Polynesia

Polynesia is a subregion of Oceania comprising more than 1,000 islands scattered across the central and southern Pacific Ocean. It forms a roughly triangular area whose vertices are Hawaii in the north, New Zealand in the southwest, and Easter Island in the southeast. Along with Melanesia and Micronesia, Polynesia is one of the major ethnogeographic divisions of the Pacific. The region includes numerous island groups and archipelagos, many of which are independent nations while others are territories of other states.

Polynesian peoples share linguistic and cultural roots that distinguish them from neighboring regions. The languages belong to the Polynesian branch of the Austronesian family and include Māori, Samoan, Tahitian, Hawaiian, Tongan, and Rapa Nui among others. Traditional social structures, navigation and voyaging skills, tattooing, weaving, and carved woodwork are notable features of Polynesian cultures. Religions historically blended indigenous beliefs with later Christian denominations in many places.

Settlement of Polynesia occurred over centuries, with evidence of widespread migration from western Polynesia beginning around 1000 BCE and continuing into the first millennium CE. European exploration began in the late 15th and 16th centuries, bringing lasting social, political, and cultural changes. Today Polynesia spans independent states such as New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, and the Cook Islands, as well as overseas territories including French Polynesia, American Samoa, Niue, Hawaii, and Easter Island (Rapa Nui). The region is noted for its navigational heritage, arts, and ongoing cultural revitalization.