Polynesia

Polynesia [Gr.,=many islands], one of the three main divisions of Oceania , in the central and S Pacific Ocean. The larger islands are volcanic; the smaller ones are generally coral formations. The principal groups are the Hawaiian Islands (see Hawaii ), Samoa , Tonga , and the islands of French Polynesia . Ethnologically though not geographically, Polynesia embraces New Zealand . Malayo-Polynesian languages are spoken in Polynesia.

Bibliography: See T. Barrow, Art and Life in Polynesia (1972).

Polynesia One of the three divisions of Oceania and the general term for the islands of the central Pacific Ocean; Micronesia and Melanesia lie to the w. The principal islands in Polynesia are the Hawaiian Islands, Phoenix Islands, Tokelau Islands, the Samoa group, Easter Island, Cook Islands, and French Polynesia. Because of their Maori population, the two larger islands of New Zealand are also usually included. The islands are mostly coral or volcanic in origin. The inhabitants show physical similarities, and share common cultural and linguistic characteristics.

Polynesia ‘Many Islands’ from the Greek polus ‘many’ and nēsos ‘island’ (plural, poly and nēsoi). It is the largest of the Pacific Ocean's cultural regions with the distances between the island groups being greater than those of Melanesia and Micronesia. French Polynesia and the Hawaiian Islands, among others, are part of Polynesia.