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Physical Geography of Oceania, Australia, & Antarctica SSWG9 The student will describe the interaction of physical and human systems that have shaped contemporary Oceania, including Australia, New Zealand, and Antarctica. a. Describe the location of major physical features and their impact on the region.

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Mountains Major Features: Great Dividing Range, Transantarctic Mountains, Southern Alps Great Dividing Range is in the east and source of most riversremnants of old mountains Mt. Kosciusko is highest point on continent Western Plateau is also known as the outback and covers 2/3 of Australia. Southern Alps are on the south island of New Zealand

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Mountains & Plateaus Great Dividing RangeTransantarctic Mountains

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Deserts Major Features: Great Victoria Desert, Great Sandy Desert, Gibson Desert, Simpson Desert Simpson Desert has sand dunes up to 120 feet high Great Victoria Desert is named for Queen Victoria & is actually a protected wilderness area This is essentially the Outback

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Deserts Great Victoria DesertGreat Sandy Desert

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Plains Major Features: Central Lowlands, Nullarbor Plain, Canterbury Plains Nullarbor Plain is actually an arid flat land Central Lowlands lie over the Artesian Basin Canterbury Plains are in New Zealand and are used for livestock & farming

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Plains Nullarbor PlainCanterbury Plains

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Rivers Major features: Murray River, Darling River Murray is the main river system of Australia Darling is a tributary of the Murray Valley of Murray River is one of the most populated areas in Australia Used for hydroelectric power & irrigation

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Rivers Murray RiverDarling River

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Seas Major Features: Coral Sea, Tasman Sea, Timor Sea, Weddel Sea, Ross Sea Tasman divides Australia from New Zealand Weddell Sea is part of the Southern Ocean and said to have clearest water of any sea Many cyclones in Coral Sea

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Seas Weddell SeaCoral Sea

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Additional Water Features Major Features: Great Barrier Reef, Lake Tuapo, Lake Eyre, Pacific Ocean, Great Australian Bight, Southern Ocean Great Barrier Reef is a long strip of coral covered land Lake Eyre is a salt lake that in many years is completely dry Great Australian Bight is a bay

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Additional Water Features Lake TuapoPacific Ocean

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Additional Land Features Major Features: Great Artesian Basin, Antarctic Peninsula Great Artesian Basin is the only reliable source of freshwater in Australia and is the deepest basin in the world People get water with similar technology as people drill for oil. Antarctic Peninsula is claimed by Argentina, Chile & the UK and used for research

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Additional Land Features Great Artesian BasinAntarctic Peninsula

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Islands 3 categories in Oceania: Micronesia Melanesia Polynesia Many islands were created by volcanoes and earthquakes Three major types of islands High Low Continental

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Regions of Oceania