welcome to the island of australia

8/9/2019 Welcome to the Island of Australia

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Welcome to the Island of

Australia

Australia is an island continent located southeast of Asia

and forming, with the nearby island of Tasmania, the

Commonwealth of Australia.

The Commonwealth of Australia is made up of six states-

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia,

Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia-and twoterritories-the Australian Capital Territory and the

Northern Territory.

The external dependencies of Australia are the Territory

of Ashmore and Cartier Islands, the Australian Antarctic

Territory, Christmas Island, the Cocas Islands (also called

the Keeling Islands), the Coral Sea Islands, the HeardIsland and McDonald Islands, and Norfolk Island.

The first people to live in Australia, called Aborigines,

migrated there about 40,000 years ago. The continent

remained relatively unknown by outsiders until the 17th


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century. The first European settlement by British convicts

occurred in 1788 at Botany Bay in southeastern Australia.

Australia grew as a group of British colonies during the

19th century, and in 1901 the colonies federated to forma unified independent nation.

Today, Australia is a federal parliamentary democracy, an

independent self-governing state and a member of the

Commonwealth of Nations. The constitution of Australia,

which became effective in 1901, is based on British

parliamentary traditions, and includes elements of the

United States system. The head of state is the British

sovereign, and the head of government is the Australian

prime minister, who is responsible to the Australian

Parliament. All powers not delegated to the federal

government are reserved to the states. Australia is a

founding member of the United Nations.

Australia is one of the world's flattest landmasses. The

average elevation is about 300 m (about 1,000 ft). The

interior, referred to as the outback, is predominantly a

series of low plateaus, which are generally higher in the

northeast. Low-lying coastal plains, averaging about 65

km (about 40 mi) in width, fringe the continent. In the

east, southeast, and southwest, these plains are the most

densely populated areas of Australia.

The coastline of Australia is generally regular, with few

bays or capes. The largest inlets are the Gulf of

Carpentaria in the north and the Great Australian Bight in


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the south. The several fine harbors include those of

Sydney, Hobart, Port Lincoln, and Albany.

The climate of Australia varies greatly from region toregion, but the continent is not generally subject to

marked extremes of weather. The climate ranges from

tropical in the north to temperate in the south. The

tropical region, which includes about 40 percent of the

total area of Australia, essentially has only two seasons: a

hot, wet period with rains falling mainly in February and

March, and a warm, dry interval characterized by the

prevalence of southeastern winds. In central and northern

Australia average summer temperatures range between

27 and 29C (80 and 85F).

The warm, temperate regions of southern Australia have

four seasons, with cool winters and warm summers.

Because Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, seasons

there are the reverse of those in the Northern

Hemisphere. January and February are the warmest

months, with average temperatures varying between 18

and 21C (65 and 70F). June and July are the coldest

months, with an average July temperature of about 10C

(about 50F), except in the Australian Alps, where

temperatures average 2C (35F). The eastern coastal

lowlands receive rain in all seasons, although mainly in

summer. The warm temperate western and southern

coasts receive rain mainly in the winter months.

Tasmania, lying in the cool temperate zone, receives

heavy rainfall in summer and cyclonic storms in winter.


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Over the greater part of the lowlands, snow is unknown;

however, in the mountains, particularly the Australian

Alps in southern New South Wales and the northern part

of Victoria, snowfall is occasionally heavy.

The continent of Australia has a distinctive flora that

includes many species not found elsewhere. Of the

22,000 species of plants in Australia, more than 90

percent occur naturally there.

Australia's vegetation is predominantly evergreen,

ranging from the dense bushland and eucalyptus forests

of the coast, to mulga and mallee scrub and saltbush of

the inland plains. The tropical northeastern belt, with its

heavy rainfall and high temperatures, is heavily forested.

Palms, ferns, and vines grow prolifically among the oaks,

ash, cedar, brush box, and beeches. Mangroves line the

mud flats and inlets of the low-lying northern coastline.

The crimson waratah, golden-red banksias, and scarlet

firewheel tree add color to the northern forests.

The animal kingdom of Australia is both unique and

primitive. Seven families of mammals and four families of

birds are classified as native to the country. About 70

percent of the birds, 88 percent of the reptiles, and 94

percent of the frogs are unique to Australia.

One aspect of Australia's mammal life is the absence of

representatives of most of the orders found on other

continents. However, the primitive, egg-laying mammals


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known as monotremes are found most abundantly in

Australia. One of them, the platypus, a zoological

curiosity, is an aquatic, furred mammal with a bill like

that of a duck and with poisonous spurs. It lives in thestreams of southeastern Australia. Another monotreme of

Australia is the spiny anteater, or echidna.

Most native mammals are marsupials, the young of which

are nourished in an external marsupium, or abdominal

pouch. The best-known marsupials of Australia are the

kangaroos, which include about 50 species. The kangaroo

is vegetarian and can be tamed. The large red or gray

kangaroo may stand as high as 2 m (7 ft) and can leap up

to 9 m (30 ft). The wallaby and kangaroo rat are smaller

members of the kangaroo family. The phalanges are

herbivorous marsupials that live in trees; they include the

possum and the koala, a popular fur-bearing animal that

is protected throughout Australia. Other well-known

marsupials are the burrowing wombat, bandicoot, and

pouched mouse. The carnivorous Tasmanian devil,

principally a scavenger, is found only on the island of

Tasmania.

The continent contains a variety of reptile life. It has two

species of crocodiles, the smaller of which is found in

inland fresh waters. The larger, fierce saurian crocodile of

the northern coastal swamps and estuaries attains

lengths of 6 m. There are more than 500 species of

lizards, including the gecko, skink, and the giant goanna.

About 100 species of venomous snakes are found in


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Australia. The taipan of the far north, the death adder,

the tiger snake of southern Australia, the copperhead,

and the black snake are the best known of the poisonous

snakes.

The waters surrounding Australia support a wide variety

of fish and aquatic mammals. Several species of whales

are found in southern waters, and seals inhabit parts of

the southern coast, the islands in Bass Strait, and

Tasmania. The northern waters supply dugong, trepang,

trochus, and pearl shell. Edible fish and shellfish are

abundant, and the oyster, abalone, and crayfish of the

warmer southern waters have been exploited

commercially.

Australia is the home of 751 known species of birds,

ranging from primitive types, such as the giant, flightless

emu and cassowary, to highly developed species. The

fan-tailed lyrebird has great powers of mimicry. The male

bowerbirds build intricate and decorative playgrounds to

attract females. The kookaburra, or laughing jackass, is

noted for its raucous laughter. Many varieties of

cockatoos and parrots are found; the budgerigar is a

favorite of bird fanciers. The white cockatoo, a clever

mimic, is a common feature of the Australian jungles.

Black swans, spoonbills, herons, and ducks frequent

inland waters. Smaller birds include wrens, finches,

titmice, larks, and swallows. Gulls, terns, gannets, mutton

birds, albatrosses, and penguins are the most common

seabirds.


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Australia's flora includes many species not found

elsewhere. Of the 22,000 species of plants in Australia,

more than 90 percent occur naturally there.

The island's vegetation is predominantly evergreen,

ranging from the dense bush land and eucalyptus forests

of the coast, to mulga and mallee scrub and saltbush of

the inland plains. The tropical northeastern belt, with its

heavy rainfall and high temperatures, is heavily forested.

Palms, ferns, and vines grow prolifically among the oaks,

ash, cedar, brush box, and beeches. Mangroves line the

mud flats and inlets of the low-lying northern coastline.

The crimson waratah, golden-red banksias, and scarlet

firewheel tree add color to northern forests.

The Aborigines were the first inhabitants of Australia.

Most anthropologists believe they migrated to the

continent at least 40,000 years ago, and that most of the

continent was occupied 30,000 years ago. Although

Chinese, Malaysian, Indonesian, and Arab seafarers may

have landed in northern Australia well before ad 1500,

Australia was essentially unknown in the West until the

17th century.

Aborigines have made mysterious and beautiful rock

paintings for tens of thousands of years. This prehistoric

rock painting depicts a large serpent and precisely drawn

geometric shapes on a background of red ochre, a natural

pigment. The meaning of such symbols from the past is


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not entirely clear, but Aborigines continue to make rock

paintings today with similar themes.

Aboriginal folklore claims that the Aborigines were alwaysin Australia. However, most anthropologists believe that

the Aborigines migrated from Southeast Asia at least

40,000 years ago, probably during a period when low sea

levels permitted the simplest forms of land and water

travel. A rise in sea level subsequently made Tasmania

an island and caused some cultural separation between

its peoples and those on the mainland.

These original Australians were essentially hunter-

gatherers without domesticated animals, other than the

dingo, which was introduced by the Aborigines between

3,000 and 4,000 years ago. The Aborigines employed a

type of "firestick farming" in which fire was used to clear

areas so that fresh grazing grasses could grow, thereby

attracting kangaroos and other game animals. Aborigines

also may have harvested and dispersed selected seeds.

Those widespread operations may have been responsible

for extensive tracts of grassland. There is evidence of

careful damming and redirection of streams and of

swamp and lake outlets, possibly for fish farming.

Although the Aborigines were nomadic or semi nomadic,

their sense of place was exceptionally strong and they

had an intimate knowledge of their home landscapes. A

growing historical record points to the existence of some

permanent or semi permanent stone villages. The most


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recent 3,000 years of Aboriginal history were

characterized by accelerating changes based on the use

of stone tools, the exploitation of new resources, the

growth of the population, and the establishment of long-distance trading.

By the time of the first notable European settlement in

1788, Aboriginal people had developed cultural traits and

ecological knowledge that showed an impressive

adaptation to Australia's challenging environments. They

also had developed many complex variations between

regional and even local communities. The total Aboriginal

population at that time was about 300,000. More than

200 distinct languages existed at the beginning of the

19th century. Bilingualism and multilingualism were

common characteristics in several hundred Aboriginal

groups. These groups were linguistically defined and

territorially based.

During the first century of white settlement, there were

dramatic declines in the Aboriginal population in all parts

of the country. The declines resulted from the

introduction of diseases for which the Aborigines had no

immunity; social and cultural disruptions; brutal

mistreatment; and reprisals for acts of organized

resistance.

Until the 1960s the Aboriginal population was mainly

rural. Over the next two decades Aborigines began

moving in greater numbers to urban areas. In fact, the


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Aborigines' social and political status was so low that they

were omitted from the official national censuses until

1971.

More than 70 percent of the Aborigines live in urban

areas. Traditional ways of life are still maintained in small

enclaves in the more remote locations, especially in the

north and center of the continent. Every region of the

country is represented by its own Aboriginal land council,

and most regions run cultural centers and festivals.

The Commonwealth of Australia comprises six states and

two territories. The states and their capitals are New

South Wales (Sydney), Victoria (Melbourne), Queensland

(Brisbane), South Australia (Adelaide), Western Australia

(Perth), and Tasmania (Hobart). The territories and their

chief cities are the Australian Capital Territory (Canberra)

and the Northern Territory (Darwin).

The major cities of Australia are Sydney, a seaport and

commercial center; Melbourne, a cultural center;

Brisbane, a seaport; Perth, a seaport on the western

coast; and Adelaide, an agricultural center. Canberra is

the national capital.

"Custom, then, is the great guide of human life," wrote

Scottish philosopher David Hume. Knowing the customs

of a country is, in effect, a guide to understanding the

soul of that country and its people.


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Initially, the way of life in Australia substantially reflected

the heritage of the British settlers. Customs were

modified as the settlers adapted to the new country and

its exceptionally fine climate. A culture evolved that,although based on the British tradition, is unique to

Australia.

Popular culture is dominated by an emphasis on leisure

activities and outdoor recreation. Great pleasure is taken

in traditional backyard barbecues, bush picnics, and a

wide range of organized sports, including soccer,

Australian Rules football, cricket, tennis, baseball,

basketball, volleyball, netball (a game similar to

basketball, played by women), athletics, cycling, boating,

swimming, horseback riding, and horse racing. Fishing

and gardening are popular as well.

Australian fashion generally follows Western styles of

dress, but is distinctive for the lightweight, colorful casual

wear that reflects the absence of harsh winters. Food and

drink preferences are influenced by global fashions, but

also mirror the rise of ethnic diversity and the country's

capacity to produce most kinds of food, wine, and other

beverages in abundance.

Tourism grew rapidly in the late 20th century, and it now

represents one of the most dynamic sectors in the

Australian economy.

The strong growth in domestic tourism has tapped the


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expanding range of attractions in each state and

territory-amusement and theme parks, zoos, art galleries

and museums, certain mines and factories, national

parks, historic sites, and wineries. Some of the mostpopular attractions are Queensland's spectacular Great

Barrier Reef, the Northern Territory's Kakadu National

Park, and the famous beach resorts in the Brisbane,

Cairns, and Sydney regions.

Australia has about 913,000 km of roads. The capital

cities are connected by bus services. A comprehensive

network of airline service links major cities and even

remote settlements. Because of the long distances

between cities and the country's ideal flying conditions,

Australians are especially accustomed to air travel.

International airports are located near each of the

mainland capitals and near Cairns and Townsville. Coastal

and transoceanic shipping is vital to the Australian

economy. Major ports include Melbourne, Sydney, and

Fremantle, in Western Australia.

Source: syl.com

welcome to the island of australia

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