Portal:Oceania/Selected article/November, 2008

Rear Admiral Jules Sébastien César Dumont d'Urville (May 23, 1790, Condé-sur-Noireau, France – May 8, 1842, Meudon, France) was a French explorer and naval officer, who explored the south and western Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, and Antarctica.

D'Urville made three circumnavigations of the world; the first as second in command on La Coquille under Duperrey in 1822-25, and the others as captain of the same ship, now renamed Astrolabe, in 1826-29 and 1837-40.

He invented the terms Micronesia and Melanesia, distinguishing these Pacific cultures and island groups from Polynesia. The D'Urville Sea, D'Urville Island and the Dumont d'Urville Station (all in or off Antarctica), Cape d'Urville in Indonesia and D'Urville Island in New Zealand were named after him. The Rue Dumont d'Urville in Paris was also named for him. List of selected articles