Australia is a continent that was not immediately studied by Europeans, far and unusual. In addition, it is completely located in the other hemisphere, and is also the smallest on Earth. It will be interesting to study its features to everyone who wants to have an idea of the climate and nature of different corners of the earth.
Mainland geography
Australia comes from Latin australis , which means "southern." Thus, the name of the mainland is directly related to its location. The extreme northern point of the continent is Cape York. In the south is South East Point. In the west, Australia ends at Cape Point and in the east, Byron. The continent is 3,200 kilometers from north to south. From west to east, it occupies 4,100 km. Only at the beginning of the nineteenth century did Australia appear on the maps. General information about the continent has become available as a result of numerous travels by discoverers. The English captain Matthew Flinders rounded him completely and gave the name. The geography of the mainland includes several climatic zones and natural zones, each worth considering in detail. Around the continent are groups of islands - Melville, Bathurst, Tasmania, Groot Island, Derk Hartog, Flinders, Fraser and Kangaroo.
The waters around the mainland
The presence of oceans directly affects the climate Australia has. Rivers and lakes also play a role. The mainland has no connection with other continents; it is washed by the Pacific and Indian oceans. In the north are the seas - Arafur and Timor. The largest bay is the Carpentarium. Shallow water stretches along the southern and western coasts without pronounced currents. From the east, Australia is washed by the Coral and Tasman Seas, the relief of which includes deep basins. Gutters are located along the island arcs. Their depth can reach ten kilometers.
We continue our conversation about such a continent as Australia. Climate, climatic zones and regions of this continent we will consider further.
Subequatorial climate
A strip of this type of weather spans north and northeast. Answering the question, in which zones is mainland Australia located, the subequatorial climate is worth mentioning first, along with tropical and subtropical. This region is distinguished by a small amplitude of annual temperatures and impressive precipitation volumes, sometimes reaching more than 2000 millimeters. The monsoon brings them to the earth . This means that everything happens in the summer. In the winter season, the air becomes dry, hot winds blow from the continent, sometimes they can lead to drought.
Tropical climate
When answering the question in which climatic zones Australia is located, do not forget about this strip. Especially on the mainland, it is expressed in two versions. A humid tropical climate distinguishes the extreme eastern part, falling under the action of the southeast trade wind. The trade winds carry the air masses of the Pacific Ocean, full of moisture, perfectly moisturizing the earth. On average, up to 1,500 millimeters of precipitation falls here. The warmest month has a temperature of twenty-five degrees, and the coldest - at thirteen.
When determining which climatic zones Australia is located in, one should not forget about the effect of the relief - it is difficult to penetrate the masses of air behind the Great Dividing Range, therefore there is rainfall only on the western slopes and foothills. In the center and in the west - a desert tropical climate with average summer temperatures of thirty degrees and the same winter as in the previous type. What is Australia's desert climate? There is the hottest area. In the area of the city called Alice Springs, the temperature of a summer day can rise to plus forty-five, and at night fall below zero. These territories receive three hundred millimeters of precipitation per year. Sometimes it may not rain for several years.
Subtropical belt
The subtropical climate is divided into three varieties - Mediterranean, humid and continental. The first distinguishes the southwestern region. He, as the name implies, resembles the conditions of European countries - France and Spain. The Mediterranean climate is characterized by hot and dry summers. Winter is wet and warm. The annual temperature amplitude is quite small: from +23 degrees in January to +12 in June. Precipitation is up to a thousand millimeters. In the continental climate are the state of New South Wales and the surrounding area of Adelaide. The main features of this zone are a small amount of precipitation and impressive temperature fluctuations over the year. Finally, a subtropical humid climate is characteristic of Victoria and the southwestern foothills. Mild weather prevails here with a lot of rainfall. In summer, the temperature reaches +24, and in winter it drops by 15 degrees. The local area is perfect for growing vegetables and fruits, grazing dairy cattle or sheep.
Now you know in what climatic zones the mainland Australia is located, and you can pay attention to other details.
Desert and semi-desert zone
In addition to the climate, it is worth considering these natural areas. The climatic zones in which Australia is located also affects these zones. So, one of the most common zones are deserts and semi-deserts, characteristic of the northern part of the mainland. Physical weathering leads to the appearance of a specific relief. This area is distinguished by such deserts as Big Sandy, Simpson, Big Victoria. They are characterized by high temperatures during the day with possible frosts at night. The difference between the Australian deserts and many others is that there is enough moisture for some vegetation. The fauna is sparse. Antelopes, marsupial moles, hyenas, jackals are found in the desert and semi-desert zones. A variety of jerboas and gerbils prevail, as well as reptiles. In the fixed sands, more animals live than in the rocky area.
Equatorial Forest Zone
As mentioned above, in which climatic zones Australia is located, it also affects the natural areas encountered here. A wet equatorial forest zone is found on the east coast of Australia. For the formation of such a territory requires more humidity and precipitation in an amount of more than two thousand millimeters per year. Hot temperatures are above twenty degrees, and such a volume of rain is provided by warm currents. In such an area there are several tiers of plants with an upper one reaching forty meters. Australian eucalyptus can reach even a hundred! Plants of such territories have very large leaves that remain green all year round. A variety of snakes, frogs, spiders, lizards and insects live here. Animals most often differ in small size (for example, koalas). There are also monkeys. Larger animals simply could not move in either the lower or upper levels of such an area, filled with thick branches, large leaves and large tree trunks.
Savannah zone
The climate zones in which the mainland Australia is located allows it to differ in special geographical areas. For example, the sandstones of the savannah, located in the north, are a kind of natural attraction. The rivers flowing from the mountains flood this zone, as a result of which vast floodplains are developed. So there is a wet savannah interspersed with rain forests and small shrubs. Many herbs and shrubs grow here. Knowing in which climatic zones the mainland Australia is located, one can not be surprised at the unique nature. However, the world famous national park called Kakadu is still impossible to overlook. This is an amazing place with virgin patches of vegetation.