Europeans in Oceania - wikipedia Europeans in Oceania Oceania European exploration and settlement of Oceania began in the 16th century, starting with Portuguese settling the Moluccas and Spanish ( Castilian ) landings and shipwrecks in the Marianas Islands, east of the Philippines, followed by the Portuguese landing and settling temporarily ( due to the monsoons ) in the Tanimbar or the Aru Islands and in some of the Caroline Islands and Papua New Guinea, and several Spanish landings in the Caroline Islands and New Guinea. Subsequent rivalry between European colonial powers, trade opportunities and Christian missions drove further European exploration and eventual settlement. After the 17th century Dutch landings in New Zealand and Australia, but not settling these lands, the British became the dominant colonial power in the region, establishing settler colonies in what would become Australia and New Zealand, both of which now have majority European - descended populations. New Caledonia ( Caldoche ), Hawaii, French Polynesia, Norfolk Island, Easter Island and Guam also have significant European populations. Europeans remain a primary ethnic group in much of Oceania, both numerically and economically. Contents 1 European settlement of Australia and New Zealand 2 Current European population in Oceania 3 See also 4 References European settlement of Australia and New Zealand Historical map of Australia and New Zealand 1788 - 1911 Main articles : European settlement of Australia and Immigration to New Zealand See also : European exploration of Australia European settlement in Australia began in 1788 when the British established the Crown Colony of New South Wales with the first settlement at Port Jackson. New Zealand was part of New South Wales until 1840 when it became a separate colony and experienced a marked increase in European settlement. While the largest European ethnic group to originally settle in both Australia and New Zealand were the English, the settler population in Australia from early times contained a large Irish Catholic component, in contrast to New Zealand which was more Scottish in composition. For generations, the vast majority of both colonial - era settlers and post-independence immigrants to Australia and New Zealand came almost exclusively from the British Isles. However, waves of European immigrants were later drawn from a broader range of countries. Australia, in particular, received large numbers of European immigrants from countries such as Italy, Greece, Germany, the Netherlands, and Yugoslavia following the Second World War. Current European population in Oceania The total population of people that have European ancestry in Oceania is over 23,600,000, with the inclusion of the population of Hawaii. Australia ( European Australian ) -- 93.2 % of the population or 20,299,000 people based on 2011 census report. New Zealand ( New Zealand European ) -- 74.0 % of the population or 2,969,400 people. New Caledonia ( Caldoche ) -- 29.2 % of the population or about 71,700 ; the territory is part of France. French Polynesia -- 10 % of the population ( mostly French ) or 26,700, and 6 - 8 % are Euronesian ( Polynesian and European ancestry ). Hawaii -- 24.1 % of the population ( 2010 U.S. Census ) Guam -- 10 % of the population have Spanish and European American ancestry ( 2000 Census ) or about 17,800 people. Guam has a history of Spanish settlement before 1900 and is now under US rule. Norfolk Island -- about 50 % British - Polynesian from Pitcairn Island ( 1,070 people ) and 50 % British ancestry mainly via Australia ( 1,070 people ). Easter Island -- about 39 % have European ancestry ( mostly Spanish ). The island is part of Chile. The dominant European group of Australia are referred to as Anglo - Celtic Australians ( although this does not include non-British Europeans ) ; the proper term for Australians of European ancestry is European Australian. In New Zealand, the census gathers information on ethnicity, not ancestry. It shows the majority of the New Zealand population identify as New Zealand European. The term Pākehā used in some previous Censuses has a similar meaning. See also Greater Europe History of Australia History of New Zealand History of the Pacific Islands Settler colonialism European Australian History of Oceania References Jump up ^ New Caledonia : People : Ethnic Groups., World Factbook of CIA Jump up ^ Census shows Hawaii is becoming whiter, starbulletin.com ^ Jump up to : French Polynesia : People : Ethnic Groups. World Factbook of CIA Jump up ^ Guam : People : Ethnic Groups. World Factbook of CIA Jump up ^ `` 2013 Census QuickStats about national highlights ''. Stats.govt.nz. Retrieved 20 August 2017. Jump up ^ `` ISEE - Salaires '' ( PDF ). Isee.nc. Retrieved 20 August 2017. Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved April 3, 2012. Jump up ^ Brazil : People : Ethnic Groups. World Factbook of CIA Colonization and decolonization Earth Exploration Europe Americas Africa Asia Oceania Antarctica -- World oceans Colonization Americas Africa Asia Southeast Asia Oceania Antarctica World oceans Subterranea Decolonization Americas Africa Asia Oceania General topics Exploration Maritime history ( European ) Age of Discovery Solar System discovery Colonization Antiquity -- Imperialism Chartered companies Interventionism Colonialism chronology history empires wars Current : Non-Self - Governing Dependent Space Station -- Space Militarization Commercial use of space Empires in Modernity Overseas, major : British Dutch French German Italian Portuguese Spanish Overseas, minor : American Australian Austro - Hungarian Belgian Danish New Zealand Norwegian Polish - Lithuanian Swedish Mostly contiguous : American Chinese Japanese Ottoman Russian South African Decolonization Wars of national liberation -- Predecessors of sovereign states in Europe in South America Sovereign states formation dates Postcolonialism Independence Internal colonialism Nation - building Postcolonialism ( international relations ) Terra nullius Indigenous peoples Uncontacted peoples Outer space Exploration Mercury Venus Moon Lagrangian points Mars Phobos Ceres Asteroids Outer Solar System : Jupiter Europa Callisto Saturn Titan Uranus Neptune trans - Neptunian objects Pluto Colonization Mercury Venus Moon Lagrangian points Mars Phobos Asteroids Outer Solar System : Jupiter Europa Callisto Saturn Titan Uranus Neptune trans - Neptunian objects Pluto Ethnicity Related concepts Clan Ethnic group Ethnolinguistic group Ethnoreligious group Indigenous peoples Ingroups and outgroups Meta - ethnicity Metroethnicity Minority group Monoethnicity Nation Nationality Panethnicity Polyethnicity Population Race Symbolic ethnicity Tribe Ethnology Anthropology Ethnic studies Ethnoarchaeology Ethnobiology Ethnobotany Ethnozoology Ethnoecology Ethnocinema Ethnogeology Ethnography Autoethnography Clinical Critical Cyber - Netnography Online Person - centered Salvage Transidioethnography Video Ethnohistory Ethnolinguistics Ethnology Ethnomathematics Ethnomethodology Ethnomuseology Ethnomusicology Ethnophilosophy Ethnopoetics Ethnoscience Ethnosemiotics Ethnotaxonomy Groups by region Africa Arab League Americas Indigenous Canada Mexico United States Central America South America Asia Central Asia East Asia Northern Asia South Asia Southeast Asia West Asia Australia Indigenous Europe Oceania Indigenous European Identity and ethnogenesis Cross-race effect Cultural assimilation Cultural identity Demonym Development Endonym Ethnic flag Ethnic option Ethnic origin Ethnic religion Ethnicity in census Ethnofiction Ethnonym Folk religion Historical Imagined community Kinship Legendary progenitor Lineage - bonded society Mores Nation - building Nation state National language National myth Origin myth Pantribal sodality Tribal name Tribalism Urheimat Multiethnic society Consociationalism Diaspora politics Dominant minority Ethnic democracy Ethnic enclave Ethnic interest group Ethnic majority Ethnic media Ethnic pornography Ethnic theme park Ethnoburb Ethnocracy Ethnopluralism Indigenous rights Middleman minority Minority rights Model minority Multinational state Ideology and ethnic conflict Ethnic bioweapon Ethnic cleansing Ethnic hatred Ethnic joke Ethnic nationalism Ethnic nepotism Ethnic penalty Ethnic slur Ethnic stereotype Ethnic violence Ethnocentrism Ethnocide Ethnosymbolism Indigenism Separatist movements Xenophobia Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Europeans_in_Oceania&oldid=796996984 '' Categories : European diaspora in Oceania Hidden categories : All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from July 2010 Articles with unsourced statements from November 2011 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Esperanto Edit links This page was last edited on 24 August 2017, at 09 : 48. 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Question: where did european colonization of australia and oceania begin
Answer: 16th century