Countries of Oceania and their capitals
14 countries: Australia, New Zealand and the island nations of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.
Oceania is mostly ocean: Australia and New Zealand, then island nations spread across the Pacific. Some capitals are big cities; some are small towns on coral atolls.
Chunk by region. A whole continent is too much to hold at once, so the list is learned a region at a time, in groups of about five. Use picture plus words: say each pair out loud while you point to the country on a map (the Geography Ladder has maps). The map works like a memory palace, so walk it in the same direction each time. Where a capital has a story or a meaning, picture it; the hooks give some to start with. Then close the book and recall, and come back on day 1, 3, 7 and 21.
Encode make it vivid → Space bring it back on day 1, 3, 7, 21 → Retrieve pull it from your head. From the infographic Remember It on Purpose.
Countries of Oceania and their capitals
| Country | Capital | Region |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Canberra | Australia and New Zealand |
| New Zealand | Wellington | Australia and New Zealand |
| Fiji | Suva | Melanesia |
| Papua New Guinea | Port Moresby | Melanesia |
| Solomon Islands | Honiara | Melanesia |
| Vanuatu | Port Vila | Melanesia |
| Kiribati | Tarawa | Micronesia |
| Marshall Islands | Majuro | Micronesia |
| Micronesia | Palikir | Micronesia |
| Nauru | Yaren | Micronesia |
| Note: Nauru has no official capital; the government sits in Yaren District. | ||
| Palau | Ngerulmud | Micronesia |
| Samoa | Apia | Polynesia |
| Tonga | Nukuʻalofa | Polynesia |
| Tuvalu | Funafuti | Polynesia |
Chunk by region. A whole continent is too much to hold at once, so the list is learned a region at a time, in groups of about five. Use picture plus words: say each pair out loud while you point to the country on a map (the Geography Ladder has maps). The map works like a memory palace, so walk it in the same direction each time. Where a capital has a story or a meaning, picture it; the hooks give some to start with. Then close the book and recall, and come back on day 1, 3, 7 and 21. · teddyrookbook.com/memory/challenges/countries-oceania/
Sources
- United Nations: Member States (193)
- Grokipedia: Lists of capitals (current national capitals)
- United Nations Statistics Division: M49 regions (the region names)
- Teddy Rook Book Geography Ladder: the countries model (maps and notes)
Checked October 31, 2026. Progress is kept on this device only (per learner). More lists: all memory challenges · memory games.