solomon Islands (1893–1978) (1978–present) Tonga Tu'i Tonga Empire (950s–1865) (1845–present) (British protectorate 1900–1970) Tuvalu Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony (1892–1975) Colony of Tuvalu (1975–1978) (1978–present) Vanuatu Anglo-French Joint Naval Commission (1887–1889) Independent Commune of Franceville (1889–1890) (unrecognised state) Anglo-French Joint Naval Commission (1890–1906) New Hebrides Condominium (1906–1980) (1980–present)
See also Federation of Australia List of sovereign states and dependent territories in Oceania Succession of states
References