Official and Regional Languages of Oceania on a Map

Can you name these 43 national and regional languages shown on the map of Oceania?

Read the extensive caveats in the comments

Quiz by

Rate:

Last updated: February 25, 2024

You have not attempted this quiz yet.

More quiz info >>

First submitted	April 11, 2023
Times taken	3,489
Average score	37.2%
Rating	4.97
Report this quiz	Report

Quiz and answer stats >>

Friends stats >>

10:00

Enter language here

/ 43 guessed

The quiz is paused. You have remaining.

Scoring
You scored / = %

      This beats or equals
      % of test takers
      also scored 100%
      
The average score is 

        Your high score is
        
      
Your fastest time is 
more stats >>
friends stats >>

Keep scrolling down for answers and more stats ...

	=	Indo-European

	=	Malayo-Polynesian

Germanic
22 mil speakers
		L1	Language
		22 mil	English

Indo-Iranian
460 k speakers
		L1	Language
		460 k	Fiji Hindi

Romance
351 k speakers
		L1	Language
		221 k	Spanish
		130 k	French

Fijian-Polynesian
1.2 mil speakers
		L1	Language
		510 k	Samoan
		340 k	Fijian
		187 k	Tongan
		68 k	Tahitian
		<50 k	Māori
		21 k	Cook Islands Māori
		13 k	Tuvaluan
		8.7 k	Marquesan
		5.9 k	Niuean
		5.0 k	Austral
		4.0 k	Tuamotuan
		3.7 k	Tokelauan
		2.0 k	Hawaiian
		1.0 k	Rapa Nui
		973	Rapa
		600	Mangareva

	=	Creole

	=	Japonic

Micronesian
276 k speakers
		L1	Language
		120 k	Gilbertese
		55 k	Marshallese
		51 k	Chuukese
		29 k	Pohnpeian
		9.3 k	Nauruan
		9.0 k	Kosraean
		3.1 k	Carolinian
		400	Sonsorolese
		150	Tobian

Western Oceanic
100 k speakers
		L2	Language
		100 k	Hiri Motu

West New Guinea
70 k speakers
		L1	Language
		70 k	Biak

Chamorro
58 k speakers
		L1	Language
		58 k	Chamorro

Southern Oceanic
34 k speakers
		L1	Language
		13 k	Drehu
		8.7 k	Nengone
		7.3 k	Paicî
		5.4 k	Ajië

	=	Papuan Languages

	=	Signed Languages

Palauan
17 k speakers
		L1	Language
		17 k	Palauan

Admiralty Islands
5.1 k speakers
		L1	Language
		5.1 k	Yapese

North New Guinea
100 speakers
		L1	Language
		100	Tobati

English-based Creole
140 k speakers
		L1	Language
		130 k	Tok Pisin
		10 k	Bislama

English-Tahitian-based Creole
2.4 k speakers
		L1	Language
		2.4 k	Pitkern-Norfuk

Japonic
73 k speakers
		L1	Language
		73 k	Japanese

Papuan Languages
7.8 mil speakers
		L1	Language
		7.8 mil	Papuan Languages

Signed Languages
53 k speakers
		L1	Speakers
		30 k	PNG Sign Language
		23 k	New Zealand Sign Language

Level 70

Apr 11, 2023

Another continent has fallen!

Notes: Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands don't have any recognised languages below the national level (despite being amongst the most linguistically diverse nations on earth).

Japanese, Spanish and French all have more speakers in immigrant communities in Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii than they have in the territories where they have official recognition. Japanese is also official in Angaur state, Palau, as the elders who wrote the constitution were literate in Japanese. Today, it is probable that no one on this island speaks Japanese, although it is a good excuse as to why Japanese is included, if you do not believe the Ogasawara islands are part of Oceania.

I struggled to find accurate numbers of L1 Maori speakers (in NZ). The language had a steep decline in the late 20th Century as it lost its ageing L1 population, and it is estimated that 30,000-150,000 people are fluent in the language today (not necessarily as their mother tongue).

Level 70

Apr 11, 2023

I could not find accurate numbers for Hawaiian speakers, other than a slightly out-of-date figure for the native speakers. I centred Hawaiian over the island of Niihau (a traditional Hawaiian society and the only community in which Hawaiian is spoken as a native language). There are some Hawaiian speaking areas on the larger islands, but as you may be able to tell from the map, dividing tiny islands in a clean and easy-to-read manner is difficult! A lot of people don't realise how dire of a sitaution the Hawaiian language is in, despite its fame.

Malayo-Polynesian languages are a subset of the Austronesian family, but I chose to make Malayo-Polynesian the baseline and divide it into Micronesian, Polynesian, etc. in the answer column to avoid repetition.

Level 40

Apr 14, 2023

This was really fantastic! Would you be heading into North or South America next? Or maybe a fully detailed Melanesian map?

Level 70

Apr 14, 2023

Thanks for playing! I'm hoping to finish North America next. Now that Africa is finished, the other continents are quite simple, each having less than 50 answers. Although the Papuan languages are fascinating, unfortunately they are also some of the most obscure and difficult to find data on.

Level 23

Apr 14, 2023

Great job! When you produce the map of south america, do you intend to include languages recognized at the municipal level?

For example: Brazil - Nheengatu, Tenetehara, Talian, Pomeranian, etc.

Level 70

Apr 15, 2023

Thank you! I am considering this, as to add some variety to the quiz, but on the other hand it would be a slight break from the rest of the series. In short, I will probably not make this decision until I finalise the list of languages.

Level 59

Apr 18, 2023

Accept Hindi?

Level 70

Apr 18, 2023

I will consider it, however I feel that calling it Hindi is not very accurate, and I haven't seen other Jetpunk quizzes allow this type-in.

Level 69

Apr 18, 2023

I've been looking forward to this for such a long time! It's great! Nominated!

Level 70

Apr 18, 2023

Thanks for playing! I'm glad you liked it :D

Level 70

Apr 18, 2023

do you mean 46k for Fiji Hindi?

Level 70

Apr 19, 2023

460 k in 1991. I was a little surprised by this figure and it may be somewhat inaccurate, but with this figure and all others don't forget that the diaspora community is included. Many Indo-Fijians left Fiji after the political unrest in the 2000s.

Level 60

Apr 23, 2023

Nice. Fijian usually is accepted, so that threw me off. Shouldn't PNG Sign Language be on here?

Level 70

Apr 24, 2023

Fijian is accepted for the Austronesian language, Fiji Hindi is a different language altogether. I chose to include the signed languages but I put them in grey boxes, as it isn't possible to display them on the map (at least not at the same time as the spoken languages without making some serious concessions to the visuals).

Level 72

Sep 15, 2023

Maybe a few more type-ins for Fiji Hindi? I tried Fijian Hindi and Hindustani.

Level 70

Feb 25, 2024

Types-ins have been made more lenient, thanks for the feedback!

Level 28

Mar 4, 2024

These language quizzes are incredible! Would you have any interest in doing a global one once you have (or maybe I should say "if you ever") gone through each continent?

Level 70

Mar 5, 2024

I'm really glad to hear that! A world version certainly isn't off the books, I just have one more continent to go :)

Countries of the World Quiz

US States Quiz

NBA Teams Quiz

United States Map Quiz

Countries by Borders in 90 Seconds

Countries of Europe Quiz

12 Months in 15 Seconds

US States by Borders in 30 Seconds

Biggest Countries by Population

Island Countries Quiz

Brand Logos Quiz #1

Countries of North America Quiz

Canada Provinces Map Quiz

U.S. State Capitals Quiz

Countries that Start with N

Save Your Progress

Quiz series by Jiaozira

Official and Regional Languages of Asia on a Map

Official and Regional Languages of Europe on a Map

Official and Regional Languages of North America on a Map