In 1520 Magellan, a Portuguese explorer, rounded the southern tip of South America and headed northwest across the Pacific. After a difficult voyage, the expedition reached land at Guam.
Melanesia is primarily a geographic term used to describe a group of islands in the South Pacific that includes the large island of Papau/Papau New Guinea and a smaller chain of islands that stretches east from Papau New Guinea.
Polynesia is a loose geographic term that refers to a group of Pacific Islands that lies east of a line that runs from Hawaii to New Zealand. The easternmost point is called Easter Island. The native populations of New Zealand and Hawaii are also considered to be part of Polynesia.
Micronesia is a recent political development that places a large group of small-sized islands, which dot across 2,000 miles of open ocean between Hawaii and the Philippines, under one political entity. Together, they make up a meager 271 square miles of land.
The traditional music of the Pacific Islands can be listened to and enjoyed on several radio stations that are available worldwide on the Internet. The stations include Pacific Islands Radio, Radio Melanesia, Micronesia Music Radio and Pacific Music Radio---mp3PRO FM Stereo.
Many anthropologists believe the first arrivals in Oceania came from Africa and formed the basis for the Aboriginal population in Australia and also for the mainstream culture in Papua New Guinea.
Article Written By Henri Bauholz
Henri Bauholz is a professional writer covering a variety of topics, including hiking, camping, foreign travel and nature. He has written travel articles for several online publications and his travels have taken him all over the world, from Mexico to Latin America and across the Atlantic to Europe.