Europeans in Oceania

Oceania

European exploration and settlement of Oceania began in the 16th century, starting with Spanish landings and shipwrecks in the Marianas Islands, east of the Philippines.^{citation needed} Subsequent rivalry between European colonial powers, trade opportunities and Christian missions drove further European exploration and eventual settlement. The British became the dominant colonial power in the region, establishing settler colonies in what would become Australia and New Zealand, both of which now have majority European-descended populations. New Caledonia (Caldoche), Hawaii, French Polynesia, Norfolk Island, Easter Island and Guam also have significant European populations. Europeans remain a primary ethnic group in much of Oceania, both numerically and economically.^{citation needed}

European settlement of Australia and New Zealand

Historical map of Australia and New Zealand 1788-1911

Main articles: European settlement of Australia and Immigration to New Zealand

See also: European exploration of Australia

European settlement in Australia began in 1788 when the British established the Crown Colony of New South Wales with the first settlement at Port Jackson. New Zealand was part of New South Wales until 1840 when it became a separate colony and experienced a marked increase in European settlement.^{citation needed}

While the largest European ethnic group to originally settle in both Australia and New Zealand were the English, the settler population in Australia from early times contained a large Irish Catholic component, in contrast to New Zealand which was more Scottish in composition.

For generations, the vast majority of both colonial-era settlers and post-independence immigrants to Australia and New Zealand came almost exclusively from the British Isles. However, waves of European immigrants were later drawn from a broader range of countries. Australia, in particular, received large numbers of European immigrants from countries such as Italy, Greece, Germany, the Netherlands, and Yugoslavia following the Second World War.

Current European population in Oceania

The total population of people of European descent or ethnicity in Oceania is approximately 23,185,000 or approximately 22,818,000 excluding Hawaii.

• • Australia (European Australian) - 93.2% of the population or 20,299,000 people, and part-white Australian Aborigines number about 500,000 as opposed to the approximately 50,000 pure blooded Australian Aborigines who can speak Australian languages.
  • New Zealand (New Zealand European) - 78.0% of the population or 3,443,200 people identify as New Zealand European.
  • New Caledonia (Caldoche) - 44.6% of the population or about 112,050; the territory is part of the French Republic.
  • French Polynesia - 10% of the population (mostly French) or 26,700, and 6 to 8% are Euronesian (part white-Polynesian).
  • Hawaii - 24.1% of the population (2010 U.S. Census)
  • Guam - 10% of the population have Spanish and white American descent (2000 Census) or about 17,800 people. Guam has a history of Spanish settlement before 1900 and is now under US rule.
  • Norfolk Island, about 50% British-Polynesian from Pitcairn Island (1,070 people) and 50% white-British descent mainly via Australia (1,070 people).
  • Easter Island, about 39% is white-European descent.

The dominant European group of Australia are referred to as Anglo-Celtic Australians (although this does not include non-British Europeans), or, more controversially, as Aussies, the proper term for Australians of European descent is European Australian. In New Zealand, the census gathers information on ethnicity, not descent. It shows the majority of the New Zealand population identify as New Zealand European. The term Pākehā used in some previous Censuses has a similar meaning.

See also

• Greater Europe
• History of Australia
• History of New Zealand
• History of the Pacific Islands
• Settler colonialism
• European Australian
• History of Oceania