GOOGLESCHOLARL: Assignment 8

Module 8 Overview

The Pacific Realm

This module focuses on the overall geography (topography, historical, economic, political, and cultural/human) of the Pacific Realm, which is mostly comprised of three regions, which are the following: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.  You will begin by describing the topography of the Pacific Realm.  The historical geography of the Pacific Realm will be explained.  The political and economical geography of the Pacific Realm will be compared and contrasted with the rest of the world’s political and economical systems.  In addition, you will analyze the diverse religions of the Pacific Realm.  Lastly, the cultural geography of the Pacific Realm will be analyzed in relation to the rest of the world.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this module, you should be able to:

3H		identify the legacy of imperialism left by the French, British, and Americans and its impact on the Pacific Realm’s current political map.
4G		describe the basics of marine geography including key politico-spatial concepts, the scramble for the oceans, pertinent legal issues, maritime boundary-making, and the spread of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs).
6K		examine the basic layout, political geography, and human spatial organization of the Southwestern Pacific, Western Pacific, and mid-oceanic Pacific island regions.
6L		evaluate the general physical geography of the Antarctic continent and surrounding water bodies, its political partitioning, and the spatial implications of the Antarctic Treaty.

Module 8 Reading Assignment

de Blij, H. J., & Muller, P. O. (2012). Geography: Realms, regions, and concepts (15th ed.). New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. Chapter 12.

The Pacific Realm

The Topography of the Pacific Realm

The Pacific Realm covers the most square mileage of any of the realms we studied in this course, but is mostly made up of ocean.  Most of the islands in the Pacific Realm were formed by oceanic volcanic and coral building activity around these volcanic atolls.  Please view the  Pacific Realm and Poles presentation.

This realm extends from the cold arctic regions of the north Pacific Ocean near the Aleutian Islands southward to the Southern Ocean near Antarctica.  Marine geography largely dominates the study of this realm.  Antarctica is often classified into this realm by many geographers.

Antarctica, due to its severe climate and glacial ice cover, is one of the least explored and known-about areas of the globe.  Seven countries have main claims in Antarctica and 40 have signed the Antarctica Treaty.  This treaty justifies only peaceful and scientific use.  No resource exploration is allowed.

Some of the coldest temperatures and wind chills occur in this region located on the South Pole.  Antarctica has an actual continent under all of the ice, which is different than the North Pole that is mostly sea ice and has no land or continent.

Threats of rising sea levels believed to be from global warming and climate change greatly challenge all aspects of this region.  If sea level continues to rise each year, much of the topography above the sea will greatly change as it will become submerged under the sea.

The Historical Geography of the Pacific Realm

Most of the people native to the Pacific Realm (indigenous) have traveled to these regions at the end of the last ice age when sea levels were much lower.  Today, global warming and climate change are threatening global sea level rise, which is creating much fear and many challenges for the people and resources in this realm/region.

Many European countries have colonized many of the islands in this realm, similar to the other regions and realms we have studied in this course.  However, in 1959, the U.S. made the Hawaiian Islands its 50th state.  Guam, American Samoa, the Line Islands, Wake Island, Midway, and a few other islands are under U.S. administration.  Please watch the  History and Cultures of the Pacific Realm presentation.

The Economic Geography of the Pacific Realm

The United Nations Law of the Sea provisions largely controls the economics of this region.  Tourism is very high in this region, and the views and recreational activities are top notch.  There are also mineral wealth and fishing that support this region economically. Please read the  Pacific Rim and Economic Tigers article.

The Political Geography of the Pacific Realm

New Guinea is the most populated island in the Pacific Realm.  The United Nations Law of the Sea provisions largely controls the politics in this realm, which are still not very structured due to the large distance between islands and the very large area.  This region does have independent states, colonies, dependencies, and administrative units.

The Pacific Realm is divided into three major regions, which are the following: Melanesia (including New Guinea), Micronesia, and Polynesia.  Melanesia is made up of Papua (Indonesia), Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanatu, New Caledonia, and Fiji.  Micronesia is made up of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Western Kiribati, and Guam.  Polynesia is made up of the Hawaiian Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tuvalu, Eastern Kirbati, Cook, and other New Zealand-administered islands, French Polynesia, and Easter Island.

Lastly, this region has recently been challenged with great amounts of floating garbage and pollution from recent tsunamis and dumping.  These are deep political and environmental issues that our global society will have to address in the coming years.

The Cultural and Religious Geography of the Pacific Realm

Most of the culture in this region is still largely indigenous, but every year outside influence from westernization and globalization impacts this region.  The culture of this region is largely classified as being Polynesian.  Religiously, this region is very diverse with indigenous and native religions being the most dominant.  There is some outside influence from Islam and Christianity.

Required Presentation:

Please view the  Chapter 12 Presentation .