Pacific Countries Travel Guide | Trip to Pacific Continent

Pacific is the name given to a group of islands which are spread over a huge area of the Pacific Ocean, the majority of which lie in the southern hemisphere. Many of the “island paradises” are fast becoming major tourist destinations- especially around Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. The Pacific ranges in size from the large island continent of Australia, through medium sized nations such as Papua New Guinea and New Zealand, to much smaller countries, such as Vanuatu and Tonga. On cultural grounds, the Pacific region can be divided into four groups, the first Micronesia, lies east of the Philippines. Melanesia, the second group lies east of Indonesia and Australia. Polynesia, the third lies in the centre of the Pacific Ocean and the fourth group comprises of Australia and New Zealand. Australia is the only country which is also a continent in its own right, the smallest of the seven.

Pacific can be divided into two climatic zones: temperate and tropical. A large part of Australia and all of New Zealand lie in the temperate zone, while most of the island countries of the Pacific are tropical. Persistent trade winds dominate much of pacific, and tropical cyclones often cause considerable damage. Large parts of Australia are arid or semiarid. Humid zones are found along most of the east coast and Tasmania, and in part of the northern coast during summer. Most of New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and most of the islands in the pacific are humid. However, droughts associated with the El Nino phenomenon have been frequent in recent decades in northern Australia and Papua New Guinea. Rainforests, both tropical and temperate, occur in all the humid regions of Pacific – Australia and the larger and high islands.

The steep sided inlets of the islands of pacific allow cruise liners to hug the coast, providing matchless views of these dramatic landscapes. Cruises attract all kinds of travelers and cater for an increasingly wide range of tastes. Caribbean cruises allow almost daily shore visits, for shopping and exploring. Transpacific cruises provide lavish on – board entertainment during the long sea passages. Cruise companies also vary in their appeal: some include lectures on the places they visit; others take a far less serious approach. The climate and geography of the Pacific are as diverse as the region itself, ranging from the rainforests of northern Australia, and the glaciers of southern New Zealand , to the coral atolls and volcanoes which form many of the Pacific islands. Early peoples sailed from New Guinea to the nearest islands known as Melanesia. Over the next few thousand years they settled on other islands. To the north they arrived in the region known today as Micronesia.

Culturally, Pacific can be divided into two major groups: the predominantly European settlements of Australia and New Zealand, and Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia, which have been long settled by Pacific peoples. New Caledonia is partially settled by Europeans. During the Colonial era, the entire region came under European influence. This resulted in English and French becoming important languages. English is the official language of New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon islands, Vanuatu, and Fiji. French is spoken in New Caledonia and French Polynesia.

Australia and New Zealand both have modern diversified economies with well-established infrastructures. Australia is particularly well favored as it has rich mineral deposits and energy sources. Manufacturing, including food processing, makes an important contribution to the economy of these pacific nations. In contrast the other islands of the Pacific are not industrially developed. Papua New Guinea is rich in minerals such as copper and gold, and has recently discovered natural gas fields. There are nickel deposits n new Calenodia and gold in Fiji, both of which are exported rather than used in local industries. Australia has four major deserts – the Simpson, Gibson, Great Sandy, and Great Victoria. Together they cover most of the heart of the continent in a vast, barren area, known as the outback. Very few people live in the outback, though the dry conditions are good for raising sheep and cattle. Papua New Guinea is the eastern end of the island of New Guinea. The western end is Irian Jaya, part of Indonesia. Papua is a country of high mountains and thick forests. The highest peak, Mount Wilhelm, reaches 4,300 m and is often snow-capped, despite lying close to the Equator. Lower down, the climate is hot and humid, ideal for the growth of the rich, tropical rainforests which cover two-thirds of the island.

Some Pacific islands are steep-sided volcanoes, rising out of the sea. The Hawaiian Islands are a chain of 132 islands that were formed by “hot spot” volcanoes. Most volcanoes occur along the edges of the plates which make up the Earth’s crust. But hot spot volcanoes are found over isolated plumes of magma rising up through the sea floor. As the plates of crust move across a hot spot, a new volcano is born. At present, the hot spot lies under the island of Hawaii itself. New Zealand’s North Island is part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire”. The world’s largest coral reef lies off the northeast coast of Australia.

From the luxury of the orient – express to the Spartan rigors of the Trans- Siberian Railway, the region’s great journeys exert an irresistible lure for many travelers, passing through spectacular landscapes. For the adventurous traveler, the stunning landscapes of rock and sand which make up some of the Pacific’s most inhospitable environments offer a challenge. So guys pack your bags to face the challenge not to be missed out.

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