Melanesia

Melanesia is just getting attention in the 21st Century, primarily due to various environmental issues facing the region and peoples as a direct result of climate change and global warming.

Melanesia is an archipelago consists of thousands of Islands between Indonesia on the West, Australia on the South, Micronesia on the North and Polynesian islands on the western part.

The most immediate physical characteristic of Melanesians is their dark skin, a feature evolved in response to the intense sun exposure common in their tropical island environment. This dark pigmentation is due to high levels of melanin, which acts as a natural sunscreen.