Pacific Islands, otherwise Oceanus, is a constellation of more than 25,000 islands as well as atolls of more than 20 nations and territories that are spread across the central and western Pacific Ocean. Sprawling over millions of square kilometers, Pacific Islands' total land area is about four-fifths of the size of Alaska. Significant of the members of the Pacific Islands are Australia, New Zealand, Federated States of Micronesia, and Republic of the Marshall Islands. Based on the culture, geography, and ethnic backgrounds of the inhabitants of the islands, Pacific Islands are categorized into three groups: Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia extending towards the north across the Equator. Located on the south western region of the Pacific Basin, particularly north and north-east of Australia - Melanesia, literally meaning 'black islands,' is truly a region of remarkable contrasts. Despite its strong Polynesian cultural background, Fiji Islands, one of the most charming destinations on the planet, forms a part of Melanesia. Papua, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia are the other Pacific Islands that are included in this region. A specialty of Melanesia is that it boasts of larger islands, which constitute about 99% of the total land area of all Pacific islands as well as about 85% of overall population of Pacific Islands. The largest area in the South Pacific - Polynesia, meaning 'many islands,' stretches about 7000 kilometers from Midway Island and Hawaii in the north to Easter Island in the east and New Zealand in the south. Polynesia consists of more than a dozen of the central and south Pacific's prime island groups. Among the Polynesian territories and nations are French Polynesia, located halfway between Australia and California and consisting of five island groups such as the Society Islands, the Tuamotu Archipelago, the Gambier Islands, the Marquesas Islands, and the Tubuai islands; Easter Island - a territory of Chile which is located halfway between Tahiti and South America; Cook Island, a stunning island situated in the Pelican Archipelago; Niue, Tonga, American Samoa, Samoa, Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna, and Tuvalu. Many of the Polynesian islands are a much favored destination for newly weds, honeymooners, and people vacation with large families. South Pacific's island destinations such as Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Rapa Nui, Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Tongatapu, Vavau, Tutuila, Upolu, and Savaii, are much popular among the vacationers. Additionally, some of the Polynesian destinations such as Tahiti and Bora Bora in the Society Islands of French Polynesia (Tahitian Islands) are considered a great destination for weddings. Many hotels and resorts located in this area provide superb facilities for weddings as well as for a memorable honeymoon. However, unlike wedding destinations such as Fiji and Cook Islands, French Polynesian islands such Tahiti and Moorea entail the couples to comply with certain requirements prior to the wedding. Lying between Hawaii and Philippines in the northern region of the Pacific, Micronesia (small islands) contains more than 2000 islands. Located north of the Equator and the Melanesia Islands, Micronesia is made up of seven distinct units, including Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Kiribati, the Territory of Guam, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, and Nauru. An interesting thing regarding the islands in the Micronesia region is that majority of them were formerly German, Japanese, or British colonies. Depending upon the size of the islands, Pacific Islands are further categorized into two main groups: low islands and high lands. The low islands primarily include coral reefs and islets that are spread across the Pacific. Further, most of the low islands rises more than one meter above the sea level, and some of them are the islands found in the Phoenix, Tuvalu, Gilbert, Marshall, and Tuamotu groups. On the other hand, the high islands mostly consist of rugged mountains, hills, and few active volcanoes, where earthquakes are common as well as severe. Among high islands are Papua New Guinea, the Marianas, New Britain, Hawaii, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. Pacific Islands are home to some of the most exquisite beaches in the world, such as, Samoa beach, Ofu Beach, and Tonga beaches. Some of the islands in the Pacific including Tahiti and Easter Island have excellent hiking trails. For activities such as scuba diving, surfing, and sailing, Pacific islands like Vanuatu and Bora Bora offer superb options. In short, each of the Pacific Islands is unique, and is noted for its amazing culture, history, and cuisine. People across the globe consider islands in the Pacific as remote area. It is often seen that Pacific Island vacation is mostly focused on destinations including Australia and New Zealand. But, the truth is that these islands are among the most romantic and loveliest on the earth. Pacific Islands can be easily reached from Los Angeles through two hours fly to Tahiti. So visit these amazing islands and see your South Sea dreams come true!
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