Seriously, when did Australia become Oceania?

[gandpsmommy]

And what about the Southern Ocean? I'm just shocked that I didn't know these things? When did the changes occur? Thanks.

[Tam101]

Yeah, I've been reading about this same thing this morning. Threw me for loop for sure. I found something that said that Oceania was renamed Southern in 2000. I would guess it was at the same time that they started calling Australia by Oceania (they must just be trying to mess with us at least pick a new name and leave the oceans the same instead of moving it!)

 

BUT this is what Wikipedia says:

New Zealand is not on the same continental shelf and so is not part of the continent of Australia but is part of the submerged continent Zealandia. Zealandia and Australia together are part of the wider region known as Oceania or Australasia.

 

So technically Oceania isn't a continent but a region.

[ChristusG]

Wow, I have never even heard of the term "Oceania."

[Rose in BC]

Wow, I have never even heard of the term "Oceania."

 

Except in LOST . . . Oceanic Airlines . . .that's what popped into my mind when I read the thread this morning.

[lcelmer]

Wikipedia article....

Oceania (sometimes Oceanica[1]) is a geographical, often geopolitical, region consisting of numerous lands—mostly islands in the Pacific Ocean and vicinity. The term "Oceania" was coined in 1831 by French explorer Dumont d'Urville. The term is used today in many languages to denote a continent comprising Australia and proximate Pacific islands,[2][3][4] and is one of eight terrestrial ecozones.

 

 

The boundaries of Oceania are defined in a number of ways. Most definitions include parts of Australasia such as Australia, New Zealand, and New Guinea, and all or part of the Malay Archipelago.[5][6][7] Ethnologically, the islands that are included in Oceania are divided into the subregions of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.[8]

 

[usetoschool]

Our talking globe refers to the entire south Pacific island area as Oceania. That whole south ocean thing kind of bugs me though - there are some breaking points between other oceans but I just don't see it when they delineate a "southern" ocean. We went through an Australasia phase with some of our maps. Apparently that didn't catch on for map making and labeling so it is all Oceania now?

[LizzyBee]

Last year when my dd was in the local National Geographic Bee, the participants were told that the continent is Australia, and Oceania would be considered an incorrect answer.

[Chris in VA]

The continent is Australia, but in Britain, the region, not the continent, is named in the continent lists. Funny, huh?

[MamaBearTeacher]

I learned Oceania in school in the early 1980s. We were told that it was the continent name for Australia and New Zealand and that Australia was the name of the country. I have been confused ever since whenever I heard people refer to Australia as the continent and I was surprised by your post.

[asta]

Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia/Eurasia.

 

 

:auto:

[Crimson Wife]

I learned Oceania in school in the early 1980s. We were told that it was the continent name for Australia and New Zealand and that Australia was the name of the country. I have been confused ever since whenever I heard people refer to Australia as the continent and I was surprised by your post.

 

:iagree:

 

I always heard that Australia, New Zealand, and the Polynesian islands were all part of the continent of "Oceania".

[melmichigan]

I was thinking of this the other day when I read the post about high school kids not knowing the oceans and continents. Until I started HS I had never heard of either of these, and I know I got an A in Geography in college. :001_huh:

[GoVanGogh]

 

Last year when my dd was in the local National Geographic Bee, the participants were told that the continent is Australia, and Oceania would be considered an incorrect answer.

According to the National Geographic Bee regulations, they do not accept Oceania... Nor do they accept the Southern Ocean as an answer.

[Jumping In Puddles]

Our talking globe refers to the entire south Pacific island area as Oceania. That whole south ocean thing kind of bugs me though - there are some breaking points between other oceans but I just don't see it when they delineate a "southern" ocean. We went through an Australasia phase with some of our maps. Apparently that didn't catch on for map making and labeling so it is all Oceania now?

 

They delineate a Southern Ocean because the southern part of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans all behave consistently and have a similar current and other attributes it makes sense to them to refer to it as the Southern Ocean instead of always saying "in the southern Indian, Atlantic and Pacific oceans..." The southern Indian Ocean areas don't really look like or behave like the northern Indian Ocean but it looks and acts similarly to the Southern A&P Oceans.

[min]

Terri, Australia has recognised the Southern Ocean for a while, but apparently it has only recently been recognised by the rest of the world so don't worry if you didn't know the term - you didn't forget anything crucial! (Don't know where I read that, sorry! Or perhaps, I read it somewhere and thought "oh that's interesting, a non-Aus source referring to Southern Ocean. Hmm, I'm a bit vague today!)

 

In school, back in the dark ages, we were taught that Australia was both the smallest continent and the largest island. New Zealand and the other countries weren't part of that definition. I didn't hear the term "Oceania" until I was in my 20s and it was a term used by some Europeans for the whole region - much in the same way that Singapore is part of Asia.

 

I think it is a bit like how Pluto (?) is no longer a planet... Ideas change and so do definitions. Makes it hard!

 

Miranda

Edited November 25, 2009 by min

[lauracolumbus]

Oceania sounds so Orwellian.

[akmommy]

Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia/Eurasia.

 

 

:auto:

 

 

:lol: That was the first thought that popped into my head, too. I just watched 1984 the other night.

 

ETA: Our globe labels the Southern Ocean as the Southern Pacific Ocean and Southern Atlantic Ocean.

Edited November 25, 2009 by akmommy

[gardening momma]

Wow, I have never even heard of the term "Oceania."

 

Except in LOST . . . Oceanic Airlines . . .that's what popped into my mind when I read the thread this morning.

 

Oceania sounds so Orwellian.

I lived in Oceana County in Michigan for several years. :001_smile:

[Sara Mac]

I learned Oceania in school in the early 1980s. We were told that it was the continent name for Australia and New Zealand and that Australia was the name of the country. I have been confused ever since whenever I heard people refer to Australia as the continent and I was surprised by your post.

 

I'll join you in the confusion and I *live* in Australia. It used to drive me nuts when my dh would remark that Australia was a country, an island and a continent. My response was that Australia couldn't possibly be a continent because New Zealand and a myriad of little islands are part of the continent but certainly not part of this country.

 

I switch between Oceania and Australasia when teaching my kids but I point blank refuse to call the whole continent Australia. :tongue_smilie:

[Peela]

I'll join you in the confusion and I *live* in Australia. It used to drive me nuts when my dh would remark that Australia was a country, an island and a continent. My response was that Australia couldn't possibly be a continent because New Zealand and a myriad of little islands are part of the continent but certainly not part of this country.

 

I switch between Oceania and Australasia when teaching my kids but I point blank refuse to call the whole continent Australia. :tongue_smilie:

 

I am Australian too and i never heard of what you are saying :)

A continent is just a large land mass and Australia is a continent surrounded by ocean...New Zealand is not part of the Australian continent, surely. I mean, you go deep enough under the ocean and we are all connected :)

Australia is Australia. The general area all around and to the north of Australia is covered in many small and large islandes, and together they are called Oceania- the term Australasia used to be used but I dont know how official it way....it seems perfectly natural and practical to me that Oceania is used to explain a larger geographical area than just Australia the continent.

But we in Australia do not think of ourselves as "Oceania" very much, although technically, it is politically correct nowadays to do so. We are just Australians, the same as French think of themselves as French, even though they are part of Europe.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

And what about the Southern Ocean? I'm just shocked that I didn't know these things? When did the changes occur? Thanks.

 

Thanks for posting these questions! I remember the first time I came across these terms homeschooling my kids, and wondering what else I had missed in the 25 years I'd been out of school. I'm happy to have some clarification so that the next time it turns up, I'll be more prepared!

[Mabelen]

Wikipedia article....

 

Oceania (sometimes Oceanica[1]) is a geographical, often geopolitical, region consisting of numerous lands—mostly islands in the Pacific Ocean and vicinity. The term "Oceania" was coined in 1831 by French explorer Dumont d'Urville. The term is used today in many languages to denote a continent comprising Australia and proximate Pacific islands,[2][3][4] and is one of eight terrestrial ecozones.

 

 

The boundaries of Oceania are defined in a number of ways. Most definitions include parts of Australasia such as Australia, New Zealand, and New Guinea, and all or part of the Malay Archipelago.[5][6][7] Ethnologically, the islands that are included in Oceania are divided into the subregions of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.[8]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I learned about Oceania as a continent back in the 60s and 70s in school in Spain.

[keptwoman]

I've lived in New Zealand most of my life and now live in Australia. I think we were taught Australasia as the region but I don't really know to be honest. It wasn't big on our radar. We were NZ and the big place next door was Australia. I still wouldn't have a clue what to call the region if asked.

 

On the other hand I've heard of the Southern Ocean for many years. My DS is mad keen on sailing and can tell you all about exactly what delineates the Southern Ocean. Me... I'm still clueless. All I know is that when the wind blows a stinking Southerly and feels like it's full of icechips... it's coming off the Southern Ocean :rofl:

[Melissa in Australia]

I learned in geography at school that Australia is the largest Island, and the smallest continent. all the little islands including New Zealand are called pacific Islands and really aren't in any continent. Indonesia etc, is part of Asia. And it is the south pacific ocean .

I am sticking with this and this is what I teach my children

[Laura Corin]

I am Australian too and i never heard of what you are saying :)

A continent is just a large land mass and Australia is a continent surrounded by ocean...New Zealand is not part of the Australian continent, surely. I mean, you go deep enough under the ocean and we are all connected :)

Australia is Australia.

 

I was taught that the United Kingdom was part of Europe because it was on the same continental shelf. Indeed, I recently learned that much of the North sea was inhabited during the last ice age, when sea levels were lower.

 

Are Australia and New Zealand on the same continental shelf, with just shallow seas between, or is it deep ocean? This map suggests that you have deep ocean there.

 

Laura

[monk17]

First time that I heard that term was 1984. Oceania has always been our friend, Oceania is our enemy no wait....