The Pacific Rim is an area that encompasses those land masses surrounding and within the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Rim as a region is significant due to its high levels of volcanism and tectonic activity. The boundaries are often referred to as the “Ring of Fire” because it is home to the world’s foremost belt
Few subjects captured the imagination of early European explorers more than the seafaring exploits of Pacific islanders. In 1768, the French explorer, Bougainville, dubbed Samoa “The Navigators’ Islands,” and the British captain, James Cook, noted that Polynesian canoes were often as fast and maneuver-able as his ships. Subsequent commentators, particularly within the anthropological community, have
Pacific Islanders refers to the indigenous people of the Polynesian, Micronesian, and Melanesian islands. Polynesia refers to the islands settled by Polynesians, which includes (but is not limited to) Tahiti, Hawai’i, American and Western Samoa, Tonga, Rapanui (Easter Island), the Cook Islands, and French Polynesia. Micronesia refers to the islands in the Western Pacific with