Relief of Australia. Basic forms of relief in Australia

The smallest and concurrently the most ancient on the planet is the continent of Australia. It is located in the southern hemisphere of the planet and, one might say, divides the ice Antarctica and the equatorial archipelagos of Indonesia. Unusual and unique is also the relief of Australia. All who visited this land, argue that there is nowhere else in the world such amazing landscapes meet. Well, let's also consider what forms of Australia's relief exist and how different parts of the continent differ from each other.

Geographical position

First, let's define what the geographical position of this continent is. It is located in the eastern part of the Southern Hemisphere, stretches along the tropical and subtropical belt. It is washed by the waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, as well as the numerous seas that adjoin it. The area of the continent is 7,659,861 square kilometers. The exact coordinates of Australia are determined from its extreme points. In the south it is Cape South East Cape, 43 degrees south. W .; In the north - Cape York, 10 degrees south. W .; In the east - Cape Byron, 154 degrees c. E. In the west - Cape Steepe Point, 114 degrees c. Etc. Australia is surrounded by numerous islands, among which the largest are New Guinea and Tasmania. Also here is the famous Great Barrier Reef, consisting of corals of a unique breed.

General data on the geology of the continent

The relief of Australia is mainly a flat surface. It consists of plateaus that rise slightly above sea level. At the same time, they rise in the vicinity of the coast, and in the center of the continent, there is a significant decrease in soil, that is, depression. Contour map of Australia also demonstrates to us that there are mountains here. However, this is just one ridge, located in the east of the mainland, which has a very small height in comparison with the rest of the mountain systems of the world. From the geological point of view, the smallest continent in the world is divided into three parts: the eastern, the western and the central.

Eastern elevations

Mountains and hills are far from the main forms of Australia's relief, but in the east they occupy the vast majority of the territory. The local landscapes are composed of the Great Dividing Range, the highest point of which is Kostsyushko Mountain, which is 2228 meters high. The ridge itself is divided into four longitudinal zones. The first is a coastal mountain massif that stretches along the shores of the Pacific Ocean. The second is intermontane lowlands, reaching levels below sea level. They are followed by zones with major mountain ranges. Well, in the fourth place the downs are foothills with a hilly surface in the west of the ridge.

Orography of the Watershed Range

Any contour map of Australia clearly shows that the main ridge of the continent is divided into two parts: the mountains of New South Wales and the mountains of Queensland. In the first part, the parameters of the belt are narrowed, but the height of the shafts is very significant. The local depression gradually shifts to the coastal plains of the accumulative type. The closer to the south, the fewer hills there are. The second part of the ridge, Queensland, occupies a vast territory, but the terrain has not too big differences in altitude. This zone is called a typical middle hills. Also here all four bands are very pronounced.

Rarities of geology: the West and its historical heritage

The western relief of Australia is represented in the form of high plains, approximately 300-500 meters. This height is reduced to the level of the World Ocean only in the southwestern part, where the Nallarbor plain is located. Closer to the center of the mainland are small ridges. They were formed as a result of platform lifts in recent times. The region with the oldest breed on the planet is considered the region's property. It does not collapse here since the Neogene era. It was at this time established a dry windy climate, which dominates the mainland until now. Paradoxically, it was the wind that caused the destruction of many rocks on Earth for millennia. And here it seems to strengthen the soil, preserving its originality and uniqueness.

The lowlands of the center

As we mentioned above, the main forms of the relief of Australia are the lowlands, and it is in the central part that they are most clearly represented. Altitude above sea level here is on average 150 meters, the closer to the geographical center, the lower. The central plains extend from north to south from the Gulf of Carpentaria to the Great Australian Gulf. Within these limits are the main lowland plateau of the continent. First the plain of the Carpentaria, followed by the lowland area of the Great Artesian Basin. The Murray-Darling Plain is characterized by elevation differences. In its limits is the most extensive and full-flowing river of Australia - Murray. In the central part of the continent is also Lake Eyre. Its depth is the lowest point of Australia - fifteen meters below the level of the World Ocean.

Deserts of Australia - the "hobby" of local landscapes

It is because of the fact that the relief of Australia is mostly flat and low, here a lot of desert territories were formed, which are strewn with sands of different breeds. Deserts occupy the central and western parts of the continent and smoothly pass either into savannahs or into mountain ranges. Mostly all the sands that cover the territory of Australia, have a non-standard brown or coral shade. This effect is created for two reasons. First, there really are soils of red pigment, which slightly "tinted" the sand and makes it unique. Secondly, the shade of the Australian deserts is affected by the position of the sun. It is on this continent that it shines at such an angle that, during the hours of sunrise and sunset, the red sand is even darker and more saturated. Therefore, to inspect the local sand dunes and dunes is recommended in the evening (or in the morning) to see them in all the unique beauty, under the light of the oblique rays of the setting sun.

Tropical jungle

It's amazing, but in this abyss of red sands and eerie monsoon winds there are also very wet areas filled with dense green vegetation. This is the northern part of the region, which is in the tropical zone. Here the maximum amount of precipitation is concentrated, a very high humidity level and insignificant temperature fluctuations. In the north of Australia, various palm trees, eucalyptus, ferns and acacias grow, unique animals live. Among them are flying squirrels and foxes, koalas, opossums, huge bats and unique lizards.

Tropical beaches

The description of Australia would be incomplete if we did not talk about her most tasty morsel - the resort areas. They include two main areas - the Gold Coast and the Great Barrier Reef. The first is near Brisbane, in the Pacific Ocean. This is one of the most famous places in the world for surfing. The Gold Coast is a unique place, combining the progress of modern cities and the primordial nature of the local nature. The barrier reef is a real treasure, it stretches along the northeast of the continent. It consists of almost a thousand islets surrounded by bright turquoise water. Diving is popular here, as the marine inhabitants living in corals are incredibly beautiful and interesting.