Oceania's Tiniest Territories Trivia Quiz

Answer: Mutineers from HMS Bounty

The "Mutiny on the Bounty" has been immortalized in numerous movies. Nine of the mutineers, along with a number of Polynesian men and women, landed on Pitcairn in 1790 and destroyed the ship. Their descendants have lived there ever since, with the largest settlement being Adamstown, named after mutineer John Adams.

Answer: Wake Island

Wake Island was claimed by the USA in 1899. On December &th, 1941, the same day as the attack on Peal Harbor, Japan attacked the island and eventually occupied it. They remained there until the end of the war, surrendering on September 4th, 1945. The US military still use it as a base in the early 21st century.

Answer: Niue

Niue is a dependency of New Zealand which has been settled by Polynesians since around 900 AD. Captain James Cook of the United Kingdom nicknamed it "Savage Island" after attempts to land there were repelled by natives in 1774. The capital, Alofi, had a population in the early 21st century of around 600.

Answer: France

The Wallis and Futuna Islands are located some 300 miles north of Fiji. They were explored by sailors from a number of European countries before French missionaries permanently settled there in 1837. The capital of the islands is Mata Utu, on the island of Uvea.

Answer: Norfolk Island

Norfolk Island is an external territory of Australia, which, together with Phillip Island and Nepean Island, form the Territory of Norfolk Island. The capital is called Kingston, and the island is famous for its Norfolk Island Pines.

Answer: Tinian

Tinian had periods of colonial possession by Spain, Germany and Japan before American troops seized the island in 1944. In August, 1945, North Field on the island was the departure point for Enola Gay and Bock's Car for their atomic bomb raids on Hiroshima and Nagasaki respectively.

Answer: Christmas Island

There are a number of Christmas Islands scattered around the globe, the best-known of which is the Australian island which is actually located in the Indian Ocean. The one that has the alternative name of Kiritimati is a Pacific island which belongs to Kiribati.

This island was the site of nuclear bomb teats in the 1950s and 60s by the UK and USA. In the early 21st century, the island had recovered from this and had become a fairly popular tourist venue.

Answer: French Polynesia

French Polynesia consists of over 120 islands covering a huge part of the South Pacific. This collectivity is itself divided into five smaller island groups - Society Islands, Gambier Islands, Marquesa Islands, Tuamotu Archipelago and Austral Islands. The Society Islands are probably the best known as they include the popular tourist destination of Tahiti.

Answer: Guam

Guam is a US territory which is part of the Marianas Islands. The other three options are all part of the Solomon Islands, the best known of which is probably Guadalcanal, which was the site of a number of bloody military battles between the USA and Japan during World War 2.

Answer: Tokelau

Tokelau was a US territory before being ceded to New Zealand in 1979. The Union Islands moniker was used until 1948, when the present name, which means "north wind", was adopted. The islands consist of three atolls - Atafu, Nukunonu and Fakaofo - and the island capital rotates among them on an annual basis.