Major Geographic Qualities of Australia

• Relative location and isolation• Peripheral development/empty

interiors• Marginalized indigenous population• Highly clustered urban populations• Changing human geography via

immigration and activism• Exporters of livestock products

Australia’sPhysiographic

Regions

Climate

Biogeography

• Sub-field Of Geography- The Spatial Arrangement Of Flora And Fauna

• Evolved From The Overlap Between Geography And Biology

• Alexander Von Humboldt (1769-1859) • Branches:

– Zoography– Phytogeography

• Australian Realm as “laboratory”-why?

Australia• Federal since 1901

– Comprised of 6 states and 2 territories• Population of 19.9 million

– Aboriginal population of 300,000– Arithmetic density of 7/sq mi– Physiologic density of 106/sq mi– GNP of US$24,920

• 85% urbanized• Major urban centers

– Sydney (4.1 million)– Melbourne (3.4 million)– Canberra (342,000) - capital

POLITICALDIVISIONS

SYDNEY

THE INTERIOR

SUGARCANE FIELD

NORTHQUEENSLAND

E.J. PALKA

E.J. PALKA

AUSTRALIA’S ECONOMY

• PRINCIPAL PATTERNS:– EXPORTS RAW MATERIALS– BASED HEAVILY ON THE PRIMARY

SECTOR ACTIVITIES – DEPENDS ON WORLD MARKETS

• IMPORT-SUBSTITUTION INDUSTRIES• SMALL DOMESTIC MARKET• TENUOUS TRADE LINKS WITH ASIAN

TIGERS

AGRICULTURE&

MINERAL RESOURCES

ABORIGINAL ISSUES

• POPULATION DATES FROM 50000-60000 BP• 1980s CAMPAIGN AGAINST MINING AND

EXPLORATION OF SACRED LANDS• 1992: ABORIGINES CAN CLAIM TITLE TO

TRADITIONAL LAND• 1993: NATIVE TITLE BILL – 78% of Australia• INDIGENOUS RIGHTS AND WRONGS• Rabbit-Proof Fence

Immigration

• Penal colonies• Gold Rush 1851• Coastal settlements: English• White Australia policy ends: 1976• Contrast Canada• ‘Asylum seekers’• 80,000 immigrants annually• “Starting over”

ABORIGINAL

CLAIMS