Polynesia
a general name for a number of distinct archipelagoes of small islands scattered over the Pacific Ocean, ext extending from about lat. 35° N. to 35° S., and from lon. 135° E. to 100° W., the Philippines, New Guinea, Australia, and New Zealand being excluded. The islands are distributed into numerous groups, having a general direction from N. W. to S. E. The groups of the equator are the Pelew, Ladrone or Marianne, Caroline, Marshall, Gilbert or Kingsmill, Fanning, and Hawaii or the Sandwich Islands. S. of the equator are New Ireland, New Britain, Solomon Islands, New Hebrides, Fiji, New Caledonia, Navigator, Friendly, Cook's or Harvey, and the Society Islands, the Low Archipelago, the Marquesas Islands, and the isolated Easter Island. The term Polynesia is sometimes restricted to the groups most centrally situated in the Pacific; the New Hebrides, Solomon Islands, New Britain, New Ireland (Bismarck Archi- POLYP pelago), etc., being classed together as a character or vocal sign which repre- Melanesia, whereas the Carolines, Ladrones, Marshall Islands, etc., form Micronesia. The islands may be divided into two chief classes, volcanic and coral islands. Some of the former rise to a great height, the highest peak in the Pacific, Mauna Loa, in Hawaii, reaching 13,600 feet. The principal groups of these are the Friendly, the Sandwich, the Marquesas, and the Navigator Islands.
The coral islands comprise the Carolines, Gilbert, and Marshall Islands on the N. W., and the Society Islands and Low Archipelago in the S. E.
Polynesia has a comparatively moderate temperature, and the climate is delightful and salubrious. The predominating race, occupying the central and E. portion of Polynesia, is of Malay origin, with oval faces, wide nostrils, and large ears. Their language is split up into numerous dialects. The other leading race is of negroid or Papuan origin, with negro-like features and crisp moplike hair. They are confined to Western Polynesia, and speak numerous distinct dialects. Christianity has been introduced into a great many of the islands, and a large number of them are under the control of one or other of the European powers. The commercial products consist chiefly of cocoanuts, cotton , coffee, sugar, fruits, pearls, and trepang. The Ladrones were discovered by Magellan in 1521, the Marquesas by Mandaña in 1595, but it was not till 1767 that Wallis, and subsequently Cook, explored and described the chief islands.
Since the natives came in contact with the whites their numbers have greatly decreased.