Islands of the Pacific Rim

This book examines the region’s varied climates, from the cold snow of Japan’s winter mountains to the tropical paradise of Bali. It explains how the Pacific has been colonised many times, by Polynesian explorers in twin-hulled canoes, Arab traders, Europeans sailing in galleons and Japanese soldiers during the Second World War. Now, instead of being exploited for their valuable resources by other countries, the Pacific nations are emerging as major economic powers. This economic success is not without its cost to the environment, as hillsides bare of trees and polluted seas testify.