Australia
Capital : Canberra
Population : 27 204 809 inh.
Area : 7 741 220 km²
Oceania is the continent where British heritage remains most visible on its flags: the Union Jack still sits in the canton of Australia's, New Zealand's, Fiji's and Tuvalu's, a reminder of their past as colonies or dominions of the Commonwealth. Many of these same flags, along with those of Papua New Guinea and Samoa, also carry the Southern Cross, a constellation visible only from the southern hemisphere that has become a shared marker of regional identity well beyond the English-speaking world.
Smaller island nations have developed their own symbols, often tied to the ocean that surrounds them. Palau's flag shows a simple golden moon on a blue field, a reference to its role in traditional planting and fishing. Kiribati combines a rising sun, a frigatebird in flight and stylised waves to represent the three archipelagos that make up the country. Fiji's flag, unlike those of most former British colonies, has resisted several attempts at redesign: proposals to remove the Union Jack, put forward in the 2010s, were eventually shelved in the face of public opposition.
The region brings together some of the least populated micro-states in the world, such as Nauru and Tuvalu, alongside Australia, by far the continent's largest country. The list below presents each of these flags, along with its capital and population.
Flags by Continent
At a glance
Countries & territories
15
Most populous country
Australia
Smallest country
Nauru
List of the 15 countries of Oceania and their flags
East Timor
Capital : Dili
Population : 1 400 638 inh.
Area : 14 870 km²
Fiji
Capital : Suva
Population : 928 784 inh.
Area : 18 270 km²
Kiribati
Capital : Tarawa
Population : 134 518 inh.
Area : 810 km²
Marshall Islands
Capital : Majuro
Population : 37 548 inh.
Area : 180 km²
Micronesia
Capital : Palikir
Population : 113 160 inh.
Area : 700 km²
Nauru
Capital : Yaren
Population : 11 947 inh.
Area : 20 km²
New Zealand
Capital : Wellington
Population : 5 338 500 inh.
Area : 267 710 km²
Palau
Capital : Melekeok
Population : 17 695 inh.
Area : 460 km²
Papua New Guinea
Capital : Port Moresby
Population : 10 576 502 inh.
Area : 462 840 km²
Samoa
Capital : Apia
Population : 218 019 inh.
Area : 2 840 km²
Solomon Islands
Capital : Honiara
Population : 819 198 inh.
Area : 28 900 km²
Tonga
Capital : Nukualofa
Population : 104 175 inh.
Area : 750 km²
Tuvalu
Capital : Funafuti
Population : 9 646 inh.
Area : 30 km²
Vanuatu
Capital : Port Vila
Population : 327 777 inh.
Area : 12 190 km²
🧠 Quiz – Can you identify this flag?
Frequently Asked Questions
How many countries are there in Oceania?
There are 15 recognized countries in Oceania.
What is the most populated country in Oceania?
Australia is the most populous country in Oceania, with 27,204,809 inhabitants.
What is the smallest country in Oceania?
Nauru is the smallest country in Oceania, with an area of 20 km².