Vacationing to Samoa offers visitors the opportunity to experience Polynesia in its most authentic form. The capital, Apia, is on the beautiful north coast of Upolu, the largest and most populous of the country’s nine islands. Samoa is only a small nation and yet culturally and geographically the heart of Polynesia. Scottish writer Robert Louis…
Category: Oceania
New Zealand Culture
Indigenous traditions and influences of European and Asian ethnic groups merged into the multicultural society of New Zealand. The Māori language and culture have received sustained promotion since the 1970s and are now ubiquitous in the media and everyday life. Christian festivals as well as ANZAC Day and Waitangi Day are the most important holidays….
Vanuatu Overview
Republic of Vanuatu Official language English, French and Bislama Capital Port vila Form of government Parliamentary republic Area 12,190 km² Residents 211,000 Currency Vatu Time zone UTC +11 License Plate VU Internet TLD .vu Telephone area code 00678 Geography The Republic of Vanuatu (formerly: New Hebrides) is located in the South Pacific. The island state…
Tuvalu Overview
The Tuvalu Islands Official language Tuvaluan, English Capital Funafuti Form of government Parliamentary monarchy Area 26 km² Residents 11,500 Currency Australian dollar Time zone UTC +12 License Plate TUV Internet TLD .tv Telephone area code 00688 Geography Tuvalu (officially English: The Tuvalu Islands) is the fourth smallest country in the world with a land area…
Tonga Overview
Official language Tongan, English Capital Nuku’alofa Form of government Constitutional inheritance monarchy Area 750 km² Residents 112,000 Currency Pa’anga Time zone UTC +13 License Plate VOLUME Internet TLD .to Telephone area code 00676 Geography The Kingdom of Tonga is located in the Southwest Pacific and consists of 171 islands that form a long chain running…
Solomon Islands Overview
Solomon Islands Official language English Capital Honiara Form of government Parliamentary monarchy Area 28,360 km² Residents 537,000 Currency Solomon Islands dollar Time zone UTC +11 License Plate SOL Internet TLD .sb Telephone area code 00677 Geography The island state of the Solomon Islands is located northeast of Australia and consists of two approximately 1,000 km…
Samoa Overview
Malo Tutoatasi o Samoa Official language Samoan, English Capital Apia Form of government Chief parliamentary aristocracy Area 2,831 km² Residents 178,000 Currency Tala Time zone UTC – 11 hours License Plate WS Internet TLD .ws Telephone area code 00685 Geography The independent state of Samoa (officially West Samoa or Samoa West until 1997; officially Malo…
Papua New Guinea Overview
Independent State of Papua New Guinea Official language English, Tok Pisin, Hiri Motu Capital Port Moresby Form of government Parliamentary monarchy Area 462,840 km² Residents 5,550,000 Currency Kina Time zone UTC + 10 License Plate PNG Internet TLD .pg Telephone area code 00675 Geography The independent state of Papua New Guinea comprises the eastern part…
Palau Overview
Republic of Palau Official language English, Palauian, (Japanese in Angaur, Sonsorole in the Sonsorol Islands, Tobian in Tobi) Capital Melekeok Form of government republic Area 501 km² Residents 20,500 Currency U.S. dollar Time zone UTC +9 License Plate PAL Internet TLD .pw Telephone area code 00680 Geography The Republic of Palau is located in the…
New Zealand Overview
New Zealand Official language English, Maori Capital Wellington Form of government Parliamentary republic Area 270,686 km² Residents 4,050,000 Currency New Zealand dollar Time zone NZST ** = UTC + 12 (April ¨C September)NZDT ** = UTC + 13 (October ¨C March) License Plate NZ Internet TLD .nz Telephone area code 0064 (Source: ALLCITYCODES) Geography Parliamentary…
Nauru Overview
Republic of Nauru Official language Nauruan, English Capital Yaren Form of government Parliamentary Democratic Republic Area 21 km² Residents 13500 Currency Australian dollar Time zone UTC + 12 License Plate NAU Internet TLD .No Telephone area code 00674 (Source: ALLCITYCODES) Geography The Republic of Nauru is a single island in the Pacific around 3,000 km…
Micronesia Overview
Federated States of Micronesia Official language English Capital Palikir Form of government Federal Republic Area 702 km² Residents 108,000 Currency U.S. dollar Time zone UTC + 10h License Plate FSM Internet TLD .fm Telephone area code 00691 (Source: ALLCITYCODES) Geography The Federated States of Micronesia are located in the South Pacific and comprise a total…
Marshall Islands Overview
Republic of the Marshall Islands Official language English, Marshallese Capital Dalap-Uliga-Darrit Form of government republic Area 181 km² Residents 65,000 Currency U.S. dollar Time zone UTC + 12h License Plate MH Internet TLD .mh Telephone area code 00692 (Source: ALLCITYCODES) Geography The Republic of the Marshall Islands is located in the western Pacific and consists…
Kiribati Overview
Republic of Kiribati Official language Gilbertese, English Capital Bairiki Form of government Presidential Republic Area 811 km² Residents 103,000 Currency Kiribati dollar, Australian dollar Time zone UTC +12, +13, +14 License Plate AI Internet TLD .ki Telephone area code 00686 (Source: ALLCITYCODES) Geography The Republic of Kiribati consists of a total of 33 atolls (coral…
Fiji Overview
Republic of Fiji Islands Official language Fiji, English, Hindustani Capital Suva Form of government republic Area 18,374 km² Residents 881,000 Currency Fiji dollar Time zone UTC + 12 License Plate FJI Internet TLD .fj Telephone area code 00679 (Source: ALLCITYCODES) Geography The Republic of Fiji is located in the southern Pacific between Vanuatu in the…
Australia Overview
Commonwealth of Australia Official language English Capital Canberra Form of government Parliamentary monarchy Area 7,700,000 km² Residents 21,000,000 Currency Australian dollar Time zone UTC +8 to +11 License Plate OUT Internet TLD .au Telephone area code 0061 (Source: ALLCITYCODES) Geography Australia is the smallest continent on earth with around 7.7 million km². With the island…