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Story: South Pacific economic relations

Colonial control in the South Pacific

Choose year:

  • 1901

  • 1951

  • 2001

During the 20th century, control of most of the South Pacific's many islands and territories has passed from one colonising power to another. This map shows how colonial power in the region has changed over time.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

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How to cite this page

Geoff Bertram, South Pacific economic relations – Pacific neighbours, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/24236/colonial-control-in-the-south-pacific (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Geoff Bertram, published 12 April 2010.

Comments

David Cramp
19 June 2024
This is an interesting and informative series of charts, but may be misleading in one respect. It gives the impression that Tonga was colonised by the UK, but this was never the case. it had a voluntary protectorate status with the UK until 1970, but there was never any UK colonial control and always maintained is independence.