The Pacific Realm:
REGION: Melanesia

Melanesia includes West Irian (part of Indonesia), Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Fiji. It is the western end of a Pacific region to the north and east of Australia . 

Very dark skin and hair are characteristics of the ethnic group inhabiting these islands. ("Mela" means "black".)  Of the 6.3 million people in The Pacific Realm (population numbers are very inconsistent in this realm), about 6.1 million live in Melanesia [pameasur.htm]. Papua New Guinea (PNG) alone has a population of 4.5 million [pacoumea.htm] and it constitutes 91% of the Realm's land area.

Papua New Guinea is among the world's poorest States [wbgnpmap.gif].  Only 15% of population live in urban areas and the life expectancy is around 57 years.  Yet mineral resources including oil, gold, and copper on the island of Bougainville [papapua], offer a ray of hope.

Unfortunately, the PNG is beset by centrifugal forces including the Bougainville Revolutionary Army who wish to separate Bougainville from PNG and join it with the neighboring Solomon Islands [pasolcou] [papapua] with whom they are culturally related. Irredentist pressure from The Solomon Islands have increased tension between the two states.

Summary of other States in Melanesia:

Solomon Islands [pasolcou]:

• population: 400,000
• 120 different languages

Vanuatu [pavancou] :

• population 200,000
• 80 islands

New Caledonia [pacalcou]:

• population 200,000
• only 40% Melanesian
• 37% of French ancestry
• still under French rule
• large nickel reserves

Fiji [pafijcou]:

• 2 larger and >200 smaller islands
• population 800,000
• 49% Melanesian
• 46% South Asian brought in by British during their colonial rule
• independence 1970