Summary
Oceania is the smallest continent and the least populated. It is made up of Australia —which takes up almost all the land—, New Zealand and thousands of islands scattered across the Pacific Ocean, grouped into three regions: Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.
It is almost entirely in the southern hemisphere, far from the other continents. Australia is largely a desert, the so-called outback, and is home to unique animals like the kangaroo and the koala. Off its coast lies the Great Barrier Reef, the largest reef in the world. Its biggest city is Sydney, although the capital is Canberra.
Key points
- Oceania is the smallest continent and the least populated.
- It is made up of Australia, New Zealand and thousands of Pacific islands.
- The islands are grouped into Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.
- It is almost entirely in the southern hemisphere.
- Australia has a large inland desert, the outback.
- It is home to unique animals: the kangaroo and the koala.
- The Great Barrier Reef is the largest reef in the world.