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Exploring the Pacific: How Many Countries Make Up the Pacific Region?

Updated: Jan 10


From space, not much land can be seen in the Pacific, yet thousands of islands scattered across this ocean make many countries, and homes to many people.


The number of Pacific countries varies according to the definition. However, the number is largely agreed at around 13.



"Pacific Island" normally refers to nations and islands within Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia - three Pacific sub-regions. The 13 countries are listed alphabetically as follows:


  1. Federated States of Micronesia 🇫🇲

  2. Fiji 🇫🇯

  3. Kiribati 🇰🇮

  4. Marshall Islands 🇲🇭

  5. Nauru 🇳🇷

  6. New Zealand 🇳🇿

  7. Palau 🇵🇼

  8. Papua New Guinea 🇵🇬

  9. Samoa 🇼🇸

  10. Solomon Islands 🇸🇧

  11. Tonga 🇹🇴

  12. Tuvalu 🇹🇻

  13. Vanuatu 🇻🇺


Population


Together, these 13 countries, in addition to Pacific territories like New Caledonia or American Samoa (more on territories in another blog) have a combined population of approximately 46.4 million in January 2025. However, this number includes Australia's 26.8 million people as part of Oceania.


Australia isn't typically considered a Pacific nation though. This brings the population of Pacific islands to around 20 million, or just 0.25% of the globe's population.


The most populous of the Pacific islands is Papua New Guinea, followed by New Zealand and Fiji. The smallest Pacific country is Nauru with approximately 12,000 and the smallest territory is Nieu with 1,819 people.




 
 
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