Australian &Oceania

Geography

Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef. Coral reefs are made up of living organisms. They exist in the ocean. The Great Barrier Reef stretches over an area of

almost 133,000 square miles. It is so vast that it can be seen from outer space. As the world’s largest living organism, the Great

Barrier Reef has been labeled as one of the seven wonders of the world.

It lies in the Coral Sea, off the northeast coast of Australia.

Box Jellyfish

Great Victorian DesertThe Great Victorian Desert is in southern Australia.

It is vast, barren region with many small lakes and grasslands.

Ayers RockAyers Rock is a giant sandstone rock

formation.It lies in central Australia.Ayers Rock has many waterholes,

caves, and springs.The Aborigines believe Ayers Rock is

sacred.

Ayers

Rock

The Outback Much of Australia is covered by the Australian

Outback. It is a dry region that covers most of Australia’s

interior. Temperatures in the Outback can be very hot. There is very little rain. Most of the soil is not good for farming. Harsh conditions and the lack of fertile farmland

mean that very few people live in the Outback.

Population Most Australians live in cities along Australia’s

southeast coast. This is largely because of the mild, temperate

climate the region offers. Due to rich mineral deposits, portions of

northwest Australia are home to mining communities.

Miners rely on these natural resources for income. The interior of the continent is dominated by the

Outback.

Trade and Resources Australia’s geography impacts trade. Because of its dry terrain and vast wilderness

areas. Australia has historically had to import many of the agricultural products that it needs.

International trade has long been a critical part of Australia’s survival.

Since Australia is an island nation, it has to import most manufactured goods.

Trade and Resources Continued

Over the centuries, most Australians settled along the continents coast.

These settlements served as important harbors and some of them grew into bustling cities.

Towns also grew up further inland along Australia’s rivers.

They provide the continent with what fertile land it has.

Australia's rivers allow travel and permit inland farmers and businesses to ship products to the coast.

Few Australian’s live in the Outback or other regions that offer very little water or access to trade.

Australia's Culture Australia’s culture is very much like that of

Western Europe or the United States. Many of the fashions, products, musical styles,

movies, businesses, and leisure activities that exist throughout the western world can be found in Australia.

British Culture Australia was once a British colony. British culture has greatly shaped the modern

culture of Australia. English is the official language. The government is modeled after the United

Kingdom. The king or queen of the United Kingdom still has

symbolic role. Most Australians who follow a religion claim to be

Christian. British missionaries introduced Christianity in the

eighteenth and nineteenth centuries

Aboriginal Culture Aboriginal cultures still exist in Australia. Aborigines are native Australians whose ancestors

lived on the continent before Europeans arrived. Many Aboriginal citizens have adopted western

customs (fashion, work in urban areas, go to universities, and have similar lifestyles)

Other Aborigines live a more traditional existence. Many of the societies exist in the Outback, where the

harsh climate and geography discourages Europeans from interfering with the native peoples’ way of life.

Aborigines

Literacy Australia’s literacy rate is very high. Most Australians are well educated. The literacy rate is lower among Aborigines. Due to years of discrimination, there are still

problems in the Aboriginal community, such as poverty, high rates of alcoholism, and lack of education.

Oceania Thousands of islands across the Pacific

Ocean create Oceania. Ex. Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia,

New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji, Marshall Islands, etc.

Many islands are atolls, which are ring-shaped islands formed by coral on top of underwater volcanoes.

New Zealand Two large islands make up New

Zealand, The North and South Islands. Earliest inhabitants are known as the

Maoris Many beaches, volcanoes, hillsides are

throughout the islands Climate is a marine west coast climate

which is very similar to Washington State

Antarctica Ice Cap covers almost 98 percent of land Some areas have ice 2 miles thick Country contains volcanoes, mountains

and plateaus. Antarctica is a dry and windy landform

where temperatures plunge to -129 degrees F.

Contains mosses, krill (shrimp-like), lichens

The average thickness of the ice sheet that covers 98% of Antarctica is 2,200 meters (7,200 feet).

The continent overlies the south pole and covers 13,824,000 square kilometers (5,400,000 square miles). It is the fifth largest landmass on the globe.

Early Greek geographers hypothesized the existence of Antarctica well before anyone actually saw the continent. They believed that a landmass must exist at the bottom of the world to balance the land in the Northern Hemisphere. They called the mythological land "Antarctica," meaning "opposite the Arctic."

No one set foot on the continent until John Davis went ashore on the Antarctic Peninsula in 1820.

Factoids…

Antarctica is about 30% larger than the United States.

Life at the South Pole