What term is used to describe the island region of the South Pacific, including Indonesia and New Zealand?

The term that encompasses the island region of the South Pacific, which includes countries like Indonesia and New Zealand, is Oceania. This term refers to a vast geographical region that encompasses numerous islands scattered throughout the Pacific Ocean. Oceania includes the regions of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia as sub-regions but is broader in scope as it covers all these islands collectively.

Melanesia refers specifically to a sub-region in the southwestern Pacific that includes countries like Papua New Guinea and Fiji, while Polynesia encompasses a large triangle of islands including Hawaii, Samoa, and Tonga. Micronesia, on the other hand, includes the islands north of the equator, such as the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau. Thus, while Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia are important parts of the South Pacific, Oceania as a term is inclusive of all these areas and more, making it the most accurate and comprehensive choice for describing the broader island region in the South Pacific context.