Would countries in the Pacific Islands be 'Down Under'?

Japanese soldiers were occupying or attacking positions from India to Alaska, as well as islands across the South Pacific. From the end of that year through early 1945, the U.S. Navy, under Admiral Chester Nimitz, adopted a strategy of "island-hopping". read more

Many island countries are spread over an archipelago, as is the case with the Federated States of Micronesia and the Indonesia (both of which consist of thousands of islands). Others consist of a single island, such as Nauru, or part of an island, such as Haiti. Although Australia is designated as a continent, it is often referred to as an island, as it has no land borders. read more

The Pacific Islands are the islands of the Pacific Ocean. Three major groups of islands in the Pacific Ocean are Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia. Depending on the context, Pacific Islands may refer to countries and islands with common Austronesian origins, islands once or currently colonized, or Oceania. read more

Other nations and islands in the south Pacific include Nauru, New Caledonia, Tokelau, French Polynesia, Tonga, Guam, Niue, the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and Tuvalu. Rounding out the list of South Pacific nations are Kiribati, Palau, Vanuatu, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Pitcairn Island and the island of Wallis and Futuna. read more