The decolonisation of Oceania occurred after World War II when nations in Oceania achieved independence by transitioning from European colonial rule to full independence.
While most of the countries of Oceania have a specific independence day, the independence of Australia and the independence of New Zealand were a gradual process and cannot be associated clearly with a specific date. Most of the British colonies in Australia gained responsible government in the 1850s, as did New Zealand in 1856. This was formalised into Dominion status in the 1900s, but with the United Kingdom retaining certain (disused) powers de jure. Although they were de facto sovereign states by the 1920s, Australia and New Zealand refused the formal recognition of their full sovereignty when offered through the Statute of Westminster in 1931, before accepting it respectively in 1942 and 1947.
Oceania continues to include a number of dependent territories controlled by colonial powers. The United Nations list of non-self-governing territories includes six Oceanian territories – the French dependencies of French Polynesia and New Caledonia, the American territories of American Samoa and Guam, the British dependency of Pitcairn Islands, and the New Zealand territory of Tokelau.
Timeline +Timeline of decolonising OceaniaCountryColonial nameColonial powerSome territories changed hands multiple times, so in the list is mentioned the last colonial power. In addition to it, the mandatory or trustee powers are mentioned for territories that were League of Nations mandates and UN Trust Territories.Independence dateDate of decolonization for territories annexed by or integrated into previously decolonized independent countries are given in separate notes, as are dates when a commonwealth realm abolished its monarchy. Any discrepancies between dates listed here and public holidays celebrating the country's independence (and whether the date listed is celebrated as a holiday at all) are noted, as well as the national day if the country does not have an independence day.First head of stateFirst head of state after independence. For current and former Commonwealth realms instead of the first head of state is listed as the first head of government.Independence won through Dominion of New Zealand20th century –gradual processMany Indigenous Australians and supporters of the Australian Indigenous sovereignty movement would contest the status of Australia as decolonised, noting that neither colonial Britain nor the subsequent Commonwealth of Australia ever signed a treaty with any of the hundreds of distinct Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander societies that existed prior to colonisation and still exist today. See: ; ; ; 20th century –gradual processTranscontinental country, partially located in Asia.27 December 1949 (East Indies)1 May 1963 (New Guinea)Not celebrated as a holiday. Netherlands New Guinea was separated from the Dutch East Indies on 29 December 1949. Following skirmishes with Indonesia in 1961 and the New York Agreement, the Netherlands transferred the authority of Dutch New Guinea to a UN protectorate on 1 October 1962 and it was integrated into Indonesia on 1 May 1963. The date 17 August 1945 (when Sukarno formally proclaimed Indonesia's independence) is celebrated as Indonesia's date of independence.SukarnoIndonesian National Revolution Trust Territory1 January 19611 January 19621 June 19904 July 1997Malietoa Tanumafili II and Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Mea'oleJoint position known as O Ao o le Malo, whose individuals are severally referred to as O le Ao o le Malo.peaceful campaign by the Mau movement Trust TerritoryAs a League of Nations mandate and later UN Trust Territory Nauru was under effective Australian administration with the United Kingdom and New Zealand as nominal co-trustees.30 January 196831 January 1968Hammer DeRoburtpeaceful campaign Kingdom of Tonga4 June 19701971Taufaʻahau Tupou IVrequestAs the Dominion of Fiji. Kingdom of Fiji Colony of Fiji 5 June 1871 13 August 1877 10 October 1970Celebrated as Fiji Day. (While Fiji does not have a holiday called Independence Day, Fiji Day is celebrated as such). On 7 October 1987 after two military coups, Fiji formally abolished its Commonwealth monarchy and became a republic.Seru Epenisa CakobauiKingdom of FijiKamisese MaraHaving been out of office since 13 April 1987, on 5 December Mara was sworn in along with Penaia Ganilau as Prime Minister and President respectively. From the abolition of Fiji's monarchy to Mara's and Ganilau's inauguration, Sitiveni Rabuka served as Head of the Interim Military Government.(Prime Minister: head of gov.)British initiative, and negotiation German New Guinea Territory of New Guinea Trust Territory of Papua and New GuineaThe main part of German New Guinea after the World War I became a League of Nations mandate and later a UN Trust Territory as the Territory of New Guinea under Australian administration. The Territory of Papua was a British colony transferred to the British Dominion of Australian administration in 1902. 16 September 19757 July 1978Michael Somare(Prime Minister: head of gov.)Australian initiative British Solomon Islands16 September 1945 7 July 1978Peter Kenilorea(Prime Minister: head of gov.)British initiative1 January 1976 1 October 1978 12 July 197912 July 1980Toaripi Lauti(Prime Minister: head of gov.)British initiative1 January 1976 1 October 1978 12 July 197912 July 1980Ieremia TabaiBritish initiative New HebridesVanuatu was a joint British-French Condominium30 July 19801 August 19801990George Kalkoapeaceful campaign by the New Hebrides National Party2 September 1945 21 October 1986 30 September 19912007Amata Kabua–See 1983 Marshallese Compact of Free Association referendum.2 September 1945 3 November 198630 September 1991Tosiwo Nakayama–See 1983 Micronesian Compact of Free Association referendum.2 September 1945 25 May 1994 30 September 19911 October 1994 1 October 199925 May 2005Kuniwo Nakamura–Cook Islands4 August 1965/1992/2008/2024Since 4 August 1965 the Cook Islands are a state in free association with New Zealand. The UN recognized them as a state under international law in 1992 . The Cook Islands are fully independent in their foreign relations and defence, but retain a residual constitutional link with New Zealand concerning citizenship.Albert Henry(Prime Minister: head of gov.) Geoffrey Henry(Prime Minister: head of gov.)–Niue19 October 1974/1994/2008/2024Since 19 October 1974 Niue is a state in free association with New Zealand. The UN recognized it as a state under international law in 1994 . Niue is fully independent in its foreign relations and defence but retains a residual constitutional link with New Zealand concerning citizenship.Robert Rex(Premier: head of gov.) Frank Lui(Premier: head of gov.)–
Stages of decolonisation CountryDate of current form of governmentBirth of current form of governmentDate of acquisition of sovereigntyAcquisition of sovereigntyDate of territorial modificationMost recent significant territorial modification Commonwealth of Australia established as a federation. Federation of Australia – Formation of the Commonwealth of Australia by six separate British self-governing colonies Papua New Guinea becomes formally independent from Australia Statute of Westminster adopted – Britain loses the power to legislate for Australia except by request Australia Act 1986 – Remaining legal ties between Britain and Australia are abolished, including the ability for the UK to legislate with effect in Australia Independence from the United Kingdom Independence from the United Kingdom Separation of the Gilbert Islands (later Kiribati) and the Ellice Islands (later Tuvalu) Constitution and a local government established Compact of Free Association with the United States Constitution ratified Compact of Free Association with the United States Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae unite to form the Federated States of Micronesia Independence from UN Trusteeship (Australian, British and New Zealand administration ends) Treaty of Waitangi where the British Crown established a right to govern from indigenous Māori tribes Self-Government Samoa becomes fully independent from New Zealand. It is also the first small-island country in the Pacific to become independent. Responsible Government Granted nominal independence (Dominion status). Balfour Declaration of 1926 — Great Britain and the Dominions are “autonomous Communities within the British Empire, equal in status, in no way subordinate one to another in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs” Governor-General ceases to represent the British Government and becomes the personal representative of the King. Statute of Westminster adopted — Britain loses the power to legislate for New Zealand except by request Full power to amend own constitution Governor-General becomes a New Zealand appointment Commencement of the Constitution Act 1986 — Removed the ability of the British Parliament to pass laws for New Zealand with the consent of the New Zealand Parliament. Republic of Palau created upon the adoption of a constitution Emerged from United Nations trusteeship (administered by the United States). Self-governing territory Independence from Australia Independence from New Zealand Self-government granted by the United Kingdom Independence from the United Kingdom Independence from the United Kingdom Unification of what is now the islands of Tonga by George Tupou I of Tonga Separation of Gilbert Islands (later Kiribati) and Ellice Islands (later Tuvalu) Independence from the United Kingdom Treaty with United States recognizing Tuvaluan control over Funafuti, Nukufetau, Nukulaelae, and Niulakita atolls Independence from joint British-French condominium
Oceania This is a list of all present sovereign states in Oceania and their predecessors. The region of Oceania is generally defined geographically to include the subregions of Australasia,The use and scope of this term varies. The UN designation for this subregion is "Australia and New Zealand." Melanesia,Excludes parts of Indonesia, island territories in Southeast Asia (UN region) frequently reckoned in this region. Micronesia and Polynesia, and their respective sovereign states. Oceania was originally colonised by Europeans with Australia and New Zealand primarily by the British, and the Pacific Islands primarily by the British, French and Dutch. Today, Oceania consists of fourteen sovereign states of various government types, the most common consisting of parliamentary systems.
Sovereign state Predecessors Australia British Colonial Period Colony of New South Wales (1788–1901) Van Diemen's Land Colony (1825–1856), later Colony of Tasmania (1856–1901) Colony of Western Australia (1829–1901) Province of South Australia (1836–1901) Victoria Colony (1851–1901) Colony of Queensland (1859–1901)