Need help categorizing islands (South Pacific)

[Addict]

I need some help categorizing islands around the world, and figured this might be a good place to get some advice. This is getting quite complicated, and figured some people here might have specific knowledge on the correct levels islands should be in.

This categorization is going to make a database for scuba locations (primarily dive ops, and hotels). Therefore, uninhabited islands - or untraveld islands can be cut from the list.

Here is what I have so far for the South Pacific Region:

South Pacific
American Samoa
Australia
Cook Islands
* Atiu
* Aitutaki
* Mangaia
* Manihiki
* Manuae
* Mauke
* Mitiaro
* Nassau
* Palmerston
* Penrhyn
* Pukapuka
* Rakahanga
* Rarotonga
* Suwarrow
* Takutea
Fiji Islands
* Yasawa Islands
* Mamanuca Islands
* Nadi Area
* Coral Coast
* Pacific Harbour & Beqa Island
* Kadavu Group
* Suva
* Lomaiviti Group
* Sunshine Coast
* Vanua Levu
* Taveuni
Islands of Tahiti
* Bora Bora
* Huahine
* Manihi
* Marquesas Islands
* Moorea
* Raiatea
* Rangiroa
* Tahaa
* Tahiti
* Tetiaroa Island
* Tuamotu Islands
Guam
Indonesia
Kiribati
Manihi
Micronesia
Molokai
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Norfolk Islands
Papua New Guinea
Phillippines
Solomon Islands
Tikehau
Vanuatu Islands

Do you know of some that should be removed, added or expanded upon (South Pacific Region)?

Thanks for the help & expertise!

Addict

 

[Drew Sailbum]

But I would say that Micronesia, Guam, Phillipines, Indonesia, New Zealand and Australia would not be on my list of South Pacific islands.

Micronesia, Guam, and Phillipines would be Western Pacific. Indonesia is SE Asia, and the Aussies get their own continent. I'd lump the Kiwis in with the Aussies just to annoy them.

 

[Zept]

Indonesia, with 17,000-plus islands (and I'm not sure whether that's before or after the recent recount, which revealed a whole bunch of extra ones), can certainly be expanded upon. Likewise Micronesia and the Phillippines. And if you're going to have those three, you ought to have Malaysia, with the likes of Sipadan and Layang Layang, not to mention a chunk of Borneo (one of the world's largest islands). However, I have to agree with Drew -- none of these places are in the South Pacific. New Zealand and Australia are, IMO.

Zept

 

[SMKChef]

"The South Pacific island Kingdom of Tonga is located in Western Polynesia. Its nearest neighbor is Fiji to the west and the Samoas to the north.Western Polynesia includes the islands of Tonga, Samoa, Niue, Tuvala and Tokelau."

Tonga is it's own set of islands.

Check out Tonga Website

Should be a great list when you are done.

 

[Addict]

Cool - keep it coming everyone... I am currently overwhelmed with these islands, but I want to provide a reasonable database. Currently, I have the following regions (hoping to keep this # relatively limited):

1. Caribbean Islands
2. United States
3. Mexico
4. Central America
5. South America
6. Canada
7. Europe
8. South Pacific
9. West Pacific (due to feedback so far)

(keep in mind that this is for a largely american/english speaking site - so I'm busting the world into general regions is based on popular 'regions' for english speaking people - not to hate on anyone For example, basing my regions on Continents would not be wise, as a North American region would be way too populated - which is why I have Canada, US, Mexico, and Caribbean)

Your opinions are very welcomed! Still working on getting the proper categories for the South (and now West) Pacific region.

Maybe I should lump Central and South America together into 1 region?

 

[Jonathan]

some for central Pacific:
Hawaiian Islands
Marshall Islands

One could argue that PNG should be in that group as well. Also what about Saipan?

How about Indian Ocean & Red Sea:
Maldives
Mauritius
Seychelles
SA (?)
Sharm
Hugard
Dahab

to name a few....

good luck
Jonathan

 

[Zept]

Why not just call it SE Asia, or Asia if you want to include Japan? How about:

7: Europe
8: Indian Ocean and Red Sea (per Jonathan's post)
9: Asia
-- Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Phillippines, etc
10: Oceania (or Australasia, or Pacific)
-- Australia, New Zealand, PNG, Fiji, Tahiti, etc

Or, since islands have to be surrounded by water, why not use seas and oceans for your major categories, rather than countries and continents?

Zept

 

[Addict]

Zept,

That sounds like a good way to keep my regions limited.

Here is an updated list...

1. Caribbean Islands
2. United States
3. Mexico
4. Central & South America
5. Canada
6. Europe
7. Indian Ocean and Red Sea
* Maldives
* Mauritius
* Seychelles
* SA
* Sharm
* Hugard
* Dahab
8. Pacific (Oceania)
American Samoa
Australia
Cook Islands
* Atiu
* Aitutaki
* Mangaia
* Manihiki
* Manuae
* Mauke
* Mitiaro
* Nassau
* Palmerston
* Penrhyn
* Pukapuka
* Rakahanga
* Rarotonga
* Suwarrow
* Takutea
Fiji Islands
* Yasawa Islands
* Mamanuca Islands
* Nadi Area
* Coral Coast
* Pacific Harbour & Beqa Island
* Kadavu Group
* Suva
* Lomaiviti Group
* Sunshine Coast
* Vanua Levu
* Taveuni
Islands of Tahiti
* Bora Bora
* Huahine
* Manihi
* Marquesas Islands
* Moorea
* Raiatea
* Rangiroa
* Tahaa
* Tahiti
* Tetiaroa Island
* Tuamotu Islands
Guam
Kiribati
Kiwis
Manihi
Marshall Islands
* Bikini
* Enewetok
* Majuro
* Maloelap
* Ralik Chain
* Ratak Chain
* Taongi
* Ujelang
Micronesia
* Kosrae
* Pohnpei
* Yap
* Chuuk
Molokai
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Niue
Norfolk Islands
Papua New Guinea
Solomon Islands
Somoa
Tikehau
Tokelau
Tonga
Tuvala
Vanuatu Islands
9. Asia
Thailand
Malaysia
Indonesia
* Bali
* Flores
* Irian Jaya
* Java and Madura
* Kalimantan
* Komodo
* Lombok
* Maluku
* Nusa Tenggara
* Riau
* Sulawesi
* Sumatra
* Sumba
* Sumbawa
* Timor
Phillippines
* Luzon
* Visayas
* Mindanao

Taiwan
Japan

Are we looking a little closer now?

Or, since islands have to be surrounded by water, why not use seas and oceans for your major categories, rather than countries and continents?

This is where I have difficulty. Although that seems to make sense, I would again be stuck with a dilema on how I would fit certain places into it. This 'categorization' will be used to construct a database. People will have the opportunity to list their 'dive op'/'hotel' in a online directory. Also, it will serve as the database for hotel and dive op reviews. As I see it, I will have more 'listings' in the United States and Caribbean then I will in the whole Pacific Region. So in some places, a 'ocean based' region will work, but in others, I need to find a way around that.

The input so far has definitely helped out a LOT, and I am working to get it all in - so thanks for the input. I can't believe I missed the likes of Indonesia and Thailand, etc... but when you spend as much time looking at maps, and reading websites as I have in the past couple of days - it starts to get a little blurry.

 

[Addict]

Well, it looks like I have the majority now, thanks for the help! I will probably post a caribbean region request here in a few minutes just cause I got such great help on this one.

If you still know places that 'should' be included in the Pacific Region, let me know

 

[Jonathan]

Saipan and one I thought you would include in micronesia - Palau.

As for Japan visitors are probably only interested in the Okinawa Islands - mainland Japan is more for the residents mainly because there is so much else to do! Still if anyone wants to dive near Tokyo give us a shout....

Jonathan