Excluding Australia, which is considered a continental mass, Oceania is made up exclusively of islands, most of which are small to medium in size.The largest island of this continent, New Guinea, is in second place in the world ranking by surface and is divided between an Oceanic country (Papua New Guinea) and an Asian country (Indonesia), whose easternmost part is located in Oceania, as well as its other smaller islands.
Overall, three islands exceed one hundred thousand square kilometers and only six other ten thousand square kilometers; most of the countries of Oceania have in fact a rather limited area.
| Island | Area (kmē) |
Area (sq mi) |
Country |
| New Guinea (1) | 785,753 | 303,381 | Indonesia, Papua New Guinea |
| South Island | 150,416 | 58,076 | New Zealand |
| North Island (2) | 114,154 | 44,075 | New Zealand |
| Tasmania | 64,519 | 24,911 | Australia |
| New Britain | 35,145 | 13,570 | Papua Nuova Guinea |
| Grande Terre | 16,732 | 6,460 | New Caledonia (France) |
| Yos Sudarso | 11,742 | 4,534 | Indonesia |
| Hawaii (3) | 10,434 | 4,029 | United States |
| Viti Levu | 10,388 | 4,011 | Fiji |
| Bougainville | 9,318 | 3,598 | Papua Nuova Guinea |
| New Ireland | 7,404 | 2,859 | Papua Nuova Guinea |
| Melville | 5,786 | 2,234 | Australia |
| Vanua Levu | 5,587 | 2,157 | Fiji |
| Guadalcanal | 5,302 | 2,047 | Solomon Islands |
| Kangaroo Island | 4,416 | 1,705 | Australia |
| Malaita | 4,308 | 1,663 | Solomon Islands |
| Espiritu Santo | 3,955 | 1,527 | Vanuatu |
| Makira | 3,190 | 1,232 | Solomon Islands |
| Santa Isabel | 2,999 | 1,158 | Solomon Islands |
| Choiseul | 2,971 | 1,147 | Solomon Islands |
| Groote Eylandt | 2,285 | 882 | Australia |
| Yapen | 2,278 | 880 | Indonesia |
| Trangan | 2,149 | 830 | Indonesia |
| Malakula | 2,041 | 788 | Vanuatu |
| New Georgia | 2,037 | 786 | Solomon Islands |
| Manus | 1,940 | 749 | Papua Nuova Guinea |
| Biak | 1,904 | 735 | Indonesia |
| Maui | 1,883 | 727 | United States |
| Kobroor | 1,723 | 665 | Indonesia |
| Savai'i | 1,694 | 654 | Samoa |
| Bathurst | 1,693 | 654 | Australia |
| Stewart | 1,681 | 649 | New Zealand |
| Fraser (4) | 1,653 | 638 | Australia |
| Tanahbesar | 1,604 | 619 | Indonesia |
| Oahu | 1,545 | 597 | United States |
(1) The second largest island in the world, after Greenland; here we reach the maximum height among all the islands of the planet.
(2) Second most populated island in Oceania.
(3) Second island on Earth for maximum height reached and one of only three to exceed 4,000 meters in height, with New Guinea and Borneo.
(4) The largest sand island in the world.