Decolonisation of Oceania

The decolonization of Oceania occurred after World War II when nations in Oceania achieved independence by transitioning from European colonial rule to full independence.

While most of the countries of Oceania have a specific independence day, the independence of Australia and the independence of New Zealand were a gradual process and cannot be associated clearly to a specific date. Most of the British colonies in Australia gained responsible government in the 1850s, as did New Zealand in 1856. This was formalised into Dominion status in the 1900s, but with the United Kingdom retaining certain (disused) powers de jure. Sovereign states de facto by the 1920s, Australia and New Zealand refused the formal recognition of their own full sovereignty when offered through the Statute of Westminster in 1931, before accepting it respectively in 1942 and 1947.

Timeline

Timeline of decolonising Oceania
Country	Colonial name	Colonial power[1]	Independence date[2]	First head of state[3]	Independence won through
New Zealand	Dominion of New Zealand	United Kingdom	20th century	-	gradual process
Australia	Australia	United Kingdom	20th century	-	gradual process
Indonesia[4]	Dutch East Indies	Netherlands	August 17, 1945[5]	Sukarno	Indonesian National Revolution
Samoa	Western Samoa Trust Territory	New Zealand	January 1, 1962	Malietoa Tanumafili II and Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Mea'ole[6]	peaceful campaign by the Mau movement
Nauru	Nauru Trust Territory	Australia[7]	January 31, 1968	Hammer DeRoburt	peaceful campaign
Tonga	Kingdom of Tonga	United Kingdom	June 4, 1970	Taufaʻahau Tupou IV	request
Fiji[8]	Fiji	United Kingdom	October 10, 1970[9]	Kamisese Mara[10] (Prime Minister: head of gov.)	British initiative, and negotiation
Papua New Guinea	German New Guinea Territory of New Guinea Trust Territory of Papua and New Guinea	German Empire United Kingdom[11] Australia	September 16, 1975	Michael Somare (Prime Minister: head of gov.)	Australian initiative
Solomon Islands	British Solomon Islands	United Kingdom	July 7, 1978	Peter Kenilorea (Prime Minister: head of gov.)	British initiative
Tuvalu	Gilbert and Ellice Islands		October 1, 1978	Toaripi Lauti (Prime Minister: head of gov.)	British initiative
Kiribati	Gilbert and Ellice Islands		July 12, 1979	Ieremia Tabai	British initiative
Vanuatu	New Hebrides	United Kingdom France[12]	July 30, 1980	George Kalkoa	peaceful campaign by the New Hebrides National Party
Marshall Islands	Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands	United States	October 21, 1986	Amata Kabua	–[13]
Federated States of Micronesia	Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands	United States	November 3, 1986	Tosiwo Nakayama	–[14]
Cook Islands	Cook Islands	New Zealand	August 4, 1965/1992/current[15]	Albert Henry (Prime Minister: head of gov.)	–
Palau	Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands	United States	October 1, 1994	Kuniwo Nakamura	–
Niue	Niue	New Zealand	October 19, 1974/1994/current[16]	Robert Rex (Premier: head of gov.)	–

Notes

Some territories changed hands multiple times, so in the list is mentioned the last colonial power. In addition to it the mandatory or trustee powers are mentioned for territories that were League of Nations mandates and UN Trust Territories.
Date of decolonization for territories annexed by or integrated into previously decolonized independent countries are given in separate notes, as are dates when a commonwealth realm abolished its monarchy. Any discrepancies between dates listed here and public holidays celebrating the country's independence (and whether the date listed is celebrated as a holiday at all) are noted, as well as the national day if the country does not have an independence day.
First head of state after independence. For current and former Commonwealth realms instead of first head of state is listed the first head of government.
Transcontinental country, partially located in Asia.
Not celebrated as a holiday. Netherlands New Guinea was separated from the Dutch East Indies on 29 December 1949. Following skirmishes with Indonesia in 1961 and the New York Agreement, the Netherlands transferred authority of Dutch New Guinea to a UN protectorate on 1 October 1962 and it was integrated into Indonesia on 1 May 1963. The date 17 August 1945 (when Sukarno formally proclaimed Indonesia's independence) is celebrated as Indonesia's date of independence.
Joint position known as O Ao o le Malo, whose individuals are severally referred to as O le Ao o le Malo.
As a League of Nations mandate and later UN Trust Territory Nauru was under effective Australian administration with the United Kingdom and New Zealand as nominal co-trustees.
As the Dominion of Fiji.
Celebrated as Fiji Day. (While Fiji does not have a holiday called Independence Day, Fiji Day is celebrated as such). On 7 October 1987 after two military coups Fiji formally abolished its Commonwealth monarchy and became a republic.
Having been out of office since 13 April 1987, on 5 December Mara was sworn in along with Penaia Ganilau as Prime Minister and President respectively. From the abolition of Fiji's monarchy to Mara's and Ganilau's inauguration, Sitiveni Rabuka served as Head of the Interim Military Government.
The main part of German New Guinea after the World War I became a League of Nations mandate and later a UN Trust Territory as the Territory of New Guinea under Australian administration. The Territory of Papua was a British colony transferred to the British Dominion of Australian administration in 1902.
Vanuatu was a joint British-French Condominium
See 1983 Marshallese Compact of Free Association referendum.
See 1983 Micronesian Compact of Free Association referendum.
Since 4 August 1965 the Cook Islands are a state in free association with New Zealand. The UN recognized them as state under international law in 1992 Archived October 19, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. The Cook Islands are fully independent in their foreign relations and defence, but retain a residual constitutional link with New Zealand in relation to citizenship.
Since 19 October 1974 Niue is a state in free association with New Zealand. The UN recognized it as state under international law in 1994 Archived October 19, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Niue is fully independent in its foreign relations and defence, but retains a residual constitutional link with New Zealand in relation to citizenship.

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[1] Some territories changed hands multiple times, so in the list is mentioned the last colonial power. In addition to it the mandatory or trustee powers are mentioned for territories that were League of Nations mandates and UN Trust Territories.

[2] Date of decolonization for territories annexed by or integrated into previously decolonized independent countries are given in separate notes, as are dates when a commonwealth realm abolished its monarchy. Any discrepancies between dates listed here and public holidays celebrating the country's independence (and whether the date listed is celebrated as a holiday at all) are noted, as well as the national day if the country does not have an independence day.

[3] First head of state after independence. For current and former Commonwealth realms instead of first head of state is listed the first head of government.

[4] Transcontinental country, partially located in Asia.

[5] Not celebrated as a holiday. Netherlands New Guinea was separated from the Dutch East Indies on 29 December 1949. Following skirmishes with Indonesia in 1961 and the New York Agreement, the Netherlands transferred authority of Dutch New Guinea to a UN protectorate on 1 October 1962 and it was integrated into Indonesia on 1 May 1963. The date 17 August 1945 (when Sukarno formally proclaimed Indonesia's independence) is celebrated as Indonesia's date of independence.

[6] Joint position known as O Ao o le Malo, whose individuals are severally referred to as O le Ao o le Malo.

[7] As a League of Nations mandate and later UN Trust Territory Nauru was under effective Australian administration with the United Kingdom and New Zealand as nominal co-trustees.

[8] As the Dominion of Fiji.

[9] Celebrated as Fiji Day. (While Fiji does not have a holiday called Independence Day, Fiji Day is celebrated as such). On 7 October 1987 after two military coups Fiji formally abolished its Commonwealth monarchy and became a republic.

[10] Having been out of office since 13 April 1987, on 5 December Mara was sworn in along with Penaia Ganilau as Prime Minister and President respectively. From the abolition of Fiji's monarchy to Mara's and Ganilau's inauguration, Sitiveni Rabuka served as Head of the Interim Military Government.

[11] The main part of German New Guinea after the World War I became a League of Nations mandate and later a UN Trust Territory as the Territory of New Guinea under Australian administration. The Territory of Papua was a British colony transferred to the British Dominion of Australian administration in 1902.

[12] Vanuatu was a joint British-French Condominium

[13] See 1983 Marshallese Compact of Free Association referendum.

[14] See 1983 Micronesian Compact of Free Association referendum.

[15] Since 4 August 1965 the Cook Islands are a state in free association with New Zealand. The UN recognized them as state under international law in 1992 Archived October 19, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. The Cook Islands are fully independent in their foreign relations and defence, but retain a residual constitutional link with New Zealand in relation to citizenship.

[16] Since 19 October 1974 Niue is a state in free association with New Zealand. The UN recognized it as state under international law in 1994 Archived October 19, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Niue is fully independent in its foreign relations and defence, but retains a residual constitutional link with New Zealand in relation to citizenship.

Decolonisation of Oceania

Timeline

See also

Notes