In today's world, Australasia is a topic that has gained great relevance and has become an object of interest for a wide spectrum of society. Since its emergence, Australasia has sparked debate, reflection and curiosity in different areas, generating conflicting opinions and diverse positions. Over time, Australasia has evolved and acquired different nuances, becoming a phenomenon that permeates different aspects of daily life. Therefore, it is pertinent to thoroughly and exhaustively address the different aspects surrounding Australasia, exploring its origins, its implications and its impact on the environment in which it operates. In this sense, this article seeks to delve into the exciting universe of Australasia, analyzing its multiple aspects and offering a panoramic vision that contributes to the enrichment of knowledge on this exciting topic.
Australasia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising Australia, New Zealand, and some neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term is used in a number of different contexts, including geopolitically, physiogeographically, philologically, and ecologically, where the term covers several slightly different but related regions.
Charles de Brosses coined the term (as French Australasie) in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes (1756). He derived it from the Latin for "south of Asia" and differentiated the area from Polynesia (to the east) and the southeast Pacific (Magellanica).
In the late 19th century, the term Australasia was used in reference to the "Australasian colonies". In this sense it related specifically to the British colonies south of Asia: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia, Victoria (i.e., the Australian colonies) and New Zealand. Australasia found continued geopolitical attention in the early 20th century. Historian Hansong Li finds that against the backdrop of British colonialism, German geopoliticians considered "Australasia" as a counterweight to the former German South Sea Edge (Südseerand), both of which form the "Indo-Pacific" region.
The New Zealand Oxford Dictionary gives two meanings of "Australasia". One, especially in Australian use, is "Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, and the neighbouring islands of the Pacific". The other, especially in New Zealand use, is just Australia and New Zealand.
Two Merriam-Webster dictionaries online (Collegiate and Unabridged) define Australasia as "Australia, New Zealand, and Melanesia". The American Heritage Dictionary online recognizes two senses in use: one more precise, being similar to the aforementioned senses,[clarification needed] and the other broader, loosely covering all of Oceania.
Arms | Flag | Name of region, followed by countries | Area (km2) |
Population (2021) |
Population density (per km2) |
Capital | ISO 3166-1 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australasia | |||||||
Ashmore and Cartier Islands (Australia) | 199 | ||||||
Australia | 7,686,850 | 25,921,089 | 3.1 | Canberra | AU | ||
Christmas Island (Australia) | 135 | 1,692 | 12.5 | Flying Fish Cove | CX | ||
Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Australia) | 14 | 593 | 42.4 | West Island | CC | ||
Coral Sea Islands (Australia) | 10 | 4 | 0.4 | ||||
New Zealand | 268,680 | 5,129,727 | 17.3 | Wellington | NZ | ||
Norfolk Island (Australia) | 35 | 2,302 | 65.8 | Kingston | NF | ||
Australasia (total) | 7,955,923 | 29,645,874 | 3.7 |