| |
| 1968 |
| |
| Nauru became an independent nation. The University of the South Pacific opened in Suva, Fiji. | 1 |
| |
| 1970, Oct. 10 |
| |
| Fiji gained its independence from Britain as a dominion within the British Commonwealth. Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara became its first prime minister. | 2 |
| |
| 1971 |
| |
| The South Pacific Forum was launched at Wellington, New Zealand, in August, to provide heads of independent and self-governing island states (and Australia and New Zealand) the opportunity to discuss matters of mutual interest and promote regional cooperation. | 3 |
| |
| 1974, Oct. 19 |
| |
| Niue attained self-government in free association with New Zealand, which assumed responsibility for its defense. | 4 |
| |
| 1975, Sept. 16 |
| |
| Papua New Guinea gained its independence from Australia. | 5 |
| |
| 1976 |
| |
| The Northern Mariana Islands, which opted for U.S. citizenship and commonwealth status in 1975, became fully incorporated into the U.S. Its government was instituted in 1978. | 6 |
| |
| 1978 |
| |
| Ellice Island became independent as Tuvalu after it separated from the Gilbert Islands in 1976. | 7 |
| The Solomon Islands also gained independence from Britain. | 8 |
| |
| 1979 |
| |
| The Gilbert Islands, together with Line and Phoenix groups and Ocean Island, achieved independence as the Republic of Kiribati. | 9 |
| |
| May 1 |
| |
| The Marshall Islands became an independent republic. | 10 |
| |
| May 10 |
| |
| The Federated States of Micronesia (Yap, Pohnpei, Truk, and Kosrae) came into existence. | 11 |
| |
| |
