ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF FRUITS

A LECTURE BYMR ALLAH DAD KHAN FORMER DG AGRICULTURE EXTENSION

KPK PROVINCE

WHAT IS FRUIT Fruit is a subset of this larger group. In

practice, definitions fall in two camps:1. Scientific classification...fruits are result in flowers, or have pits/seeds/stones.2. Culinary application...vegetables are part of the main meal (savory) & fruits are dessert (sweet).

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF ALMOND Almonds are mentioned as far back in history as

the Bible. They were a prized ingredient in breads served to Egypt's pharos. Their exact ancestry in unknown, but almonds are thought to have originated in China and Central Asia.

Explorers ate almonds while traveling the "Silk Road" between Asia and the Mediterranean. Before long, almond trees flourished in the Mediterranean -- especially in Spain and Italy.

The almond tree was brought to California from Spain in the mid-1700's by the Franciscan Padres. The moist, cool weather of the coastal missions, however, did not provide optimum growing conditions. It wasn't until the following century that trees were successfully planted inland. By the 1870's, research and cross-breeding had developed several of today's prominent almond varieties. By the turn of the 20th century, the almond industry was firmly established in the Sacramento and San Joaquin areas of California's great Central Valley.

Throughout history, almonds have maintained religious, ethnic and social significance. The Bible's "Book of Numbers" tells the story of Aaron's rod that blossomed and bore almonds, giving the almond the symbolism of divine approval

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF AMLA In other Hindu myths, Amla is

said to have originated from the drops ofAmrit which spilled on earth accidentally, because of the fight of Gods and Demons after ksheera sagar manthan. And hence also this religious belief makes claims that it almost cures every disease and is also good in extending the longevity of life.

In the Sanskrit Buddhist tradition half an amalaka fruit was the final gift to the Buddhist sangha by the great Indian emperor Ashoka. This is illustrated in the Ashokavadana in the following verses:

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF APPLE The apple has been grown for

thousands of years. Indeed, it could be said it goes back to the beginning of time as it is purported to have led to the Fall of Adam and Eve. It is also said that an apple refreshed Mohammed just before he breathed his last. Back on earth, it was well-known in Ancient China and Egypt, as well as to the ancient Greeks and Romans: Pliny the Elder talked of 37 varieties when writing in 23AD. Apples have been popular and widely available ever since. Indeed, today there are over 5,000 named apple varieties. The term “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” appears to have originated in the 19th century and is still quoted, with some accuracy, to this day.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF APRICOT Apricots originally came from

China or Siberia – some 4000 years ago, it is said. In ancient times they spread across Persia to the Mediterranean region and the Romans knew them and loved them. However, they never succeeded in transplanting them to Northern Europe. Apricots did reach Britain in the 13th century but were only successfully introduced in the 16th century. Later the Arabs grew apricots. The luxury of eating them fresh is still fairly rare as the season is quite short: the canned version is just not the same...

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF AVACADO Avocados originated in Central

America and the Spanish discovered them there in the 16th century. Its anglicised name is a corruption of the Aztec world ahuacatl, which was apparently used to both describe the fruit and the testicle. In the 19th century avocados were introduced to the USA and Australia. However in Europe avocados only really became popular in the late 20th century. There are three main types: Guatemalans are mostly large, green and warty, except for the purple but still very warty Hass; Mexicans are smaller and West Indian avocados are large and smooth-skinned.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF BANANAS Bananas are native to Southeast

Asia. However by 500 BC they were being grown in India. Alexander the Great ate them and his men took them back to the Western World. By 200 AD bananas were grown in China. Bananas were probably taken to Madagascar by the Arabs and spread from there to mainland Africa. In the 16th century the Portuguese took bananas to the New World. The first recorded sale of bananas in England was in 1633 however they were expensive until the end of the 19th century.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF BLACKBERRY Blackberries grew wild in Europe,

Asia and North and South America – and still do. For thousands of years people ate blackberries and blackberry remains have been found in many of the earliest European habitations. So much fruit has been available in hedges and woods that it has never been cultivated on a large scale. It has also, since ancient times, been used as a medicine. High in antioxidants like all berries, they are good for the cardiovascular system in particular.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF BLACK CURRANTS In the Middle Ages and for

centuries afterwards blackcurrants were used as a medicine. During World War II the government in Britain encouraged people to grow them as they were a rich source of vitamin C. Most were made into cordial and blackcurrant drinks have remained popular in Britain since then.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF BLUEBERRIES Blueberries, huckleberries or

whortleberries are native to Europe as a low shrub found on heaths and moors but the fruit is particularly popular now in North America, where they were eaten by Native Americans (sometimes with meat). They were also used as a medicine. Europeans learned how to grow blueberries and from the late 19th century they were canned. Blueberries are better-fruiting than huckleberries, which is why they remain largely unknown today (apart from Mark Twain’s eponymous character, Huckleberry Finn). The smaller, related Northern European bilberry is very hard to cultivate so remains largely a wild fruit.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF BREADFRUIT Breadfruit is native to

Indonesia and Malaysia. It was spread to the Pacific by the Polynesians. The in the 18th century Europeans took breadfruit to the West Indies and Central America.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF CASHEW NUT While many of the cashews

produced for commerce come from Africa and India, the cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale) is native to tropical regions of Brazil. The tree produces a long, fleshy stalk, called a cashew apple, which resembles a small pear. At the end of this stalk grows the kidney-shaped cashew nut that many know and love.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF CHERRIES Cherries are native to Asia and Cherry

Blossom Time is particularly celebrated in Japan. Cherries were eaten by the Chinese, the Greeks and the Romans. However in Northern Europe cherries only really became popular in the late Middle Ages. In Britain, that coincided with Henry VIII reintroducing them from France and by 1640 the cherry orchards of Kent were well established. In the 17th century colonists also took cherries to North America. There are sweet and sour cherries (such as the Morello), all used for cooking. Short-seasoned like apricots, they are a particular luxury fresh.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF CHECKO The sapodilla is believed

to be native to Yucatan and possibly other nearby parts of southern Mexico, as well as northern Belize and northeastern Guatemala. It was introduced long ago throughout tropical America and the West Indies and the southern part of the Florida mainland.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF COCONUT The origin of the coconut plant is

vague. Many researchers suggest Malaysia to be the likeliest place, others consider the north-west of South America. The fruit has spread worldwide mostly with the help of seafarers. The coconut fruit itself is light and water resistant, it can keep itself afloat on the surface of the water, thus able to be spread by currents. Now it is grown in more than 70 countries throughout the world. The major countries are India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Maldives.

- See more at: http://www.coconut-info.net/#sthash.vrJl8KTQ.dpuf

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF CUSTARD APPLE Sugar-apple is the fruit

of Annona squamosa, the most widely grown species of Annona and a native of the tropical Americas andWest Indies. The Spanish traders and others brought it to Asia where its old Mexican name ate may still be found in Bengali ata, Nepalese aati, Sinhalese katu atha, Burmese aajaa thee, and atis in the Philippines. It is also known as custard apple (mainlyAnnona reticulata) in the Philippines.[1]

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF PALM TREE Since the middle of the third

millennium BCE dates were grown, though they were not of high quality. The palmtree, imposing when fully grown, was also planted for shade    there is a large city named Chemmis in the Theban district near Neapolis, and in this city there is a temple of Perseus the son of Danae which is of a square shape, and round it grow date-palms.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF FALSA Grewia

asiatica (Phalsa or Falsa) (Urdu: فالسہ , Hindi: फ़ालसा ) is a species of Grewia native to southern Asia from Pakistan, India east toCambodia, and widely cultivated in other tropical countries.[2][3] Grewia celtidifolia was initially considered a mere variety of Phalsa, but is now recognized as a distinct species.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF FIG Figs have been grown in the Middle East

since prehistoric times: indeed, along with the apple, the fig leaf took a starring role in Eden, covering Adam’s private parts. They were also mentioned in Sumer (Iraq) as early as 2500 BC. They were a staple food in Egypt and were later grown by the Greeks and Romans. The Greeks claimed they were given to them by the goddess Aphrodite (Demeter). Pliny, in Roman times in 60AD, notes no fewer than 29 varieties of fig (he obviously had a thing about fruit!). Figs were probably introduced to England by the Romans and also to China in the 8th century AD. Figs were taken by Spaniards to the Americas in the 16th century. Figs were also introduced to England again in the 16th century. There are now over 600 fig species, including such well-known ornamentals as the India rubber plant and the weeping fig.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF GOOSE BERRIES

Gooseberries are native to Europe and Western Asia. Green and distinctively hairy, they were first mentioned in England in the 13th century when they were mentioned in purchases made for the Westminster garden of Edward I in 1276. By the 19th century they were a very popular food and the Victorians competed to grow larger and larger fruit. The name gooseberry may simply be goose berry because they were eaten with goose or it may be a corruption of the Dutch word kruisbes, which means cross berry.

The Cape Gooseberry is quite different – smooth, yellow-orange and wrapped in a papery cocoon, it is reputed to be native to Peru and Chile. A tropical South American plant (Physalis peruviana), it was grown by early settlers at the Cape of Good Hope before 1807. Soon after its adoption in the Cape of Good Hope it was carried to Australia and there acquired its common English name. It was one of the.few fresh fruits of the early settlers in New South Wales. There it has long been grown on a large scale and is abundantly naturalised.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF GRAPEFRUIT It is not known exactly how the

grapefruit originated although it was known as the “shaddock” or “shattuck” until the 1800s, taking the name from Captain Shaddock, who introduced the pomelo to the Caribbean from Polynesia in the 17th century. It was first formally recorded in 1750 by the Rev. Griffith Hughes describing specimens from Barbados, where the grapefruit is said to be one of the "Seven Wonders of Barbados”. It is believed to be a hybrid of two other fruits – the pomelo and the sweet orange. Pink grapefruit sealed grapefruit’s commercial. success. The Ruby Red has even become a symbol fruit for Texas, where white "inferior" grapefruit were eliminated and only red grapefruit grown for decades.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF GRAPE Vitis vitaceae (table) and vinifera (wine) grape

varieties go back a long, long time. They were first cultivated in Caucasia in perhaps 6000BC. Cultivation progressed into Egypt and Phoenicia in about 3000BC. By 2000BC, viticulture reached Greece, and by 1000BC it had reached Italy, Sicily and North Africa. Residents of Spain, Portugal and France began viticulture in 500BC and finally the practice spread into eastern and Northern Europe and even the British Isles. Grapes were, obviously, used to make wine, whose history is considerable, and have a number of famous historical characters associated with them. Cleopatra, for instance, was said to have had a particular love for grapes and is purported by schoolboy myth to have come up with the sybaritic phrase: “Peel me a grape”. In 1970, per capita consumption of grapes in the United States was 2.5 pounds (just over a kilogramme). Today the total hovers around eight pounds (3.6kg). The move from seeded to seedless grapes is comparatively recent and Dole’s Mando varieties include a number of this increasingly popular variant, as well as a large-graped variety rejoicing in the name of Moonballs...

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF GUAVA Guavas originated from an

area thought to extend from Mexico orCentral America and was distributed throughout tropical America andCaribbean region.[3] They were adopted as a crop in subtropical and tropical Asia, the southern United States (from Tennessee and North Carolina south, as well as the west and Hawaii,) and tropical Africa

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF HAZELNUT Hazelnuts are believed

to be native to Asia. They were grown by the Chinese and also by the Greeks and the Romans. Hazelnuts were first grown in the USA in the 18th century.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF JAMUN Jamun fruit are native to

India and surrounding countries: Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The tree was introduced to the US via Florida in 1911. Jamun fruit does not ripen off the tree and individual berries ripen at different times; fruit is picked daily and is most often foraged. Jamun can be found a farmer’s markets in India and in the surrounding region. 

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF JUJUBE Jujube fruit benefits are very

recognized for thousands of years. Jujube fruit is utilized as herbal medicine for hundreds of years within China along with other Asian countries. Since this fruit is extremely healthy and also loaded with numerous minerals and vitamins, it will help in the development and also maintenance of the blood stream, entire body hormones, bone fragments, muscles, skin, hair, body enzymes and also neurotransmitters

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF KIWIFRUIT Kiwifruit is native to South-East Asia.

Although grown in China for centuries as the Chinese Gooseberry, kiwifruit were not commercially grown in the West until the 20th century. In fact, its resurgence in the West originated in New Zealand in 1904 when a certain Ms Isabel Fraser brought back some little black seeds from China and the New Zealand kiwifruit industry was born, taking its name from New Zealand’s national bird. In the last few decades of the 20th century kiwifruit has become popular throughout the world in both its green and more recently yellow-fleshed varieties.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF LEMONS Lemons originally came from Southern Asia

and China. They later reached the Middle East, in the 10th century, and they were known to the Romans although they were rare in the Roman Empire. Later the Arabs introduced lemons to Spain and Sicily – and they are recorded as being grown in Genoa by the mid 15th century. Common in both North African and Middle Eastern cooking, they became more popular in northern Europe in the 15th century. Thereafter it appears Columbus did his bit in spreading them around the world, as they are recorded as growing in the Azores in 1494 and the Antilles in 1557. They had reached orchard size in South America in 1587 and Cuba was also covered in them at about the same time. They are now mainly grown in California, Florida, Israel, Spain and South Africa.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF LIME Limes are native to Southern Asia.

The Arabs took them to the Mediterranean area and later the Crusaders took them to Europe. Columbus took limes to the West Indies. From 1795 British sailors were given rations of lime juice to prevent scurvy. A smaller tree than the lemon, the small green fruits do not travel well and are mainly consumed locally or made into cordial. Again, Rose’s Lime Juice Cordial is a staple of childhood memories all over the world. Limes are round and do not have the lemon’s characteristic nipple – useful for distinguishing unripe lemons sold as limes.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF LONGBERRIES Loganberries are a hybrid of

the American dewberry (a type of blackberry) and raspberries, raised by a Judge John H. Logan of California in 1882. They were introduced to Britain in 1897. Related varieties include the boysenberry and the Scottish tayberry. Loganberries are much prized in cookery for their size and taste – and are particularly good in jam.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF LYCHEES Lychees are native to

China, where they have been grown for centuries. However lychees were unknown in Europe until the 18th century. From the late 19th century lychees were grown in Hawaii, California and Florida and southern Africa.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF LOQUAT The loquat (Eriobotry

a japonica) is a species of flowering plant in the family Rosaceae, an ancient fruit grown in Japan for the past 1,000 years, is probably nativeto the cooler hill regions of China to south-central China

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF MANGOES Mangos are native to

southern Asia. In the 10th century Persian merchants brought them to the Middle East and by the 18th century they were grown in South America and the West Indies.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF MULBERRY

Mulberry trees were well known in the ancient civilizations of the world. They were famous fruit trees, because of the delicious berry fruits that were abundantly produced by fast growing trees—loaded with huge green leaves that were eaten by livestock, along with the berries, and the leaves were used in the Orient to fatten silkworms for the silk trade. General Oglethorpe, in 1733, imported 500 white mulberry trees to Fort Frederica in Georgia to encourage silk production at the English colony of Georgia.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF NECTARINE Nectarines, like peaches, probably

originated in China over 2,000 years ago  and were cultivated in ancient Persia, Greece and Rome. They were grown in Great Britain in the late 16th or early 17th centuries, and were introduced to America by the Spanish. 

The word 'nectarine' means sweet as nectar, and this is very likely the obvious origin of the name.

Today, California grows over 95% of the nectarines produced in the United  States

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF OLIVE From biblical times, the olive tree

has served as a symbol of sacredness, peace and unity. Archaeologists have unearthed olive pits at sites dating to about 8,000 years old. And dating as far back as 6,000 years ago, archaeologists find evidence of olive oil production in Carmel, Israel, Besnard said.

Yet exactly where the olive was first cultivated has been hotly debated. 

Greece is one country where olives first grew.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF ORANGES Oranges are native to China and

they were grown in that country as early as 2,500 BC. The Romans imported oranges but after the fall of Rome they were forgotten in Western Europe. When the Arabs conquered Spain in the 8th century they introduced oranges. Later they were introduced into Italy. In the 16th century Spaniards took oranges to the Americas. In the 17th century rich Englishmen began growing oranges.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF PAPAYA Papaya is native to tropical

America, from Southern Mexico through the Andes of South America. It was spread to the south by Indians, and throughout the Caribbean with Spanish exploration. The Spanish also carried it to Europe and the Pacific Islands. By the mid 17th century, papaya was distributed pantropically. Papaya was introduced to Hawaii in the 1800s, and Hawaii remains the only state in the USA to produce papaya commercially

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF PASSION FRUIT Passion fruits were

native to central South America. They were given their name by the Spaniards who were reminded of the passion of Christ. Passion fruits were introduced into England and Australia in the 19th century.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF PAWPAW The pawpaw is

native to North America. The Spanish discovered the pawpaw in 1541. However pawpaws did not become popular in Europe until the end of the 20th century.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF PEACH China is the origin of the peach

(Prunus persica, Rosaceae), domesticated before 3300-2500 BCE (Faust 1995). Peach culture dates to 2000 BCE and there are now thousands of cultivars in China (Wang 1985). The peach is mentioned in Chinese literature as early as 1000 BCE and became entwined in Chinese mythology and folklore. A number of forms were selected in different parts of ChinaAmericas in the 16th century. They were grown in England by the 17th century but they were rare and expensive until the 20th century.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF PEAR Pears are native to Europe

and North Asia. Pears were grown by the Greeks and by the Romans. Pears were grown in England in the Middle Ages and many new varieties were grown in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. As well as being eaten pears were used to make perry.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF PECAN The history of pecans can be traced back

to the 16th century. The only major tree nut that grows naturally in North America, the pecan is considered one of the most valuable North American nut species. The name “pecan” is a Native American word of Algonquin origin that was used to describe “all nuts requiring a stone to crack.”

Originating in central and eastern North America and the river valleys of Mexico, pecans were widely used by pre-colonial residents. Pecans were favored because they were accessible to waterways, easier to shell than other North American nut species and of course, for their great taste.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF PERSIMMON The tree is native to Japan, China, 

Korea, Burma and Nepal.[1][5] It isdeciduous, with broad, stiff leaves, and is known as the shizi (柿子 in Chinese), and also as the Japanese Persimmon or kaki (柿 ) in Japanese. It is the most widely cultivated species. Its fruits are sweet and slightly tangy with a soft to occasionally fibrous texture. Cultivation of the fruit extended first to other parts of east Asia, India and Nepal and was later introduced to California and southern Europe in the 1800s and to Brazil in the 1890s,[6]

 and numerous cultivars have been selected. It is edible in its crisp, firm state but has its best flavor when allowed to rest and soften slightly after harves

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF PLUM Plums are an ancient fruit. They grew

wild in Europe, Western Asia and the Caucasus, as well as North America. Plums were grown by the Ancient Chinese and the Romans and later by the Arabs. They naturalised in Greece first and then throughout temperate climates. The Crusaders brought damsons back from the Middle East to Europe. They were imported to North America in the 17th century and flourished. Indeed, the notorious prune (a plum left to dry on the tree) was a major export for California. Today the many varieties of plum are one of the world’s most popular fruits and research has.recently proven that they are very good for us.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF PINEAPPLE Pineapples originally grew in South

America and Christopher Columbus discovered them in 1493. However during the 16th and 17th centuries pineapples were very expensive in Europe as they had to be imported. By the early 18th century pineapples were grown in hothouses in Northern Europe but they were still very costly. In the 19th century pineapples became cheaper. Pineapples were first canned in the late 19th century but canned pineapple first became common in the early 20th century.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF PISTACHIO The pistachio has a long and

interesting history. Native to the Middle East, pistachios are one of the oldest flowering nut trees. Recent archeological evidence in Turkey suggests that humans were enjoying them as early as 7,000 B.C. Flourishing in hot climates, pistachios spread from the Middle East to the Mediterranean, quickly becoming a treasured delicacy among royalty, travelers and common folk alike.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF POMELO Citrus maxima was originally

called "shaddick" in English, after the captain of an East India Company ship who introduced it to Jamaica in 1696.[2] The word "pomelo" has become the more common name, although "pomelo" has historically been used for grapefruit. (The 1973 printing of theAmerican Heritage Dictionary, for example, gives grapefruit as the only meaning of "pomelo".)

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF POMEGRANATE Pomegranates were native to Iran

and they have been grown for thousands of years. They were eaten by the Egyptians and also by the Ancient Chinese, the Greeks and the Romans. Pomegranates were known in Europe in the Middle Ages and they were mentioned by Shakespeare. Pomegranates were introduced into the New World in the 16th century. Pomegranate is believed to be a corruption of the old French words pome garnete, which meant seed apple.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF QUINCE Its birthplace is thought to have been

the Fertile Crescent in Asia Minor, the cradle of civilization. From there it spread to the Mediterranean, delighting the Greeks and Romans with its tart, delicate flavor and powerful aroma. (A bowl of quinces on a table perfumes the air.) Because apples were unknown in the ancient world, a quince might well have tempted Eve, and the golden apples of the Hesperides, given to Aphrodite by Paris of Troy, were probably quinces, too.

The edible quince, Cydonia oblonga, is not the same as the ornamental flowering quince, Chaenomeles, which announces spring with its showy early blooms of scarlet, white or pink. Its fruits are insignificant.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF RASPBERRIES Raspberries are native

to Asia. The romans grew them and they were also grown in England from the Middle Ages onward. Raspberries were used as a medicine as well as a food.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF RHUBARB Rhubarb’s distinctive pink

stems are native to China (records date form 2700BC) and for thousands of years people believed it was a medicine. Rhubarb reached Europe in the 17th century and by the 18th century the French (who else?) were using it as a food as well as medicine – making it into pies and tarts. Introduced to Maine in 1790, by the 19th century rhubarb had become a popular food in North America.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF SATSUMAS Satsumas were first

recorded in Japan where they were grown for centuries. Satsumas were introduced into the USA in the 19th century.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF STRAWBERRIES Strawberries grew wild in Europe

and eastern North America. They were grown by the Romans and were a popular fruit in Europe during the Middle Ages. In the 19th century strawberries became widely cultivated in the USA. Nobody knows why they are called strawberries. They may once have been called strewn berries because the berries are strewn on the plant. Or the name may come from the old word strew, which meant to spread because runners spread from the plant.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF TANGERINES Tangerines are native to

Asia. They were introduced into Europe in the early 19th century and they were named Tangerines because they came from the port of Tangier in North Africa. Tangerines were introduced into the USA in the mid-19th century.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF WALNUT Walnuts first grew in

Persia. They were grown by the Greeks and later by the Romans and walnuts spread through Europe. Walnuts were well known in England in the 16th century.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF ZIZYPHUS The species is believed

to have originated in Indo-Malaysian region of South-East Asia.[2] It is now widely naturalised throughout the Old World tropics from SouthernAfrica through the Middle East to the Indian Subcontinent and China,Indomalaya, and into Australasia and the Pacific Islands