Why are the Pacific Islands important?

The Pacific region is also an important route to transport products and natural resources to and from Japan. Japan’s imports from Australia (Australia supplies half of iron ore, coal, and raw cotton that Japan imports) and Japan’s exports to Australia and New Zealand pass through this sea area.

What is life like in Samoa?

The traditional culture of Samoa is a communal way of life based on Fa’a Samoa, the unique socio-political culture. In Samoan culture, most activities are done together. The traditional living quarters, or fale (houses), contain no walls and up to 20 people may sleep on the ground in the same fale.

Why was the US Interested in Samoa?

The United States had an interest in Samoa from early settlements in the 1830’s. The U.S. government had a very strong interest in eastern Samoa, now American Samoa, primarily for its excellent harbor. US transport companies and land development interests were very active in Western Samoa, now an independent nation.

What are the three cultures of the South Pacific islands?

The many islands can be divided into three main groups based on physical geography, local inhabitants, and location: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Indigenous cultural heritage remains strong in the South Pacific, but Western culture has made deep inroads into people’s lives.

Is Fiji considered a Pacific island?

This is a list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, collectively called the Pacific Islands. Three major groups of islands in the Pacific Ocean are Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia….List of the largest Pacific islands.

Is Samoa a poor country?

APIA, Samoa — In Samoa, 18.8 percent of the population lives below the national poverty line. Poverty in Samoa is often relative, and many suffer from the poverty of opportunity. While Samoa is considered a developing country and has made significant progress, gender inequality exists and leaves women disadvantaged.

How did the US acquire the Samoan islands?

Political Status American Samoa became a U.S. territory by deed of cession, starting in 1900. The matai (local chiefs) of Tutuila, the largest island in American Samoa, ceded the island to the United States in 1900. Manu’a followed in 1904. Swain Island joined the territory in 1925 by an act of the Congress.

How did the US obtain Hawaii?

In 1898, the Spanish-American War broke out, and the strategic use of the naval base at Pearl Harbor during the war convinced Congress to approve formal annexation. Two years later, Hawaii was organized into a formal U.S. territory and in 1959 entered the United States as the 50th state.

Is Hawaii part of Pacific islands?

Ethnic groups. The population of the Pacific Islands is concentrated in Papua New Guinea, New Zealand (which has a majority of people of European descent), Hawaii, Fiji, and Solomon Islands. Most Pacific Islands are densely populated, and habitation tends to be concentrated along the coasts.

Where is the Fiji Island?

South Pacific Ocean
Fiji, country and archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean. It surrounds the Koro Sea about 1,300 miles (2,100 km) north of Auckland, New Zealand.

Where are the Pacific Islands located in the world?

Pacific Islands, island geographic region of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises three ethnogeographic groupings— Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia —but conventionally excludes the neighbouring island continent of Australia, the Asia-related Indonesian, Philippine, and Japanese archipelagoes, and the Ryukyu, Bonin,…

What countries were colonized in the Pacific Ocean?

Historical Background: Colonization of Pacific Islands. Micronesia. Micronesia includes the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau (Belau), the U. S. Territory of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands.

What are the main characteristics of the Pacific Islands?

Most of the larger islands also support some livestock. As much as two-thirds of the Pacific Islands’ total land area is forested. Most of the islands are poor in mineral resources. The population is concentrated in Papua New Guinea, New Zealand (which has a majority of people of European descent), Hawaii, Fiji, and Solomon Islands.

What was the first Pacific country to gain its independence?

Western Samoa was the first Pacific Island country to gain its independence (US Department of State, Accessed September 2, 2007).