2.  Oceania, the planet's smallest continent with 14 countries.  Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, as well as the thousands of coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific Ocean, including the Melanesia and Polynesia groups.  Oceania contains a wide variety of landforms, with most of the significant ones located in the countries of Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.  AustraliaPalau  Fiji Papua New Guinea  Kiribati Samoa  Marshall Islands Solomon Island  Micronesia Tonga  NauruTuvalu  New Zealand Vanuatu Africa ( 54 ), Europe (49), Asia (44 ), North America (23), Oceania (14), South America (12), Antartica (12) Continents with Number of countries

3. Namesake: The name "Oceania" (Océanie) was coined in 1812 by geographer Conrad Malte-Brun. It is from a French word derived from the Greek word (ōkeanós), or ocean. Hawaii is politically a part of North America, but geographically not part of any continent. HawaiiNorth America, Population: 35,670,000, 6th most populous continent.continent. Population Density: 4.2; without Australia's mainland, 16.1 Largest Countries (by size) AustraliaAustralia (7,686,850 sq km), Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea (468,840), New ZealandNew Zealand (268,680 sq km) Largest Countries (by pop.): AustraliaAustralia (22,028,000), Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea (5,172,033), New ZealandNew Zealand (4,108,037) Smallest Countries (by size): Nauru (21 sq km), Tuvalu (26 sq km), Marshall Islands (73,600 sq km)NauruTuvaluMarshall Islands Smallest Countries (by Population) : Tuvalu (11,046), Nauru(12,329), Palau (19,409)TuvaluNauruPalau Facts

4. Oceania is traditionally divided into three parts: Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia.

5. Australia Name: Australia (long form) Commonwealth of Australia Name: From the Latin australis, meaning "southern" Capital City: Canberra (367,752 pop.) Australia Population: 23,480,939 (2014 est.) Currency: Australian Dollar (AUD) Land Divisions: Australia has 6 states and 2 territories** They are: Australian Capital Territory**, New South Wales, Northern Territory**, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia Largest Cities: ( by population ) Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Newcastle, Canberra, Wollongong, Logan City Geographic Center: About 228.37 miles (367.52 km) east of Ayers Rock. 40% of the country's landmass covered by desert and sand dunes, the climate is very dry (and very hot) in those areas. 40% of the country's landmass

6. Location  Australia is one of the largest countries in the world, but it is also the smallest continent.  Located south of Asia, Australia lies between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.  Off the southeastern coast is the island of Tasmania, and along the northeastern coast is the world’s largest coral reef, the Great Barrier Reef.TasmaniaGreat Barrier Reef  Australia is a vast land so weather conditions vary widely and with over 40% of the country's landmass covered by desert and sand dunes. 40% of the country's landmass  Most of the interior of the country is a vast, dry area where few people live. It is known as the Outback, or “bush.”  The Outback spans the different geographic regions of the country. The western half of the continent is a plateau with several deserts, including the Great Victoria Desert and the Great Sandy Desert.  East of the plateau is a lowland area that rises to the Great Dividing Range, a range of mountains on the east coast.  In the southeast are the Australian Alps and Mount Kosciusko, Australia’s tallest mountain, stands 7,310 feet (2,228 meters) high.  Darling and Murray rivers also run through the southeast, Darling River is the longest river in Australia. Darling Murray Australia

7. The Australian flag consists of three elements: a)the Union Jack b)the Commonwealth Star and c)the Southern Cross.  In the upper left corner the Union Jack represents Australia's association with Great Britain.  Directly below the Union Jack is the white Commonwealth, or Federation star.  Six of the stars represent the unity of the states. The seventh point, added to stars in 1909, denotes territories of the Commonwealth of Australia. Australia Flag Animal: Kangaroo, Koala (unofficial) Bird: Emu National Anthem: "Advance Australia Fair“ Tree: Golden Wattle (evergreen, spreading shrub or small tree)

8.  Australia is extremely dry, with about 35 percent of the country receiving very little rain (if any). Almost 20 percent of available land is some form of desert.  AYERS ROCK (Uluru) Considered the largest solitary rock on the planet, its red sandstone surface smoothed by high winds over time is revered as a holy place and called Uluru by the aboriginal peoples. It's 1,143 ft. (348 m) high. red sandstone surface  CAPE YORK PENINSULA Described as the world's "last wilderness," and as one of the "wildest unexplored wilderness area on the planet,“. DARLING/MURRAY RIVER SYSTEM The Darling River, 1,160 miles (1,879 km) in length. DARLING RANGE This low mountain range runs through far southwestern Australia. Its highest point is Mt. Cooke at 1,910 Ft. (580 m). FRASER ISLAND Located along Australia's Coral Sea coastline, to the north of Brisbane (and not shown on this map), Fraser Island is Australia's fourth largest island (after Tasmania, Melville Island and Kangaroo Island), and the largest sand island in the world is 120 km long and about 15 km wide. AUSTRALIA LANDFORMS

9. GIBSON DESERT : Covered by small sand dunes and a few rocky hills, this 120,000 sq. mile desert is home to numerous Aboriginal reserves. GREAT ARTESIAN BASIN : Also know as "Channel Country," it's one of the largest artesian groundwater basins in the world and a vital source of water for Australian agriculture. GREAT DIVIDING RANGE : Running along the eastern/ southeastern edge of the country and extending on into Tasmania, these mountains and its varied ranges separate the dry Australian interior from the coastal areas. The highest point is Mt. Kosciusko in the Australian Alps at 7,310 ft. (2,228 m) high. The Blue Mountains World Heritage Area in New South Wales, about two hour's drive from Sydney. GREAT SANDY DESERT :At 150,000 sq. miles in size this arid expanse of Western Australia, south of the Kimberley Plateau, features scattered scrub vegetation and rocks. GREAT VICTORIA DESERT : Famous for its red sand dunes, indigenous wildlife and isolation, the Victoria Desert (250,000 sq. miles in size) extends for about 450 miles (750 km), and is mainly a barren area of red sand hills and ridges, dry salt lakes, with very little grassland.

10. GREAT BARRIER REEF : This spectacular coral reef, about 1,250 miles (2,000 km) in length contains the world's largest deposit of coral. It's not one continuous reef, but rather an irregular jigsaw puzzle of over 2,800 individual coral reefs and assorted coral cays. Famed worldwide for its beauty and wildlife (over 1,500 species of fish alone), it became Australia's first World Heritage Area in 1981. HAMERSLEY RANGE :Homeland of many Aboriginal peoples. This national park is famed for its red rock gorges and waterfalls. KIMBERLEY PLATEAU The Kimberley, much of it still unexplored, is famous for the very strong ocean tide that flows in (twice daily), causing dangerous river rapids and whirlpools. Dozens of islands and coral reefs dot the rugged coastline, and access to this area of Australia is most difficult, as roads are few. LAKE EYRE BASIN MACDONNELL RANGE Made famous by Ayers Rock and a favorite of campers and rock climbers, this series of rolling hills, mountain ridges and valleys is popular because of consistently good weather and beautiful scenery. The highest point is Mt. Ziel at 5,023 ft. (1,5312 m).

11. NULLARBOR PLAIN : Along the southern coastline on the Great Australian Bight, (Bight: a bend or curve in the shoreline) the local terrain is unparalleled. Enormous stretches of pure white sand are found in the Bilbunya Dunes and the Baxter Cliffs along the Bight are absolutely stunning. SHARK BAY ;Shark Bay is one of only 14 places on the planet natural for World Heritage listings. The bay has the largest area of seagrass species in one place, and supports a rich aquatic life of dolphins, dugongs, sea snakes, turtles, whales, and of course sharks. SIMPSON DESERT : At 56,000 sq. miles in size this desert of sand drifts and wind-blown sand dunes receives very little rain and summer heat can be brutal. High temperatures in the desert often exceed 120º F, and even though humans are advised to be cautious here in summer, the desert itself is far from lifeless. Tourists are commonplace in winter and many visit the strikingly beautiful landscapes of the Queensland Simpson Desert National Park. TANAMI DESERT Similar to the Great Sandy Desert, it has large areas of red sand plains, scrub vegetation and a few scattered hills. It's mostly uninhabited with some isolated mining and livestock raising.

12. Uluru/Ayers Rock : is one of Australia's most famous landmarks and world heritage UNESCO site.  Uluru/Ayers Rock is one of the best-known features of the Australian landscape.  Parts of the rock and the land around it are sacred to the Aborigines of the area. play the file Australia: sea stacks  The unusual rock formations off the coast of Victoria, Australia, are called sea stacks.  They were formed over thousands of years by the water washing away at the stone. The process continues, and in 2005 one of the rocks collapsed into the water  Uluru/Ayers Rock is composed of a type of coarse-grained sandstone known as arkose. The rock appears in different shades of pinks, reds, oranges, and browns depending on the position of the sun

13.  Wave Rock in Australia is a formation of granite, an igneous rock.  The colored bands are not layers but stains.  Wave Rock is a natural rock formation that is shaped like a tall breaking ocean wave. The "wave" is about 14 m (46 ft) high and around 110 m (360 ft) long.  It forms the north side of a solitary hill, which is known as "Hyden Rock. Wave Rock Bungle Bungle Range Eroded sandstone landform formations of the Bungle Bungle Range rise behind a dry creek bed, in Western Australia's Purnululu National Park.  Beehive -shaped towers are made up of sandstones and conglomerates.conglomerates  Aboriginal people have been living in the area and traditional inhabitants of the area are the Kitja peoples. It is believed that this feature is the eroded remnant of a very ancient meteorite impact crater and is known as the Piccaninny impact structure.meteoriteimpact craterPiccaninny impact structure

14. The Sydney Opera House was built on Bennelong Point. Sydney Opera House  The Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of northeastern Australia, is one of the natural wonders of the world.  E xtensive array of coral reefs, shoals, and islets, the Great Barrier Reef lies in the Pacific Ocean off the Queensland coast.coralGreat Barrier Reef  It extends for more than 1,250 miles (2,000 kilometers) and covers an area of some 135,000 square miles (350,000 square kilometers).  The reef has formed over millions of years—and is still forming—from the skeletons of undersea organisms “cemented” together by algae and bryozoans, or moss animals. Great Barrier Reef : was designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 20 October 1973 presented, as its first performance, the Australian Opera's production of War and Peace cost $AU 102,000,000 to build conducts 3000 events each year provides guided tours to 200,000 people each year has an annual audience of 2 million for its performances includes 1000 rooms

15. New Zealand Name: New Zealand From the Dutch Nieuw Zeeland, which translates to "new sea land" and was a reference to the Dutch province of Zeeland Capital City: Wellington (395,600 pop.) New Zealand Population: 4,451,017 (2012 est.) Currency : New Zealand Dollar (NZD or NZ$) Language: English 91.2% (official), Maori 3.9% (official), Samoan 2.1%, French 1.3%, Hindi 1.1%, Yue 1.1%, Northern Chinese 1%, other 12.9%, New Zealand Sign Language (official) Religion: Anglican 13.8%, Roman Catholic 12.6%, Presbyterian, Congregational, and Reformed 10%, Christian (no denomination specified) 4.6%, Methodist 3%, Pentecostal 2%, Baptist 1.4%, other Christian 3.8%, Maori Christian 1.6%, Hindu 1.6%, Buddhist 1.3%, other religions 2.2%, none 32.2%, other or unidentified 9.9%.

16. New Zealand Flag:  The New Zealand Flag was officially adopted on June 12, 1902.  The flag's blue background represents the Pacific Ocean.  The Union Jack in the upper left hand corner is the recognition that New Zealand was once a British colony.  Stars of the Southern Cross emphasize its location in the South Pacific. Bird: Kiwi Flower: Silver Fern National Anthems: "God Defend New Zealand“ "Aotearoa"(MaoriVersion) "God Save The Queen"

17.  New Zealand is a country made up of islands in the South Pacific Ocean.  The Maori people lived on the islands for hundreds of years before Europeans arrived in the 1600s.  New Zealand lies about 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) southeast of Australia. It is the farthest south of all the countries in the region called Oceania.  New Zealand’s two main islands are called the North Island and the South Island ( separated by the Cook Strait).  On the South Island the Southern Alps contain the country’s highest peak, Mount Cook (Aoraki).  New Zealand’s longest river, the Waikato, is on the North Island. MANAWATU East and west of the mountain backbone, the rolling lowlands of the Manawatu region support prosperous dairy and sheep farms. The sand dunes of the Manawatu coast are planted with pine forests to hold the shifting sand..

18. New Zealand: Maori village  A Maori village in Rotorua, New Zealand, includes buildings with complex wood carvings.  Maori artists are famous for their fine, traditional carvings The kiwi is a flightless bird that is the national symbol of New Zealand.

19. Kiribati Official Name : Republic of Kiribati Population :103,100 Capital City : South Tarawa Languages I-Kiribati (Gilbertese), English (official) Official Currency Australian Dollar Religions :Catholic, Protestant, others Land Area 849 sq km (328 sq miles) Exports: copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish These low-lying coral atolls, (33 in all) are the protruding tips of undersea volcanoes, and extend only a few feet above sea level.

20.  The Republic of Kiribati consists of 33 islands in the central Pacific Ocean and part of Oceania continent. Kiribati gained independence from Britain in 1979.  Most of the islands are low atolls, or coral reefs surrounding a lagoon.  The capital is Bairiki, on Tarawa Atoll.Bairiki  Kiribati includes three island groups—the Gilbert Islands, the Phoenix Islands, and most of the Line Islands—and Banaba Island.  The islands are spread over about 2 million square miles (5 million square kilometers). Kiribati extends about 1,300 miles (2,100 kilometers) from Teraina Island to Flint Island, and about 2,250 miles (3,600 kilometers) from Kiritimati Island to Banaba  Kiritimati (Christmas Island), in the Line Islands, is the world’s largest coral atoll. It makes up nearly half of the country’s land area. The islands are spread over about 2 million square miles (5 million square kilometers).  Almost all the people of Kiribati are Micronesians, & mostly everyone is Christian.  Most people speak Gilbertese, but English is common on Tarawa Atoll. Most of the population lives in the Gilbert Islands, on Tarawa. most of Kiribati the people live in huts in traditional villages. Tarawa Atoll Seaweed: farming Men farm seaweed in the shallow waters off the coast of Tabiteuea, Kiribati.

21. Fiji Name: Fiji (Republic of Fiji) Name: "Fiji" is derived from the name of the main island Viti Levu Capital City: Suva (88,271 pop.) (175,399 metro) Fiji Population: 849,000 (2010 est.) Currency: Fiji Dollar Currency: Ethnicity: Fijian 57.3% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture), Indian 37.6%, Rotuman 1.2%, other 3.9% (European, other Pacific Islanders, Chinese) Language: English (official), Fijian (official), Hindustani Largest Cities: (by population) Suva, Lautoka, Nadi, Lambasa, Ba Religion: Christian 64.5% (Methodist 34.6%, Roman Catholic 9.1%, Assembly of God 5.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 3.9%, Anglican 0.8%, other 10.4%), Hindu 27.9%, Muslim 6.3%, Sikh 0.3%, other or unspecified 0.3%, none 0.7%)

22.  The Union Jack (upper left), is representative of the country's long association with Great Britain.  The flag's blue field is symbolic of the surrounding Pacific Ocean.  The coat of arms display a golden British lion holding a cocoa pod.  Panels displaying a palm tree, sugar cane, bananas and dove of peace.

23. Land Divisions: There are 4 divisions and 1 dependency* in Fiji. They are Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*, and Western.  Located in the South Pacific Ocean, some 1,300 miles (2,000 km) northeast of New Zealand's North Island.South Pacific OceanNew Zealand's  The island nation of Fiji is comprised of more than 332 islands, of which 110 are inhabited, and an additional 500 islets. The two largest islands are Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, and between the two of them make up 87% of Fiji's total landmass. These mountainous islands were formed around 150 million years ago through volcanic activity, and are subsequently covered in thick tropical forests. Most of Fiji's mountains are dormant or extinct volcanoes. Mount Tomanivi, located on the main island of Viti Levu, is the highest point at 4,341 feet (1,324 m), and the lowest point is the Pacific Ocean (0 m). Pacific Ocean

24. Vanuatu Official Name : Republic of Vanuatu Population : 208,869 Capital City : Port-Vila (39,300) Languages : English, French, Bislama, (a Melanesian Pidgin), and numerous local dialects Official Currency : Vatu Religions : Presbyterian, Anglican, others Land Area :12,190 sq km (4,707 sq mil.) Highest Point Mount Tabwemanasana stands at 6,165 ft. (1,879 m)  Vanuatu is an archipelago of 83 islands lying between New Caledonia and Fiji in the South Pacific. 60 islets that form a Y- shaped chain in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.  Largest of the islands is Espiritu Santo (875 sq mi; 2,266 sq km); others are Efate, Malekula, Malo, Pentecost, and Tanna. FACTS

26. Antarctica ( ă ntärk ˈ tĭk ə, –är ˈ tĭk ə ):, the fifth largest continent, c.5,500,000 sq mi (14,245,000 sq km), asymmetrically centered on the South Pole and almost entirely within the Antarctic Circle.(varies due to changing ice shelves) Percent of Earth's Land : 8.9% Status : Antarctica, almost 98% solid ice, was finally considered a continent in 1840, and not just a group of isolated islands. Capital City none Climate : Antarctica is the coldest and windiest spot on the planet. In fact, the lowest temperature ever recorded on Earth was recorded in Antarctica (-129.3ºF) and the mean winter temperatures range from -40º to -94ºF. Winds are commonly measured at up to 200 miles per hour. Facts: Highest Point Vinson Massif at 16,066 ft. (4,897 m) Lowest Point Bentley Subglacial Trench, -2,555 m) Official Language none Official Currency none

27.  The icy continent surrounding the South Pole is called Antarctica. Its name means “opposite to the Arctic,” referring to the region around the North Pole.Arctic  Antarctica is the fifth in size among the continents, larger than Europe and Australia.continents  It is essentially circular except for the Antarctic Peninsula and two indentations created by the Ross Sea and the Weddell Sea.  The Ross Sea is a southern extension of the Pacific Ocean, and the Weddell Sea is part of the Atlantic Ocean.  At its thickest point the ice sheet is 15,670 feet (4,776 meters) deep—almost 3 miles (5 kilometers). It averages 7,000 to 8,000 feet (2,100 to 2,400 meters) thick, making Antarctica the continent with the highest mean elevation.  This ice sheet contains 90 percent of the world’s ice and 70 percent of the world’s fresh water.  Lake Vostok, beneath the Russian Vostok research station in Eastern Antarctica.. The Transantarctic Mountains extend for more than 2,000 miles (3,200 kms) across the continent, dividing the ice sheet into two parts. The larger, eastern part—called East Antarctica —rests on land that is mostly above sea level. The smaller, western part called West Antarctica—is on land that is mostly below sea level

28.  Operation Deep Freeze," by USA concentrated on the building of McMurdo Station, a major base of operations, on Ross Island;  The Russians concentrated on East Antarctica, building Mirnyy, a station on the Queen Mary Coast and three bases inland: Komsomolskaya, Vostok (at the South Magnetic Pole), and Sovetskaya.  Antarctica does not have 24-hour periods divided into days and nights. At the South Pole the sun rises on about September 21 and moves in a circular path until it sets on about March 22. This “day,” or summer, is six months long. From March 22 until September 21 the South Pole is dark, and Antarctica has its “night,” or winter  The first recorded landing on Antarctica was on Cape Adare in 1895. The first people to spend a winter on the continent did so in a ship that was caught in ice at Cape Adare during the period from March 1898 to March 1899. Englishmen Robert F. Scott and Ernest Henry Shackleton led expeditions to the Antarctic between 1901 and 1913, who pioneered routes into the interior of the continent, and the research they conducted provided a base for present-day scientific programs. Robert F. Scott On December 14, 1911, Roald Amundsen of Norway became the first person to reach the South Pole. Roald Amundsen