This literature review and annotated bibliography regarding markets and market traders in the Pacific Island region has been grouped into the following topics:
• Nature and extent of market trade in the Pacific.
• Social context of market trade in the Pacific.
• Challenges faced by Pacific Island market traders.
• Recommendations for improving Pacific Island markets.

The literature review contains some general comments about market trade across the Pacific, followed by specific information for each Pacific Island country, where available. The amount of information available on each Pacific Island country varies. The most comprehensive information comes from countries with larger population sizes and associated great likelihood of study by academic researchers and development agencies. Papua New Guinea is thus overrepresented in studies of market trade. Limited information is available on Polynesia, and almost nothing has been published on Micronesia. Countries in these areas would prove fertile sites for future research on market trade.

The annotated bibliography provides concise summaries of the books, academic articles, and reports referred to in the literature review. When available online, hyperlinks have been included in the annotated bibliographic citations.