Forty-five contributors offer information on the physical environment, history, culture, population, economy, and living environment of the Pacific islands.

A collection of critical debates, analyses and evaluations of changing models of property as the vehicle governing access to land and resources.

This publication contains an English version of the FAO multilingual thesaurus covering terminology used in the field of land tenure, mainly relating to the following subjects: legal, institutional, historical, description of space, traditional or written land tenure regulations, topographical and land management information techniques. The purpose of the thesaurus is to provide reference material for FAO officials and field experts involved in the implementation of land tenure projects, as well as for use by researchers in rural development issues and for use in training in natural resource management.

In a region where mining, forestry, fish and other primary resources are so basic to income, employment and national prosperity, an understanding of rights to land, water and minerals is fundamental. Tenure regimes in the Asia-Pacific region are vastly more diverse and complex than in those of any other part of the world for comparable population numbers. These studies will overcome the simplistic misunderstandings that have obscured understanding in so many instances. This book provides an up-to-date overview of the main patterns of indigenous property rights, particularly those held by corporate groups, in the South Pacific Forum region (Australia, New Zealand and the independent Pacific island nations) plus a valuable comparative chapter on Canada. It explores the relative success and failure of a variety of approaches to the management of these complex systems, and offers insights and suggestions for the amelioration of present and likely future stresses in the systems. It is a valuable contribution to the understanding of both governance and property, and to the effective sociopolitical development of the region. - Ron Crocombe, Emeritus Professor, University of the South Pacific

An encyclopaedia of information on major aspects of Pacific life, including the physical environment, peoples, history, politics, economy, society and culture. The CD-ROM contains hyperlinks between section titles and sections, a library of all the maps in the encyclopaedia, and a photo library.

The term Polynesia refers to a cultural and geographical area in the Pacific Ocean, bound by what is commonly referred to as the Polynesian Triangle, which consists of Hawai'i in the north, New Zealand in the southwest, and Easter Island in the southeast. Thousands of islands are scattered throughout this area, most of which are currently included in one of the modern island states of American Samoa, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Hawai'i, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, Tokelau, Tuvalu, and Wallis and Futuna. The third edition of the Historical Dictionary of Polynesia greatly expands on the previous editions through a chronology, an introductory essay, an expansive bibliography, and over 400 cross-referenced dictionary entries on significant persons, events, places, organizations, and other aspects of Polynesian history from the earliest times to the present. Appendixes of the major islands and atolls within Polynesia, the rulers and administrators of the 13 major island states, and basic demographic information of those states are also included.