History of exploration The first evidence of humans colonizing islands probably occurred in the
Paleolithic era, 100,000 to 200,000 years ago. Reaching the
Indonesian islands of
Flores and
Timor would have required crossing distances of water of at least . Some islands, such as
Honshu, were probably connected to the mainland with a
land bridge that allowed humans to colonize it before it became an island. Between 1100 and 800 BC, Polynesians sailed East from
New Guinea and the
Solomon Islands and reached the islands that make up the modern-day
Fiji and
Samoa. The furthest extent of this migration would be
Easter Island in the East, and
New Zealand in the South, with New Zealand's first settlements between 1250 and 1300. Historians have sought to understand why some remote islands have always been uninhabited, while others, especially in the
Pacific Ocean, have long been populated by humans. It has been hypothesized that since the inhabitants had little incentive for
trade and had little to any contact with the mainland, they had no need for boats. Others compare the motivations of Polynesian and similar explorers with those of
Christopher Columbus, the explorer who sailed westward over the
Atlantic Ocean in search of an alternate route to the
East Indies. The study of the culture of islands is known as
island studies. The interest in the study of islands is due to their unique cultures and natural environments that differ from mainland cultures. Polynesians were known to fish close to shore, as well as in deep water. It was reported that
Rapa Nui people were known to fish as far as from shore at coral reefs.
Spear,
line, and
net fishing were all used, to catch
tuna as well as
sharks and
stingrays. Different island climates made different resources more important, such as the Hawaiian islands being home to
irrigated fields of taro, There is archeological evidence that Canary Islanders would chew the roots of
ferns for sustenance, a practice that wore heavily on their
molars. Three others,
Palau,
Federated States of Micronesia, and the
Marshall Islands, are island nations of the Pacific region that maintain a defense, aid, and immigration agreement with the United States called a
Compact of Free Association.
Colonization leaving due to nuclear testing. Since the first discoveries of Polynesian,
Micronesian, and other islands by Westerners, these nations have been the subject of colonization. Islands were the target of
Christian missionaries. These missionaries faced resistance, but found success when some local chiefs used European support to centralize power. Beginning in the 16th century, European states placed most of
Oceania in under
colonial administration.
Pohnpei was colonized by Spain as early as 1526. It changed hands from Germany to Japan to the United States before joining the
Federated States of Micronesia in 1982, maintaining a "free association" status with the U.S.
Guam was a Spanish territory until 1898, and now is an
unincorporated territory of the U.S. The
decolonization era saw many island states achieve independence or some form of
self-governance. Nuclear weapons testing on the
Marshall Islands left many atolls destroyed or uninhabitable, causing the
forced displacement of people from their home islands as well as increases in cancer rates due to
radiation. Islands in colder climates often rely on seasonal tourists seeking to enjoy nature or local cultures, and may only be one aspect of an island's economy. In contrast, tourism on tropical islands can often make up the majority of the local economy and
built environment. These islands sometimes also require consistent
foreign aid on top of tourism in order to ensure economic growth. This reliance can result in
social inequality and
environmental degradation. During tourism downturns, these economies struggle to make up the lost inflow of cash with other industries. == Threats to islands ==