THE PACIFIC REALM
CHAPTER 11: part 3
MAJOR GEOGRAPHIC
QUALITIES
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THE LARGEST TOTAL AREA OF ALL
GEOGRAPHIC REALMS
THE SMALLEST LAND AREA OF ANY OF
THE REALMS
A HIGHLY FRAGMENTED REALM
COMPRISED OF HIGH-ISLAND AND LOWISLAND CULTURES
A REALM IN POLITICO-GEOGRAPHICAL
TRANSITION
REGIONAL CHARACTER
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TOTAL LAND AREA IS ABOUT 376,000
SQUARE MILES (TEXAS + NEW MEXICO)
COLONIZED BY THE FRENCH, BRITISH,
AND THE US
TOTAL POPULATION IS < 10 MILLION
TOURISM IS THE ECONOMIC MAINSTAY;
SOME MINERALS, FISHING
POLITICAL ORGANIZATION
–
INDEPENDENT STATES, COLONIES,
DEPENDENCIES, AND ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS
SUVA, FIJI
REGIONS

MELANESIA- (MELAS MEANS BLACK)
–

MICRONESIA- (MICRO MEANS SMALL)
–
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WEST IRIAN, PAPUA NEW GUINEA, SOLOMON ISLANDS,
VANATU, NEW CALEDONIA, FIJI
PALAU, FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA,
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS, REPUBLIC OF THE
MARSHALL ISLANDS, NAURU, WESTERN KIRIBATI, GUAM
POLYNESIA- (POLY MEANS MANY)
–
KIRIBATI, COOK ISLANDS, FRENCH HAWAII, SAMOA,
AMERICAN SAMOA, TUVALU, TONGA, EASTERN
POLYNESIA
MICRONESIA
MELANESIA
NOUMEA, NEW CALEDONIA
POLYNESIA
BORA BORA
PORT OF PAPEETE, TAHITI
HIGH-ISLAND VS LOW-ISLAND
DICHOTOMY

HIGH-ISLANDS
–
–
–
–
–
–
VOLCANIC
HIGH ELEVATIONS/RUGGED RELIEF
WELL-WATERED
GOOD SOILS
AGRICULTURAL DIVERSITY
TEND TO HAVE LARGER POPULATIONS
HIGH-ISLAND VS LOW-ISLAND
DICHOTOMY

LOW-ISLANDS
–
–
–
–
–
INCLUDE THE MAJORITY OF THE
REALM’S ISLANDS
COMPOSED OF CORAL
LOW ELEVATION/RELIEF
DROUGHT IS COMMON
FISHING AND COCONUT PALM ARE
MAINSTAYS
MARINE GEOGRAPHY

A SUB-FIELD OF GEOGRAPHY CONCERNED WITH
THE SPATIAL ARRANGEMENT OF THE SEAS, ITS
RESOURCES AND MARITIME BOUNDARIES

KEY TERMS
–
–
–
–
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TERRITORIAL SEA (12 MILE LIMIT)
EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE (200 MILES)
HIGH SEAS
MEDIAN LINE BOUNDARIES
CONTINENTAL SHELF (DOWN TO 600 FEET AND
OUT TO 200 MILES)
WORLD
MARITIME
CLAIMS
ANTARCTICA
 THE
ICE-COVERED CONTINENT
 MCMURDO STATION
 ROSS ICE SHELF
 ANTARCTICA - A REALM?
 MULTIPLE CLAIMS
THE PACIFIC REALM
(CHAPTER 12: 551-563)