The indigenous peoples of Oceania are those peoples identified as indigenous peoples, as per the modern global definition of the term. The term indigenous peoples has no universal, standard or fixed definition. ...

Many of the present-day Pacific Island nations in the Oceania region were originally populated by Polynesian, Melanesian and Micronesian peoples over the course of thousands of years. European colonial expansion in the Pacific brought many of these under non-indigenous administration. During the 20th century several of these former colonies gained independence and nation-states were formed under local control. However, various peoples have put forward claims for indigenous recognition where their islands are still under external administration; examples include the Chamorros of Guam and the Northern Marianas, and the Marshallese of the Marshall Islands. The Pacific Ocean has an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 islands; the exact number is unknown. ... Map of Oceania. ... Polynesia is generally defined as the islands within the triangle Polynesia (from Greek, poly = many and nesos = island) is a large grouping of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. ... Melanesia (from Greek black islands) is a region extending from the west Pacific to the Arafura Sea, north and north-east of Australia. ... The Pacific Ocean (from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, peaceful sea, bestowed upon it by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan) is the worlds largest body of water. ... Chamorros are Micronesians, who are the native peoples of Guam and Northern Marianas. ... The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) is a commonwealth in political union with the United States of America at a strategic location in the West Pacific Ocean. ...

In New Zealand, the indigenous Maori (see also Iwi) constitute nearly 15% of the total population. Te Puni, Māori Chief Māori is the name of the indigenous people of New Zealand, and their language. ... Iwi (pronounced ee-wee) are the largest everyday social units in Māori society. ...

The indigenous peoples of Australia are the Australian Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, who combined account for 2.4% of the total population (2001 census figures). Aboriginal Flag Australian Aborigines is a name used to collectively describe most of the indigenous peoples of the Australian continent and its nearby islands. ... Torres Strait Islander Flag Torres Strait Islanders are the indigenous people of the Torres Strait Islands, part of Queensland, Australia. ...

The independent state of Papua New Guinea (PNG) has a majority population of indigenous societies, with some 700+ different tribal groups recognised out of a total population of just over 5 million. The PNG Constitution and other Acts identify traditional or custom-based practices and land tenure, and explicitly sets out to promote the viability of these traditional societies within the modern state. However, several conflicts and disputes concerning land use and resource rights continue to be observed between indigenous groups, the government and corporate entities. The Independent State of Papua New Guinea, often referred to by just the initials, PNG, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea (the other half is the Papua province of Indonesia). ...

See also

• List of indigenous peoples