Oceania is a combination of Australasia, Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia. In terms of continents and population, Oceania has the smallest land area and the second smallest population.

The term Oceanie was coined by Conrad Malte-Brun. This word was derived from the Latin word Oceanus. Unlike other continents which are linked by landmass, it is the oceans that link the regions of Oceania.