Island group belonging to Papua New Guinea that is best known as the place where anthropologist Malinowski conducted his research.
Trobriand Islands
The distinctive flag of this Australian island features its green pine. Half of the Bounty mutineers from Pitcairn island eventually moved to this island that was also home to novelist Colleen McCullough.
Norfolk Island
The annual red crab migration is a big attraction for naturalists on this Australian island whose name is a clear indication of the day on which it was discovered.
Christmas Island
Double-named island of the French Polynesia that is known for its luxury resorts and a major landmark on it is Mount Otemanu.
Bora Bora
Island that is the figurative heart of French Polynesia. Among others, known as the place where artist Paul Gauguin painted several of his masterpieces.
Tahiti
This French overseas territory that was named by James Cook for its resemblance to the coast of Scotland has seen tensions between the Kanaks, a Melanesian ethnic group, and ethnic Europeans. It even adopted a second official flag called the Kanak flag in 2010.
New Caledonia
The John Frum cult, the best-known and longest lasting cargo cult, formed on this island nation that was once called New Hebrides.
Vanuatu
The second smallest country in the world, behind Vatican City. Till its phosphate resources were exhausted, its residents enjoyed a high standard of living.
Nauru
This island of Vanuatu is famous for being the birthplace of bungee jumping.
Pentecost Island
Second largest of the Society Islands in French Polynesia (after Tahiti), this island is rich with cultural and historical significance as it is believed to be the birthplace of Polynesia. Known in legends as Hawaiki, "the homeland," many cultures believe that this is where the great Polynesian migration began, from which large double-hulled sailing canoes set out to colonize Hawaii and New Zealand.
Raiatea
Group of islands that are administratively divided into two parts - Guam and Northern ... Islands. Geography buffs would know that a certain trench named for them contains the Challenger Deep, the deepest point on the earth's surface.
Mariana Islands
Society Islands, Tuamotu Archipelago, Gambier Islands, Marquesas Islands and the Austral Islands are the five groups that collectively form this territory.
French Polynesia
The island of Yap in this country which achieved its independence from the US in the 1980s is noted for its use of stone currency. One of its islands Chuuk was an important Japanese naval base during WWII.
Federated States of Micronesia
Chile's possession and home of the Rapa Nui National Park. Hosts 887 of the most famous cultural artifacts known to mankind.
Easter Island
Largest of the Mariana Islands and a territory of the United States which has several military facilities there. As a Pacific tourist destination, it is second only to Hawaii.
Guam
Island country named for a derivation of British explorer Thomas Gilbert. It was previously split by the international date line but an act moved the line to its east in 1995. Encompasses the majority of Line Islands that were used for the testing of hydrogen bombs by both the UK and the US. Expected to be the first country to lose all its land territory to global climate change.
Kiribati
Bikini and Enewetak, both known as the site of nuclear tests, are located in this island nation.
Marshall Islands
Nicknamed the Friendly Islands by James Cook, this country is known today for being a constitutional monarchy (hence is ruled by a king). Has been under the rule of the Tupou dynasty since the 19th century.
Tonga
Group of islands of the French Polynesia that were thought to be named for the organization that sponsored James Cook's voyage. He, however, wrote that he named them for their proximity to each other. Tahiti, the largest city and center of French Polynesia, lies among them.
Society Islands
Its flag consists of a yellow disc on blue background, with the disc representeding the moon.
Palau
After Nauru, this country once known as the Ellis Islands is the smallest South Pacific country. Derives a lot of its revenue from the .tv internet domain allocated to it.
Tuvalu
Rarotonga is the capital as well as the largest city in this island group named for a well-known explorer. Has strong ties with New Zealand.
Cook Islands
The southernmost territory of the U.S. which is home to the only American national park south of the Equator.
American Samoa
This country named for a biblical king will forever be in American consciousness due to the bitter Battle of Guadalcanal fought there in the Pacific theater of WWII.
Solomon Islands
The name of this island group that is part of the French Polynesia literally means "Land of Men." Known as the setting of Herman Melville's Typee. Though Gauguin is better-known for his association with Tahiti, this is where he died.
Marquesas Islands
A water bottling company and a golfing great of the 2000s are both based out of this island nation that has seen more than its fair share of coups. Its two islands Viti Levu and Vanua Levu account for the lions share of its population.
Fiji (Vijay Singh)
Name derives from their location on an old shipping route between California and Japan. Site of a major WWII battle that turned the tide of the war between the US and Japan.
Midway Islands
This five-letter country that used to market itself as the last place to view sunset jumped forward by one day in 2011 (omitting Dec 30) and has now become the first country to greet the new day. Known as the home of R.L. Stevenson and as the titular place of anthropologist Margaret Mead's best known work.
Samoa
Mead's book is Coming of Age in Samoa
Best known as the original home of Bounty mutineers.
Pitcairn