Largest Countries and Territories in Oceania by Area

A ranked overview of the largest countries in Oceania by total land area, including some dependent territories within the region, based on the most consistent international geographic data.

Oceania is the smallest major geographic region by land area and spans a vast portion of the Pacific Ocean. Its countries range from a single continent-sized nation to some of the smallest sovereign states in the world.

This article ranks Oceanian countries by total land area, which refers to a country’s land surface within internationally recognized boundaries. Inland water bodies are included where applicable.

Largest country in Oceania

Australia is by far the largest country in Oceania and accounts for the overwhelming majority of the region’s total land area. It is the only country that occupies an entire continent and ranks among the largest countries globally.

Papua New Guinea ranks second and is the largest Pacific island country by land area. All remaining Oceanian countries are island states with relatively small land surfaces.

Largest countries in Oceania by area

These are the largest sovereign countries in Oceania, ranked by total land area:

• Australia
• Papua New Guinea
• New Zealand
• Solomon Islands
• Fiji
• Vanuatu
• Samoa
• Kiribati
• Tonga
• Micronesia

Despite Oceania containing thousands of islands, Australia alone accounts for well over 80 percent of the region’s total land area. Australia is often described as an island continent due to its size and geographic isolation.

Complete ranking of Oceanian countries and territories by area

The table below ranks Oceanian countries and some dependent and self-governing territories by total land area in square kilometers (sq km) and square miles (sq mi).

Total area figures may vary slightly between sources due to differences in how inland waters, reefs, and coastal features are measured.

For consistency, this ranking uses data from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook.

Global ranking refers to each country’s position worldwide when all countries are ranked by total land area.

Notes on Oceanian geography and size

Oceania includes thousands of islands spread across Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, resulting in a region with enormous maritime reach but limited land area.

Many Oceanian countries control exclusive economic zones (EEZs) that are far larger than their land territory. These zones extend up to 200 nautical miles from a country’s coastline and grant rights over marine resources such as fishing, energy, and seabed minerals.

Land area does not reflect population size, economic output, or regional influence, but it remains a key geographic metric used for regional and global comparisons.