What are the islands near Australia called?

The great arc of islands located north and east of Australia and south of the Equator is called Melanesia (from the Greek words melas, “black,” and nēsos, “island”) for the predominantly dark-skinned peoples of New Guinea island, the Bismarck Archipelago, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu (the New Hebrides), New Caledonia, and …

Is Norfolk Island under Australian rule?

Norfolk Island is the only non-mainland Australian territory to have achieved self-governance. The Norfolk Island Act 1979, passed by the Parliament of Australia in 1979, is the Act under which the island is governed.

Who owns Vanuatu?

Background: British and French settled the islands in the 19th century, they agreed in 1906 to administer the islands jointly, called the British-French Condominium, which last until independence in 1980. Vanuatu is recognized as one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world.

Is Norfolk Island part of NSW or QLD?

The Queensland government is set to have control of Norfolk Island services, taking over from NSW. The federal and Queensland governments announced on Tuesday they had reached an agreement for Queensland to provide essential health and education services to the island, which has a population of more than 1700 people.

Is Norfolk Island closer to Brisbane or Sydney?

Norfolk Island is located in the South Pacific Ocean – an area called Oceania. The island lies on the Norfolk Ridge which runs from New Zealand to New Caledonia. It lies 500 miles SSE of Noumea, 700 miles NW of Auckland, 900 miles east of Brisbane and 1100 miles NE of Sydney.

What is Vanuatu language?

French
BislamaEnglish
Vanuatu/Official languages

Is Vanuatu a poor country?

The poverty rate in Vanuatu is 12.7 percent. Because the islands in the Pacific are relatively isolated, it is expensive and difficult to aid these countries after a hurricane, and Vanuatu is not an exception. These are all the major causes of poverty in Vanuatu and the other island nations.

Is Nauru part of Micronesia?

Nauru, island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of a raised coral island located in southeastern Micronesia, 25 miles (40 km) south of the Equator.

Is Nauru made of bird poop?

Almost the entire surface of the island was once covered with a thick layer of guano, sedimentary bird droppings that accumulated over several millennia. The high level of phosphorus in Nauru guano made it an ideal raw material for fertilizers and explosives.

What islands are north of Australia?

The great arc of islands located north and east of Australia and south of the Equator is called Melanesia (from the Greek words melas, “black,” and nēsos, “island”) for the predominantly dark-skinned peoples of New Guinea island, the Bismarck Archipelago, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu (the New Hebrides), New Caledonia, and Fiji.

What island is off the coast of Australia?

Lacepede Islands. The Lacepede Islands, sometimes referred to simply as the Lacepedes, are a group of four islands lying off the Kimberley coast of Western Australia, about 120 kilometres (75 miles) north of Broome . They are about 30 km (19 mi) from the Dampier Peninsula , from which they are separated by the Lacepede Channel.

How many islands are in Australia?

There are no country’s in Australia. Australia is NOT a continent, it’s an island/country. If you mean states and territories there are 6 states and 2 territories and multiple external territories. Our 6 states are Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland , Tasmania , South Australia and Western Australia.

What is the island north of Australia?

North Island is the northernmost island in the Houtman Abrolhos , a coral reef archipelago in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Mid West Western Australia .