2. Australia is also called Oceania. Australia is the abbreviation of Australia. It is located in the southwest and south of the Pacific Ocean and the vast sea area north and south of the equator. Its narrow scope refers to Polynesia in the east, Micronesia in the middle and Melanesia in the west. Broadly speaking, it refers to Australia, New Zealand and New Guinea (Irian Island) except the above three islands. Australia generally refers to the Australian mainland and its nearby islands such as Tasmania, and is the smallest continent in the world. Now it is usually called Oceania along with New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.