Oceania Climbing

Oceania is the area in the Pacific Ocean lying between the continents of Asia/Australia and the Americas. The ethno-cultural definition of Oceania incorporates the subregions of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. For the purposes of this site, the Polynesian islands of Hawaii are not included. Malaysian islands are also not included in this area, as they too are already included in Asia.

The vast majority of this area is ocean. What land does exist is either low lying coral atolls, providing no climbing opportunities, or so called high islands, which are nearly universally volcanic in origin. Therefore, the rock is volcanic basalt. Most of these island nations are economically underdeveloped and land laws/rights can make accessibility an issue. The climate of Oceania varies based on latitude (and occasionally altitude), though it is by and large tropical.

High island countries in Oceania include but are not limited to Fiji, Samoa, French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, et al), Federated States of Micronesia, New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tonga, among possible others...This site includes New Zealand and Indonesia in Oceania as well, though technically, they are part of other continental configurations.