Cultural Geography
The way of life in the Pacific realm is closely related to the physical environment and can be divided into two general types: High Island Culture and Low Island Culture.
High Island Culture
The larger, high volcanic islands of the realm contain the major
cities and ports. These islands attain elevations over 16,000 feet in
New Guinea [paheming]
These islands generally have more fertile volcanic soil and higher amounts of precipitation due to the greater altitudes. Subsistence agriculture is the primary economic activity. The fertile soils and greater rainfall sustain a greater variety of agricultural products.
Some minerals are mined a few high island countries (copper on the island of Bougainville, PNG [papapua]; nickel in New Caledonia [pacalcou]; and gold and crude oil on the island of New Guinea [paheming]).
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The thousands of low islands are made out of coral - many are coral atolls [pacoral]. They are smaller and rise little above sea level. The low islands are therefore more exposed to the storms and tsunamis (tidal waves causes by underwater earthquakes) found in the south Pacific.
The low islands are sparsely populated, dry, and lack mineral deposits (with the exception of phosphates from the guano of sea birds mined on Nauru). Fishing and coconut palms provide a meager livelihood for low island residents.
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Once all colonized, now the Pacific Realm now has a variety of political structures. There are nine fully independent States. France still controls two colonies in the realm: (New Caledonia and French Polynesia). The United Kingdom, New Zealand, the United States, and even Chile, control territory in the realm. Furthermore, there are independent States "in free association with" the United States.
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