Area: 8,515,800 sq km
6.3% of the world’s land surface. There are 25,000 islands scattered over 88 million sq km of ocean; this is larger than the combined areas of Africa, Asia and Europe. It comprises one continent (Australia), two large land masses (New Zealand and Papua New Guinea [PNG]) and 26 smaller island states and territories. The smallest territories are grouped with related states in the country section: Christmas Is, Cocos Is, Norfolk Is with Australia; Johnston Is, Midway Is, Wake Is with Guam; Niue, Pitcairn Is and Tokelau with Cook Islands.
Population: 35,838,336 Annual Growth: 1.30%
Largest Religion: Christian
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The strength of Christianity in the Pacific. The Pacific was one of the first areas to be evangelized in the modern Protestant missionary era. By the end of the 19th Century, most of the Pacific region had become Christian through the sacrificial labours of early LMS, Methodist, Anglican and Pacific Islander missionaries. Missionary casualties were high through disease, violent death and cannibalism, but great people movements brought whole peoples and islands to Christianity.
The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Pacific.