How Many Countries Are There in Oceania?14 sovereign states
There are 14 countries in Oceania — that is, 14 sovereign states. Oceania spans Australia, New Zealand and the island nations of the Pacific. It includes some of the smallest countries on Earth.
The countries
All 14 sovereign states of Oceania, A–Z. Each traces to the UN list of member and observer states.
Australia
Fiji
Kiribati
Marshall Islands
Micronesia
Nauru
New Zealand
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
Solomon Islands
Tonga
Tuvalu
Vanuatu
How we count Oceania
We count the fourteen sovereign states of Oceania: Australia and New Zealand, plus the Pacific island nations of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. Many Pacific islands are territories or freely associated states that are not full UN members — for example the Cook Islands, Niue, and territories such as French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Guam — and these are not counted. All fourteen listed here are UN member states.
FAQ
What is the largest country in Oceania?
Australia is by far the largest country in Oceania by both area and population — it makes up the great majority of the region.
What is the smallest country in Oceania?
Nauru is the smallest country in Oceania by area, at about 21 square kilometers, and Tuvalu is among the smallest by population. Both are among the smallest countries in the world.
Is Australia a country or a continent?
Both terms are used. Australia is a single sovereign country, and it is also the mainland of the Australian continent. In the seven-continent model, Oceania is the wider region that includes Australia and the Pacific islands.
Why are the Cook Islands and Niue not counted?
The Cook Islands and Niue are self-governing states in free association with New Zealand, but they are not UN member states, so they are not in this count of 14.
Antarctica has 0 countries — it is governed by the Antarctic Treaty, not by any sovereign state.
More, by numbers
The other continents
Cite this page
CC BY 4.0Our compilation on this page — the figures as arranged, ranked and dated here — is published under CC BY 4.0. Reuse it anywhere, including commercially, with a link back. The underlying data belongs to the organizations credited below.
Us, by Numbers. "Us, by Numbers." https://usbynumbers.com
Sources
Every number here traces to an official body.