Melanesia - Associated Islands

Associated Islands

The following islands and groups of islands since the 19th century have been considered part of Melanesia:

  • Amphlett Islands, Papua New Guinea
  • Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea
  • d'Entrecasteaux Islands, Papua New Guinea
  • Fiji
  • Louisiade Archipelago, Papua New Guinea
  • Maluku Islands, Indonesia
  • New Caledonia, France
  • New Guinea, politically divided between independent Papua New Guinea and the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua
  • Norfolk Island, Australia (geographically only)
  • Raja Ampat Islands, Indonesia
  • Rotuma, Fiji
  • Schouten Islands, Indonesia
  • Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands
  • Solomon Islands, politically divided between the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea and independent Solomon Islands
  • Torres Strait Islands, politically divided between Australia and Papua New Guinea
  • Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea
  • Vanuatu
  • Woodlark Island, Papua New Guinea

Norfolk Island, listed above, has archaeological evidence of East Polynesian rather than Melanesian settlement. Rotuma in Fiji has strong affinities culturally and ethnologically to Polynesia.

Based on ethnological factors, some of the islands to the west of the Moluccas, such as Flores, Sumba, Timor, Halmahera, Alor, and Pantar can also be considered to be part of Melanesia, although most people in this area do not make use of the term.

Read more about this topic:  Melanesia

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