The area of Australia. Australia on the map. Features of Australia

The state of Australia is located on the homonymous continent and some nearby islands, the largest of which is Tasmania. The area of Australia is 7 682 300 square kilometers. The land in this case occupies 7,617,930 square meters. Km. The coastline stretches for more than twenty-five thousand kilometers.

The area of Australia in the central part of the continent is occupied by an extensive lowland zone, most of which is the basins of Lake Eyre and the Murray River. In addition, there is the Nallabor plain. Western territories are famous for the Great Western Plateau - the region of four huge deserts: Gibson, Simpson, the Great Sand and Great Victoria Desert.

Features of Australia are such that there is not enough fresh water in the country. Most of the rivers are located in the eastern part of the mainland, among them Darling, Murray and others. Water arteries, located in the center and in the west, dry up in the summer.

The water in most lakes is salty. The biggest of them is Eyre. It is 12 meters below sea level.

Population

By area, the mainland Australia occupies more than seven and a half million square kilometers. Its territory is inhabited by 23 625 130 people (data for July 2014). For the most part, these are Europeans - 95%, the remaining 5% are Asians and Aborigines (4% and 1% respectively). The official language is English.

It is for certain known that ancient people occupied some area of Australia forty thousand years ago. It is assumed that they came from Papua New Guinea and from the Indonesian islands.

The first inhabitants mainly engaged in hunting and gathering. Representatives of many subsequent generations began actively settling on the mainland and nearby islands, mastering new territories. Despite the rather primitive technical skills based on the use of stone, wood and bone, the social and spiritual life was already at a high level. Thus, the majority owned several languages, and sometimes even territorially removed tribal groups organized confederations.

At present, the area of Australia is fully developed. There are no so-called white spots on the continent. Nevertheless, 89% of the inhabitants of the country are townspeople. That is why Australia is considered one of the most urbanized states in the world. Average life expectancy for 2005-2010. Was 81.6 years. This is an impressive indicator.

Religion

There is no official religion in the country. Most of the locals are Christians. According to data for 2006, 25.8% of citizens are adherents of the Catholic faith. Another major denomination is Anglicanism (18.7% of the population). In addition, Presbyterians, Adventists, Pentecostals, Methodists and followers of the Salvation Army, Buddhists, Islamists and Jews live in the country.

Weekly church services are visited by about one and a half million people. An important role in public life is played by various Christian charitable organizations and hospitals. The system of Catholic schools is also very developed. About six and a half million children are enrolled in similar educational institutions. The Anglican Church is engaged in the education of about one hundred thousand small citizens. There are 48 schools in the network of the United Church.

Weather

The geographical position of Australia causes significant differences in climate in different parts of the country. So, in the northern territories subequatorial dominates, on the central and southern - the equatorial climate. Consider the weather features of Australia. The average annual temperature in the northern part of the country fluctuates between 23-28 degrees Celsius. The maximum amount of precipitation (up to 1,500 millimeters) falls on the summer period. In the winter dry dry winds blow, leading to droughts. As for the coastal plains and high slopes, they are sufficiently moist and are characterized by a mild warm climate. The temperature of the warmest month in Sydney is about twenty-five degrees of heat, and the coldest one is about fifteen degrees with the plus sign.

In the central and western regions of the continent, the climate is tropical desert. In summer (December to February), the thermometer's bulb for most of the day's light is at around thirty degrees or slightly lower, and in winter falls by ten to fifteen points. In the central part of the mainland in the summer even hotter - to forty-five Celsius. At night, the temperature can drop to zero degrees. Precipitation in this part of the country is a little - two hundred to three hundred millimeters a year.

The climate in the southwest territories is similar to the Mediterranean Spanish and French. As a rule, the summer here is hot and dry, and the winter is damp and warm. The temperature fluctuates slightly during the year.

Flora

The geographical position of Australia and the peculiarities of the country's climate caused the spread of dry-loving plants - special grasses, umbellate acacias, eucalyptus trees and bottle trees. It is noteworthy that out of 12 thousand species of local flora 9 thousand are endemic, that is, they can be found only on the continent in question.

The tropical forests of the northern part of the country include eucalyptus, palm, ficus and bamboo thickets. In the southern zone of the savanna, eucalyptus and umbellate acacia groups are often found. A thick grass cover is spreading over the earth. The eastern part of the country is dominated by subtropical evergreen forests with a large number of tree-like horsetails, eucalyptus and high ferns with twenty-meter stems.

Fauna

The fauna of the country is considered to be unique. And all because 9/10 of all species of animals are found only on an amazing continent called Australia. Kangaroo, placid lizards, koalas and platypus live only on this continent. Among the animals there are the most marsupials (at least one hundred and twenty species). There are many bats, dingo dogs and mouse-like rodents in the country. In addition, here live oviparous mammals, the so-called living fossils - echidna and platypus.

As for ungulates, monkeys and representatives of predatory troops, they are not on the mainland. But Australia is famous for a large number of birds - emus, cassowaries, cockatoos, crowned pigeons, honeybirds, black swans, birds of paradise and lyrebirds. The most unusual reptiles are lizards and snake-asalids. An amazing inhabitant of the South Australian rivers - the bastard - a double-booby fish with one lung.

The structure of the state. Political parties

Australia is a federal parliamentary state, the full name is Commonwealth Australia. The federation is formed by six states - Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, South and Western Australia, New South Wales. In addition, under the jurisdiction of the commonwealth are the islands of Ashmore and Cartier, McDonald and Hurd, about. Christmas, Coconut and Coral Sea Islands.

The capital is Canberra. On January 1, 1901 the country gained independence, at the same time it still remains a member of the British Commonwealth. Legislation is based on the common law of England. Day of Australia, which is a national holiday, is celebrated on the twenty-sixth of January.

The executive power is assigned to the British monarch, the governor-general and the prime minister, who heads the Cabinet of Ministers. Parliament is formed by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Among the political parties with the greatest weight in the state, the Party of Australian Democrats, the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal Party of Australia and the National Party of Australia are allotted.

Economy, Transportation

The state is distinguished by a highly developed economy. On this indicator, it is comparable with the countries of Western Europe. Among the most important industries are mining, steel, chemical, food and automotive industries. About five per cent of GNP provides income from agricultural activities. The main agricultural crops are barley and wheat, fruits and sugar cane. Nowhere in the world are as many sheep bred as in Australia. In addition, poultry and cattle production is widespread in the country.

Monetary unit is the Australian dollar. Among the main trading partners are the USA, New Zealand, Great Britain and Japan. The world's largest supplier of wheat, wool and beef, the second largest exporter of mutton is Australia. The area of the mainland is used to the maximum to ensure an effective economic development of the country and a high level of people's well-being.

Natural Reserves

Australia's water resources can not be called rich. The mainland in question is the most arid on the planet. Large rivers on the continent are few. What is remarkable about Australia? The Murray River is the main water artery of the country. Its largest tributaries are Goulburn, Darling and Marrambiji. They are the most abundant in the melting snow in the mountains, but in the hot time there is significant shallowing. The dams were built on practically all the tributaries of the river. Murray, near them are organized reservoirs, used for irrigation of gardens, pastures and fields.

Lakes can not be called serious water resources of the country, since they are mostly muddy, small and salty, but travelers attract some amazing ponds. For example, Hiller is a bright pink lake located on the island of Middle Island. The unusual color of the water in it never changes. Scientists have not yet found an explanation for this riddle. No less interesting is the glowing lake Gipsland, which is in the state of Victoria. In 2008, there was recorded the highest concentration of microorganisms Noctiluca scintillans (nochesvetok). This rare phenomenon was observed not only by local residents, but also by photographer Phil Hart. The man had to constantly throw stones into the water to capture the luminous surface of water, because unusual microorganisms react with a glow to external stimuli.

The area of Australia is only two percent occupied by forests - these resources are also scarce in the country. Nevertheless, they attract many travelers due to their unusual appearance. Such wet tropical forests, as on the shores of the Coral Sea, can not be found anywhere else.

The main natural wealth of the country are, of course, mineral resources. The country has the world's largest reserves of zirconium and bauxite. In addition, the country is on the second place in the extraction of uranium and coal. Plasmas are discovered in Tasmania. Australia (on the map is the southwest of the continent) is rich in gold. In New South Wales, diamonds, bismuth, antimony and nickel are mined.

How it all began

On the mainland, the ancestors of the Australian aborigines first settled about forty thousand years ago. Since Australia is geographically isolated from the rest of the world, the indigenous people had unique religious and cultural traditions. The continent was discovered by Europeans only at the dawn of the 17th century. The first was the Dutchman Jansson. In 1605, he landed in the Gulf of Carpentaria (northern coast). Due to territorial remoteness, the colonization of Australia began only in 1770. Then James Cook took possession on behalf of the king of the bay. Subsequently, near the place appeared the city of Sydney.

Up until 1840, Australia on the world map was not a full-fledged state, but only a place of exile for subjects of the British monarch who were sentenced to hard labor. In 1850, the local colonies became relatively independent of the English crown, and eleven years later they formed an independent Commonwealth Australia. The country began to develop according to its own scenario. Nevertheless, the history of Australia for a long time was associated with England. Thus, the state provided substantial assistance to Britain during the First and Second World Wars.

Time in Australia

The continent in question is located in three time zones. In the summer, time in Brisbane and Sydney is six hours ahead of Moscow, and in Perth - four. Local time in Australia is also changed from state to state.

Interesting places

Many tourists are attracted by the eastern coast of the country. The most popular resort is the Golden Coast resort with amazing beaches and almost ideal conditions for surfing. Cultural lovers will not be bored either. So, in the capital you can visit the Nicholson Antiquities Museum, the Museum of Australia and the National Maritime Museum. Melbourne is famous for the National Gallery of Victoria, here is the famous National Herbarium and the Royal Botanic Garden. What other attractions are worth seeing?

• Especially popular among tourists is the Great Barrier Reef. It is the most developed system of coral reefs in the world and consists of 900 islands and 2,900 individual reefs, the total area of which is 344,400 square kilometers. This is the largest education on the planet can be seen even from outer space. It is located in the Coral Sea, near the northern borders of the continent.
• Sydney Opera House began to build in 1973. Currently, he is one of the most recognizable symbols of the country. This structure is more like a ship than an ordinary earthly building.
• In New South Wales are the Blue Mountains. They are formed from sandstone and are remarkable for depressions of more than seven hundred and fifty meters in depth. Basically there grow tree-like ferns and eucalyptus trees. The mountains got their unusual name due to the high concentration in the air of the suspensions of the essential oils emitted by the eucalyptus trees.
• Strangely enough, but in the Kakadu National Park there is not a single parrot. It got its name from a local tribe. The views in this unique place are simply stunning: the park is surrounded on all sides by the highest rocks and ledges that reliably hide this paradise from the outside world. That's why there are animals on its territory that can not be found anywhere else on the planet - semi-slender geese, Australian cranes, barramundi and some others.
• If the city's beauty does not delight you, and the contemplation of the reserved national parks makes you yearn, go to the Barossa Valley - the main wine region of the mainland. Here you can taste delicious drinks, and participate in grandiose festivities.

Finish the narrative description of the Sydney aquarium. Like much in Australia, it is unique. There are no such huge complexes in the world: even a simple viewing without stops at numerous exhibits will take at least three and a half hours. The exposition is divided into zones by geographic feature - the Great Barrier Reef, the Southern and Northern Rivers, the Southern Oceans. The entrance to the aquarium can not be noticed because it is located in the bottomless mouth of an improvised shark.