North America Capitals Quiz
Try a short quiz about capitals across North America and the Caribbean.
The distance between Oceania capitals varies from short island-to-island links of under 700 km to trans-Pacific gaps of more than 6,700 km. Using straight-line distance, the closest pair in this list is South Tarawa, Kiribati to Majuro, Marshall Islands at about 662 km. The farthest pair is Wellington, New Zealand to Ngerulmud, Palau at about 6,794 km.
What This Distance List Covers
This page compares the capitals of the 14 sovereign states commonly grouped in Oceania: Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
Distances are measured between the capital city points, not between national borders, airports or shipping routes. That matters in Oceania because many countries are island states spread across wide ocean areas.
Measurement note: The values use approximate capital coordinates and the haversine great-circle method with a mean Earth radius of 6,371 km. Real flight paths, layovers, sea routes and airport locations can produce different travel distances.
Oceania Capitals Used for the Distance Calculation
Some capital names need careful handling. Kiribati is often listed as Tarawa, while the government centre is in South Tarawa. Nauru has no official capital in the usual sense, but Yaren is commonly used as the de facto seat of government.
| Country | Capital used | Capital status note | Subregion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Canberra | Official capital | Australia and New Zealand |
| Fiji | Suva | Official capital | Melanesia |
| Kiribati | South Tarawa | Government centre on Tarawa Atoll | Micronesia |
| Marshall Islands | Majuro | Official capital | Micronesia |
| Micronesia | Palikir | Official capital | Micronesia |
| Nauru | Yaren | De facto seat of government | Micronesia |
| New Zealand | Wellington | Official capital | Australia and New Zealand |
| Palau | Ngerulmud | Official capital | Micronesia |
| Papua New Guinea | Port Moresby | Official capital | Melanesia |
| Samoa | Apia | Official capital | Polynesia |
| Solomon Islands | Honiara | Official capital | Melanesia |
| Tonga | Nuku’alofa | Official capital | Polynesia |
| Tuvalu | Funafuti | Official capital | Polynesia |
| Vanuatu | Port Vila | Official capital | Melanesia |
Closest Oceania Capital Pairs
The closest capital pairs are mostly between central Pacific island states. These are still long distances compared with many land-based regions, but they are short by Oceania standards.
South Tarawa to Majuro
662 km between Kiribati and the Marshall Islands.
South Tarawa to Yaren
715 km between Kiribati and Nauru.
Suva to Nuku’alofa
744 km between Fiji and Tonga.
| Rank | Capital pair | Countries | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Tarawa – Majuro | Kiribati – Marshall Islands | 662 km |
| 2 | South Tarawa – Yaren | Kiribati – Nauru | 715 km |
| 3 | Suva – Nuku’alofa | Fiji – Tonga | 744 km |
| 4 | Apia – Nuku’alofa | Samoa – Tonga | 889 km |
| 5 | Majuro – Yaren | Marshall Islands – Nauru | 975 km |
| 6 | Suva – Funafuti | Fiji – Tuvalu | 1,071 km |
| 7 | Suva – Port Vila | Fiji – Vanuatu | 1,072 km |
| 8 | Suva – Apia | Fiji – Samoa | 1,150 km |
| 9 | Apia – Funafuti | Samoa – Tuvalu | 1,151 km |
| 10 | Yaren – Honiara | Nauru – Solomon Islands | 1,253 km |
Longest Oceania Capital Pairs
The longest gaps show how wide Oceania is from the southwest Pacific to western Micronesia. New Zealand and Palau form the longest capital-to-capital pair in this comparison.
| Rank | Capital pair | Countries | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wellington – Ngerulmud | New Zealand – Palau | 6,794 km |
| 2 | Ngerulmud – Apia | Palau – Samoa | 6,376 km |
| 3 | Ngerulmud – Nuku’alofa | Palau – Tonga | 6,334 km |
| 4 | Palikir – Wellington | Micronesia – New Zealand | 5,622 km |
| 5 | Suva – Ngerulmud | Fiji – Palau | 5,590 km |
| 6 | Majuro – Wellington | Marshall Islands – New Zealand | 5,395 km |
| 7 | Ngerulmud – Funafuti | Palau – Tuvalu | 5,251 km |
| 8 | Canberra – Majuro | Australia – Marshall Islands | 5,250 km |
| 9 | Canberra – Ngerulmud | Australia – Palau | 4,994 km |
| 10 | Canberra – Palikir | Australia – Micronesia | 4,788 km |
Full Distance Table Between Oceania Capitals
The table below lists all 91 capital-to-capital combinations among the 14 sovereign states in Oceania. Values are rounded to the nearest kilometre.
| Rank | Capital pair | Countries | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Tarawa – Majuro | Kiribati – Marshall Islands | 662 km |
| 2 | South Tarawa – Yaren | Kiribati – Nauru | 715 km |
| 3 | Suva – Nuku’alofa | Fiji – Tonga | 744 km |
| 4 | Apia – Nuku’alofa | Samoa – Tonga | 889 km |
| 5 | Majuro – Yaren | Marshall Islands – Nauru | 975 km |
| 6 | Suva – Funafuti | Fiji – Tuvalu | 1,071 km |
| 7 | Suva – Port Vila | Fiji – Vanuatu | 1,072 km |
| 8 | Suva – Apia | Fiji – Samoa | 1,150 km |
| 9 | Apia – Funafuti | Samoa – Tuvalu | 1,151 km |
| 10 | Yaren – Honiara | Nauru – Solomon Islands | 1,253 km |
| 11 | Palikir – Yaren | Micronesia – Nauru | 1,279 km |
| 12 | Honiara – Port Vila | Solomon Islands – Vanuatu | 1,290 km |
| 13 | South Tarawa – Funafuti | Kiribati – Tuvalu | 1,303 km |
| 14 | Port Moresby – Honiara | Papua New Guinea – Solomon Islands | 1,403 km |
| 15 | Majuro – Palikir | Marshall Islands – Micronesia | 1,438 km |
| 16 | Nuku’alofa – Funafuti | Tonga – Tuvalu | 1,526 km |
| 17 | Funafuti – Port Vila | Tuvalu – Vanuatu | 1,559 km |
| 18 | Yaren – Funafuti | Nauru – Tuvalu | 1,623 km |
| 19 | South Tarawa – Palikir | Kiribati – Micronesia | 1,757 km |
| 20 | Nuku’alofa – Port Vila | Tonga – Vanuatu | 1,767 km |
| 21 | Palikir – Honiara | Micronesia – Solomon Islands | 1,831 km |
| 22 | South Tarawa – Honiara | Kiribati – Solomon Islands | 1,887 km |
| 23 | Yaren – Port Vila | Nauru – Vanuatu | 1,917 km |
| 24 | Majuro – Funafuti | Marshall Islands – Tuvalu | 1,953 km |
| 25 | Honiara – Funafuti | Solomon Islands – Tuvalu | 2,113 km |
| 26 | Apia – Port Vila | Samoa – Vanuatu | 2,174 km |
| 27 | Palikir – Port Moresby | Micronesia – Papua New Guinea | 2,189 km |
| 28 | South Tarawa – Port Vila | Kiribati – Vanuatu | 2,195 km |
| 29 | Suva – Honiara | Fiji – Solomon Islands | 2,214 km |
| 30 | Majuro – Honiara | Marshall Islands – Solomon Islands | 2,221 km |
| 31 | Suva – South Tarawa | Fiji – Kiribati | 2,256 km |
| 32 | Suva – Yaren | Fiji – Nauru | 2,325 km |
| 33 | Canberra – Wellington | Australia – New Zealand | 2,326 km |
| 34 | Ngerulmud – Port Moresby | Palau – Papua New Guinea | 2,342 km |
| 35 | South Tarawa – Apia | Kiribati – Samoa | 2,389 km |
| 36 | Yaren – Port Moresby | Nauru – Papua New Guinea | 2,398 km |
| 37 | Wellington – Nuku’alofa | New Zealand – Tonga | 2,430 km |
| 38 | Port Moresby – Port Vila | Papua New Guinea – Vanuatu | 2,462 km |
| 39 | Palikir – Ngerulmud | Micronesia – Palau | 2,597 km |
| 40 | Suva – Wellington | Fiji – New Zealand | 2,599 km |
| 41 | Wellington – Port Vila | New Zealand – Vanuatu | 2,690 km |
| 42 | Canberra – Port Vila | Australia – Vanuatu | 2,720 km |
| 43 | Yaren – Apia | Nauru – Samoa | 2,774 km |
| 44 | Majuro – Port Vila | Marshall Islands – Vanuatu | 2,781 km |
| 45 | South Tarawa – Nuku’alofa | Kiribati – Tonga | 2,819 km |
| 46 | Canberra – Port Moresby | Australia – Papua New Guinea | 2,880 km |
| 47 | Palikir – Funafuti | Micronesia – Tuvalu | 2,896 km |
| 48 | Suva – Majuro | Fiji – Marshall Islands | 2,918 km |
| 49 | Honiara – Nuku’alofa | Solomon Islands – Tonga | 2,956 km |
| 50 | Palikir – Port Vila | Micronesia – Vanuatu | 2,960 km |
| 51 | Majuro – Apia | Marshall Islands – Samoa | 2,997 km |
| 52 | Yaren – Nuku’alofa | Nauru – Tonga | 3,001 km |
| 53 | Canberra – Honiara | Australia – Solomon Islands | 3,076 km |
| 54 | South Tarawa – Port Moresby | Kiribati – Papua New Guinea | 3,109 km |
| 55 | Apia – Honiara | Samoa – Solomon Islands | 3,116 km |
| 56 | Majuro – Port Moresby | Marshall Islands – Papua New Guinea | 3,235 km |
| 57 | Wellington – Apia | New Zealand – Samoa | 3,318 km |
| 58 | Ngerulmud – Honiara | Palau – Solomon Islands | 3,382 km |
| 59 | Canberra – Suva | Australia – Fiji | 3,460 km |
| 60 | Majuro – Nuku’alofa | Marshall Islands – Tonga | 3,476 km |
| 61 | Suva – Port Moresby | Fiji – Papua New Guinea | 3,506 km |
| 62 | Port Moresby – Funafuti | Papua New Guinea – Tuvalu | 3,516 km |
| 63 | Suva – Palikir | Fiji – Micronesia | 3,566 km |
| 64 | Wellington – Funafuti | New Zealand – Tuvalu | 3,669 km |
| 65 | Yaren – Ngerulmud | Nauru – Palau | 3,692 km |
| 66 | Canberra – Nuku’alofa | Australia – Tonga | 3,805 km |
| 67 | Wellington – Honiara | New Zealand – Solomon Islands | 3,827 km |
| 68 | Majuro – Ngerulmud | Marshall Islands – Palau | 4,032 km |
| 69 | Palikir – Apia | Micronesia – Samoa | 4,045 km |
| 70 | Port Moresby – Nuku’alofa | Papua New Guinea – Tonga | 4,226 km |
| 71 | Canberra – Funafuti | Australia – Tuvalu | 4,264 km |
| 72 | Palikir – Nuku’alofa | Micronesia – Tonga | 4,265 km |
| 73 | Canberra – Yaren | Australia – Nauru | 4,279 km |
| 74 | South Tarawa – Ngerulmud | Kiribati – Palau | 4,308 km |
| 75 | Wellington – Port Moresby | New Zealand – Papua New Guinea | 4,456 km |
| 76 | Port Moresby – Apia | Papua New Guinea – Samoa | 4,494 km |
| 77 | Canberra – Apia | Australia – Samoa | 4,574 km |
| 78 | Yaren – Wellington | Nauru – New Zealand | 4,598 km |
| 79 | Ngerulmud – Port Vila | Palau – Vanuatu | 4,644 km |
| 80 | South Tarawa – Wellington | Kiribati – New Zealand | 4,756 km |
| 81 | Canberra – South Tarawa | Australia – Kiribati | 4,780 km |
| 82 | Canberra – Palikir | Australia – Micronesia | 4,788 km |
| 83 | Canberra – Ngerulmud | Australia – Palau | 4,994 km |
| 84 | Canberra – Majuro | Australia – Marshall Islands | 5,250 km |
| 85 | Ngerulmud – Funafuti | Palau – Tuvalu | 5,251 km |
| 86 | Majuro – Wellington | Marshall Islands – New Zealand | 5,395 km |
| 87 | Suva – Ngerulmud | Fiji – Palau | 5,590 km |
| 88 | Palikir – Wellington | Micronesia – New Zealand | 5,622 km |
| 89 | Ngerulmud – Nuku’alofa | Palau – Tonga | 6,334 km |
| 90 | Ngerulmud – Apia | Palau – Samoa | 6,376 km |
| 91 | Wellington – Ngerulmud | New Zealand – Palau | 6,794 km |
Data basis: 2026 reference list. Distances are rounded, so routes with nearly identical values may appear only 1 km apart.
Why Oceania Capital Distances Are So Large
Useful Capital Distance Comparisons
Canberra to Wellington
2,326 km. This is the main Australia-New Zealand capital comparison and is much shorter than Canberra’s distances to most Micronesian capitals.
Suva to nearby Pacific capitals
Suva is relatively close to Nuku’alofa, Funafuti, Port Vila and Apia, all under about 1,200 km.
Micronesia cluster
South Tarawa, Majuro, Yaren and Palikir form several of the shorter capital links in the region, though each still crosses open ocean.
Western edge to southwest edge
Ngerulmud in Palau is far from Wellington, Apia, Nuku’alofa and Suva, creating many of the longest capital pairs in Oceania.
Common Point of Confusion
Capital distance is not the same as flight distance
A straight-line distance connects two city coordinate points across the Earth’s surface. A real flight may be longer because it uses specific airports, air corridors, stopovers and available routes. In Oceania, indirect flights can make travel time feel much greater than the map distance suggests.
Tarawa and South Tarawa
Kiribati is often listed with Tarawa as its capital, but government functions are centred in South Tarawa. For distance comparison, South Tarawa is the clearer city reference point.
Yaren and Nauru
Nauru does not operate with a single official capital in the same way many countries do. Yaren is commonly used because it hosts government offices and is the practical capital reference in country lists.
FAQ About Distances Between Oceania Capitals
What is the shortest distance between two Oceania capitals?
The shortest distance in this comparison is between South Tarawa, Kiribati and Majuro, Marshall Islands, at about 662 km.
What is the longest distance between two Oceania capitals?
The longest distance is between Wellington, New Zealand and Ngerulmud, Palau, at about 6,794 km.
How far is Canberra from Wellington?
Canberra is about 2,326 km from Wellington by straight-line distance.
How far is Suva from Nuku’alofa?
Suva in Fiji is about 744 km from Nuku’alofa in Tonga, making it one of the closest capital pairs in Oceania.
Are territories included in this Oceania capital distance table?
No. This table focuses on sovereign states. Territories and dependencies such as New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Guam, American Samoa, the Cook Islands and Niue are not included in the main ranking.
Sources and Method Notes
Capital names and country status were checked against standard country references such as the CIA World Factbook and geographic name resources such as the NGA GEOnet Names Server. Distances were calculated from approximate capital coordinates using the haversine great-circle method and rounded to the nearest kilometre.
