Australia is the smallest mainland. Its area is almost half that of Antarctica. It is fully located in the Southern Hemisphere and is one of the most remote places on Earth. Australia has many unique features, but in this article we will pay attention to its outlines.
Coastline: bays, straits, islands and peninsulas
Australia covers an area of 7,659,861 km 2 , representing only five percent of the world's land. The mainland is located on both sides of the southern tropic, due to which, in most of its territory, there is a hot arid climate. It is washed by the Pacific and Indian oceans, as well as by the seas that belong to their basins.
Australia is isolated from other continents, but very close to some island countries. For example, with New Guinea, it is divided by the Torres Strait, which is only 250 kilometers wide. The length of the coastline of the mainland is 35,777 km 2 . It is characterized by weak dissection - in comparison with other continents, there are not very many large peninsulas and islands in Australia, the same can be said about bays that deeply extend into the land.
The northern coast is most indented. Here is the Gulf of Carpentaria, framed by Australian peninsulas such as Cape York and Arnhem Land. Nearby are also the islands of Tiwi, Bathers, Mijilang, Raragala, Drysdale and others. In the south is the Great Australian Gulf, in the southeast of it are the large islands of Tasmania, Kangaroo, King, Ferno Graup. The western and eastern shores of Australia are smoother. Along them are small bays and shallow bays, as well as groups of small islands and individual rocks.
Cape york
Cape York is one of Australia's largest peninsulas. Its northern tip, Cape York, is the extreme point of the mainland. For approximately 700 kilometers, Cape York goes deep into the ocean waters, covering an area of 137 thousand km 2 . Eight thousand years ago, the peninsula was an isthmus and connected with New Guinea. Today it is washed on three sides by the waters of the Torres Strait, the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Coral Sea.
Once every six months, the rainy season on the peninsula is replaced by a period of droughts. That is why here you can see both a very arid desert area and wetlands with mangroves. A significant part of the peninsula is covered with savannahs with tall grasses and eucalyptus thickets. A small area covered by tropical rainforests, in which there are dozens of species of orchids. The nature of Cape York is diverse and dangerous at the same time. Within its borders more than a thousand animals live, including poisonous aga, combed crocodile and the infamous cubomedusa.
Wilsons Promontory
Wilsons Promontori is Australia's southernmost peninsula; its South Point is one of the extremes of the mainland. The peninsula is located in the state of Victoria, just 200 km from Tasmania and 160 km from Melbrun. It is washed by the waters of the Bass Strait, which connects the Pacific Ocean with the Indian.
The shores of Wilsons-Promontori are represented by cliffs with caves and grottoes, sandy beaches, dunes and marshy lowlands. The temperate marine climate of the peninsula is much colder than the climate of Cape York. There are a large number of marsupial species, such as kangaroos, possums, white-footed marsupials, wombats and koalas. Penguins and sea lions live on the coasts, and whales, dolphins and killer whales live in the water.
Peron
The Peron Peninsula is located near the extreme western point of the mainland of Cape Stipe Point. It is washed by the waters of the Indian Ocean and Shark Bay. The local climate is arid, so the main vegetation here is acacia and low shrubs. Its bowels are rich in groundwater, which emerge in the form of artesian wells, not allowing Peron to turn into a lifeless desert.
The main feature of this peninsula of Australia is quartz sand, which covers its entire surface. It contains iron oxide, which is why the whole Peron acquired a characteristic red-orange hue. The main inhabitants of the land of the peninsula are flightless emu birds, similar to ostriches, eagles, prickly lizards of moloch, cormorants, turtles and snakes. Sea life is more diverse. Shark Shark Bay has a unique ecosystem based on algae. This attracts a huge marine life here - from shrimp and shellfish to tiger sharks, dugongs and bottlenose dolphins.
Air
Air is another southern peninsula of Australia. In the east, it is washed by the waters of Spencer Bay, in the west - by the Great Australian Gulf. Near the peninsula scattered dozens of islands and islets, the largest of which are Thistle and Kangaroo.
The Eyre coast is represented by rocky cliffs or small sections of sandy beaches. The climate of the peninsula is relatively arid and warm. In winter, the temperature reaches 18 degrees, in the summer - up to 35. Natural vegetation is represented mainly by semi-desert species, but the natural landscapes of the peninsula are greatly changed. Significant areas are reserved for vineyards, cereal fields, pastures for sheep and cattle. There are relatively few settlements on the peninsula; most of them are located near the coast. The largest are Port Lincoln, Whyal, Ceduna, Port Augusta.