The state of Australia is located on the mainland of the same name and some nearby islands, the largest of which is Tasmania. Australia covers an area of 7,682,300 square kilometers. Land at the same time occupies 7 617 930 square meters. km The coastline stretches over twenty-five thousand kilometers.
Australia in the central part of the mainland is occupied by a vast lowland zone, most of which are the basins of Lake Eyre and the Murray River. In addition, the Nullabor Plain is located there. Western territories are famous for the Great Western Plateau - an area of four huge deserts: Gibson, Simpson, Great Sandy and Great Victoria Desert.
The features of Australia are such that the country has little fresh water. Most of the rivers are located in the eastern part of the mainland, among them Darling, Murray and others. The 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 Air. It is located twelve meters below sea level.
Population
By area, 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 well known that ancient people occupied a certain area of Australia forty thousand years ago. They are believed to have arrived from Papua New Guinea and from the Indonesian islands.
The first inhabitants were mainly engaged in hunting and gathering. Representatives of many subsequent generations began to actively settle in the mainland and nearby islands, exploring new territories. Despite the rather primitive technical skills based on the use of stone, wood and bone, social and spiritual life was already at a high level. Thus, the majority spoke several languages, and sometimes even geographically remote tribal groups organized confederations.
Currently, the area of Australia mastered as fully as possible. There are no so-called white spots on the continent. Nevertheless, 89% of the country's inhabitants are city dwellers. That is why Australia is considered one of the most urbanized states in the world. Life expectancy for 2005-2010 amounted to 81.6 years. This is an impressive indicator.
Religion
There is no official religion in the country. Most locals are Christians. According to 2006 data, 25.8% of citizens are followers 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.
About one and a half million people attend church services weekly. 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 attend such educational institutions. The Anglican Church is engaged in the education of about one hundred thousand small citizens. The network of the United Church operates 48 schools.
Weather
The geographical location of Australia leads to significant differences in climate in different parts of the country. Thus, the subequatorial prevails in the northern territories, and the equatorial climate dominates in the central and southern territories. Consider the weather features of Australia. The average annual temperature in the northern part of the country ranges from 23-28 degrees heat. The maximum rainfall (up to one and a half thousand millimeters) falls on the summer period. In winter, dry, cold winds blow, leading to droughts. As for the coastal plains and high slopes, they are quite moist and have a mild, warm climate. The temperature of the warmest month in Sydney is about twenty-five degrees Celsius, and the coldest is about fifteen degrees with a plus sign.
In the central and western regions of the mainland, the climate is desert tropical. In the summer (December to February), the thermometer for most of the daylight hours is at around thirty degrees or slightly lower, and in winter it drops by ten to fifteen points. The central part of the mainland is even hotter in summer - up to forty-five Celsius. In this case, at night the temperature can drop to zero degrees. There are few precipitation in this part of the country - two hundred and three hundred millimeters per year.
The climate in the southwestern territories is similar to the Mediterranean Spanish and French. Typically, summers are hot and dry, and winters are wet and warm. The temperature during the year fluctuates slightly.
Flora
The geographical position of Australia and the climate of the country caused the spread of dry-loving plants - special cereals, umbrella 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 only be found on the mainland under consideration.
The tropical forests of the northern part of the country include eucalyptus trees, palm trees, ficus and bamboo thickets. In the southern zone of the savannah, there are often groups of eucalyptus and umbrella acacias. A thick grass cover spreads on the ground. In the eastern part of the country, subtropical evergreen forests with a large number of tree horsetails, eucalyptus trees and tall ferns with twenty-meter stems predominate.
Fauna
The animal kingdom of the country is considered to be unique. And all because 9/10 of all animal species are found only on an amazing continent called Australia. Kangaroos, lamellar lizards, koalas and platypuses live only on this continent. Among animals, most of them are marsupials (at least one hundred and twenty species). There are many bats, dingo dogs and mouse rodents in the country. In addition, oviparous mammals live here, the so-called living fossils - echidna and platypus.
As for ungulates, monkeys and representatives of predatory orders, they are not on the mainland. But Australia is famous for a large number of birds - emu ostriches, cassowary, cockatoo parrots, crowned pigeons, honey-suckers, black swans, birds of paradise and lyrebird. The most unusual reptiles are lizards and asalid snakes. An amazing inhabitant of the South Australian rivers - the horned-toot is a breathing fish with one light.
The device of the state. Political parties
Australia is a federal parliamentary state, full name is the Commonwealth of 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 community are the islands of Ashmore and Cartier, McDonald and Heard, about. Christmas, Coconut and Coral Sea Islands.
The capital is Canberra. On January 1, 1901, the country gained independence, while at the same time it remains a member of the British Commonwealth. Legislation is based on the common law of England. Australia Day, a national holiday, is celebrated on January twenty-sixth.
Executive power is vested in the British monarch, governor-general and 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, the Liberal Party of Australia and the National Party of Australia are distinguished.
Economics, transport
The state is characterized by a highly developed economy. According to this indicator, it is comparable with the countries of Western Europe. Among the most important industries are mining, steel, chemical, food and automotive. About five percent of GNP provides income from agricultural activities. The main crops are barley and wheat, fruits and sugarcane. Nowhere in the world are so many sheep bred as in Australia. In addition, poultry and cattle production is widespread in the country.
The monetary unit is the Australian dollar. Among the main trading partners are the USA, New Zealand, Great Britain and Japan. The largest supplier of wheat, wool and beef in the world, the second largest exporter of lamb is Australia. The area of the mainland is used to the maximum in order to ensure the effective economic development of the country and a high level of human well-being.
Natural reserves
Australia's water resources cannot be called rich. The mainland in question is the driest on the planet. There are few large rivers on the continent. What is remarkable about Australia in this regard? The Murray River is the country's main waterway. Its largest tributaries are Goulburn, Darling and Marrambigi. They are characterized by the greatest full-flow during snow melting in the mountains, but in hot weather significant shallowing occurs. Dams are built on almost all tributaries of the river. Murray, near them organized reservoirs used for irrigation of gardens, pastures and fields.
Lakes cannot be called serious water resources of the country, because they are mostly muddy, shallow and salty, but some amazing reservoirs attract travelers. 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 still have not found an explanation for this riddle. Of no less interest is the luminous Lake Gippsland, in the state of Victoria. In 2008, the highest concentration of microorganisms Noctiluca scintillans (night light) was recorded there. This rare phenomenon was watched not only by locals, but also by photographer Phil Hart. The man had to constantly throw stones into the water in order to capture the luminous surface of the water, since unusual microorganisms respond by glow to precisely external stimuli.
Australia's area is only two percent occupied by forests - these resources are also few in the country. Nevertheless, they attract many travelers due to their unusual appearance. Such tropical rainforests as along the shores of the Coral Sea cannot be found anywhere else.
The main natural wealth of the country are, of course, mineral resources. The country has the most zirconium and bauxite reserves in the world. In addition, the country is in second place in the extraction of uranium and coal. Tasmania has discovered platinum deposits. Australia (on the map this is the southwest of the mainland) is rich in gold. Diamonds, bismuth, antimony and nickel are mined in New South Wales.
How it all started
On the mainland, the ancestors of Australian aborigines first settled about forty thousand years ago. Because 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 XVII century. The first was the Dutchman Yanszon. In 1605, he landed in the Gulf of Carpentaria (northern coast). Due to the territorial remoteness, the colonization of Australia began only in 1770. Then James Cook took possession of the bay on behalf of the king. Subsequently, the city of Sydney appeared near this place.
Until 1840, Australia on the world map was not a full-fledged state, but only a place of exile for the subjects of the British monarch, sentenced to hard labor. In 1850, the local colonies became relatively independent of the English crown, and after eleven years they formed the independent Commonwealth of Australia. The country began to develop according to its own scenario. However, the history of Australia has long been associated with England. So, the state provided significant 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, the time in Brisbane and Sydney is six hours ahead of Moscow, and in Perth - by four. Local time in Australia also varies from state to state.
Interesting places
Many vacationers are attracted to the east coast of the country. The most popular resort is the Gold Coast resort with amazing beaches and almost ideal conditions for surfing. Cultural lovers will also not be bored. So, in the capital you can visit the Nicholson Museum of Antiquity, 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 Botanical Garden. What other attractions are worth seeing?
- The Great Barrier Reef is especially popular with tourists. It is the most developed coral reef system in the world and consists of 900 islands and 2900 individual reefs, with a total area of 344,400 square kilometers. This is the largest formation on the planet that can be seen even from space. It is located in the Coral Sea, near the northern borders of the mainland.
- The Sydney Opera House began to be built in 1973. Currently, it 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 of sandstone and are notable for hollows with a depth of more than seven hundred and fifty meters. Mostly tree-like ferns and eucalyptus grow there. The mountains got their unusual name due to the high concentration in the air of suspensions of essential oils secreted by eucalyptus trees.
- Oddly enough, but in the Kakadu National Park there is not a single parrot. He got his name from a local tribe. The views in this unique place are simply amazing: the park is surrounded on all sides by the highest cliffs and ledges that reliably hide this paradise from the outside world. That is why on its territory live such animals that can not be found anywhere else on the planet - semi-webbed geese, Australian cranes, barramundi and some others.
- If city beauties do not delight you, and the contemplation of protected national parks makes you sad, go to the Barossa Valley - the main wine-growing region of the mainland. Here you can taste wonderful drinks and take part in grand festivities.
We finish the story with a description of the Sydney Aquarium. Like much in Australia, it is unique. There are no more 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 geographical feature - the Great Barrier Reef, Southern and Northern Rivers, Southern Oceans. Entering the aquarium is impossible not to notice, because it is located in the bottomless mouth of an impromptu shark.