Transcript Great Dividing Range Central Lowlands Western Plateau

Australia &
Oceania
Notes
Physical Geography of Australia…
 Australia
– Known as the Land
Down Under
because of its
southern location
“under” the equator
– It is both a country
and a continent.
– Divided into 3
regions:
 Great Dividing
Range
 Central Lowlands
 Western Plateau
Pink – Western Plateau
Yellow – Central Lowlands
Green – Great Dividing Range
Physical Geography of Australia…
 Great Dividing Range
– contains most of the mountains
and hills
– Divides the flow of Australia’s
rivers
 Central Lowlands
– thick area of pasture lands that
run through the middle of
Australia.
– Great Artesian Basin –
waters are pressurized and
come naturally to the surface
 Western Plateau
– Covers nearly 2/3 of Australia
– Dry desert
– Called the Outback
 Three deserts cover the
outback: the Great Sandy, the
Great Victoria, and the Great
Gibson.
Physical Geography of Australia…
 The Great Barrier Reef
– Located off Australia’s
northeastern coast.
– The reef is one of the
world’s most famous
natural wonders
 The reef is made of
coral formed by the
limestone skeletons
of tiny sea animals
Bodies of Water…
 Rivers
– Darling River
– Murray River
 Oceans
– Indian Ocean
– Pacific Ocean
 Lakes
– Lake Eyre
 Seas
– Tasman Sea
– Coral sea
– Philippine Sea
Natural Resources…
 Rich in mineral and energy
sources
 6% of Australia’s land is
arable
 Many areas are used for
grazing
 Australia is the leading
producer of wheat, cattle, &
sheep
 Water is a scarce resource
 Some other resources:
uranium, bauxite, iron-ore,
copper, lead, nickel, zinc, silver
 Sources of energy: coal, oil,
and natural gas
Green is arable & more habitable land
Climate…
 Second driest
continent
– The Western Plateau
is the driest area
– 2/3 of Australia has
arid or semiarid
climate
 Low elevation
 Lies between 20° and
30° south latitude
– The southern coasts
have a
Mediterranean
climate
Animals and vegetation…
 Many endemic species
 Because Australia
separated from other
continents, unique plants
and animals developed
 Many marsupials –
mammals that carry their
young in pouches
– Kangaroo
– Wallaby
– Koala
 Two native forms of
vegetation dominate the
region:
– Acacia
– Eucalyptus trees
Physical Geography of Oceania…
 Consists of three
major island groups:
– Melanesia – lies
closest to Australia
 Solomon Islands
 Fiji
– Micronesia – lies
east of the Philippines
 Guam
 Marshall Islands
– Polynesia – largest
of the three
 Cook Islands
 Samoa
Physical
Geography of
Oceania…
 High Islands
– Rocky & mountainous islands
– 2 types of high islands:
 Continental Islands
– Not formed by volcanoes
– Most of the larger islands
– Example: Papua New Guinea
(world’s 2nd largest island)
 Oceanic Islands
– Volcanic islands that have
formed from ocean floor
– Part of the Ring of Fire
 Lowland Islands
– Formed from coral
– Low islands tend to have a ring
shape
– Ring-shaped coral islands is
called an atoll
– Within the atoll lies a shallow
body of water called a lagoon
Climate of Oceania…
 Most of region lies
between Tropic of
Cancer and Tropic of
Capricorn
 Climates are
generally hot with
high rainfall
 Intertropical
Convergence Zone
(ITCZ) – area where
trade winds meet
near the equator
creating humid and
rainy conditions
Natural Resources of Oceania…
 Fish & shellfish are
important resources
 Export: lobsters,
octopus, shrimp & tuna
 Cultured pearls
harvested from oysters
 Gold, copper, and
nickel are found on
large continental
islands
Physical Geography of New Zealand…
 A group of mountainous
islands covered with forest
 1,000 miles southeast of
Australia
 Divided into 2 major islands
separated by Cook Strait:
– North Island
 Lake Taupo
 Tectonically active islands
– South Island
 Southern Alps
 Includes Mt. Cook (highest
point)
 Many glaciers
Natural Resources of New Zealand
 Main resource is good
farmland
 Energy sources:
– Hydroelectric power is
produced from New
Zealand’s rivers
– Hydroelectricity provides
roughly 65% of the power
– Use hot steam from volcanoes
for geothermal energy
 New Zealand does not have
many large mineral deposits
 Global supplier of wool,
sheep, forests products and
fish
Climate & Vegetation of New
Zealand
 Marine west coast climate—rainfall year
round with mild temperatures.
 Small shrubs called manuka cover the
area
Physical Geography of Antarctica
 Twice the size of
Australia
– Ice is nearly 2
miles thick
– Ice covers 95 % of
land mass
 The Transantarctic
Mountains divide
the continent into
two regions
 Krill a shrimp like
animal is used
for food.
Climate…
 Coldest, windiest, most isolated
continent
– Lowest temperature = -128°F
– Summer temperatures are still
below freezing
– Receives 2 inches of precipitation
per year
Exploration…
 Called the “continent for
science and peace” as defined
by the Antarctic Treaty signed
in 1959
– This means NO political
borders, no military activity, no
nuclear waste or explosions,
and NO national claims to
ownership
 Madrid Protocol (1991)
– 32 countries signed
– Formed an agreement to
protect Antarctica
– Banned oil and gas exploration
for 50 years
 The key to Antarctica’s
scientific value has been its
isolation because it has been
untouched by humans for so
many years
No country owns Antarctica but 7
countries have claimed portions of it.
Population of Australia
 Smallest continent
– 92% of population is of British or
other European ancestry
– 7% of population is of Asian
descent
 19 million people live in
Australia
– Largest populated country in the
South Pacific
 Cities are located on the
coastal regions
 85% of Australia’s
population lives in urban
areas
Population of Oceania…
 New Zealand
– Many people live along coast
– Most of New Zealand’s
population is of British descent
– Maori are the largest minority
group making up 10% of
population
– More than 80% New Zealand’s
population lives in urban areas
 Pacific Islands
– Population is low
– Great deal of emigration out
of the region
Australian
History…
 Australia’s first
people were the
aborigines
 Came to Australia
more than 40,000
years ago from
southeast Asia
– Nomadic lifestyle
– Hunted with spears,
nets, & boomerangs
– Coastal areas –
focused on fishing
Early Settlement…
 British settled Australia as a prison colony
– Other people came to farm or raise sheep
 1851 – gold was discovered attracting more
settlers
 Many settlers forced Aborigines off their land
 Aborigines were wiped out by European diseases
European
Settlement…
 As settlers continued
to arrive, more towns
and colonies were
founded
 1901 – six colonies
were joined to form
the Commonwealth
of Australia
– Maintained close ties and
accepted British
king/queen as chief of
state
History of Oceania…
 First people to settle
New Zealand were the
Maori from the Pacific
islands (AD 750)
 Micronesians –
Developed trade with
Melanesia and Asia
– Some Micronesians
were linked genetically
to Aborigines
 Polynesians –
overseas trade and
farming and fishing
 Early Explorers
– 1500s – Europeans
began to explore the
South Pacific
– 1642 – Dutch explorer
Abel Tasman became
first European to reach
New Zealand
– Captain James Cook
 explored South Pacific &
made contact with Maori
 Between 1768 and 1779
– claimed east coast of
Australia for Great
Britain, and sailed
around Antarctica
 First European settlers
in New Zealand were
missionaries & traders
from Great Britain
Europeans in the
South Pacific…
Continuing
European
Interest…
 Australia
– Introduced sheep, cattle, and
horses
 New Zealand
– Settlers were attracted to good
soil and fishing
– British settlers signed treaty with
Maori taking control of lands
– Treaty provided that British had to
protect Maori rights
– Maori Wars fought from 1845 –
1872 in which Maori lost
– 1907 – New Zealand became
independent country
 Antarctica
– Not explored
– South Pole – reached by Roald
Amundsen in 1911
 Oceania
– Settled by Christian missionaries
– Christianity widespread among
natives
Struggle for
Imperial Power…
 1898 – U.S. gained
control of Philippines &
Guam through the
Spanish-American War
– By late 1800s – foreign
powers controlled nearly
entire region
– Built plantations, military
bases, and fishing outposts
– Japan gained control
during WWII
– Bloody fighting as Allies
pushed Japan back
 Made some nations
territories – areas in
South Pacific placed
under Western temporary
control
– Some are now selfgoverning – others still
under U.S. influence
Culture…
 Language
– English is the official
language of Australia &
New Zealand
– Australians speak with a
distinct “Aussie” accent
– People of Papua New Guinea
speak 700 different languages
– Reflecting colonialism –
English & French are spoken
 Religion
– Majority of people are
Christian
– Asian immigration has
brought Buddhism and Islam
– Aborigines emphasize
spiritual ties to the land
Aussie Translations…
 Can you translate these Australian words?
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Biscuit
Clicks
Dunny
Esky
G’day
Mozzies
Oz
Roo
Saltie
Shark biscuit
Aussie Translations…
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Biscuit……………………….cookie
Clicks………………………..kilometer
Dunny……………………….restroom
Esky…………………………ice chest
G’day………………………..hello
Mozzies……………………..mosquitoes
Oz……………………………Australia
Roo…………………………..kangaroo
Saltie…………………………saltwater crocodile
Shark biscuit………………...inexperienced diver
 Parliamentary Democracy
– Australia
– New Zealand
 Democratic Republic
– Kiribati
– Nauru
– Vanuatu
 Constitutional Monarchy
– Tonga
– Western Samoa
 U.S. Territories
– American Samoa
– Guam
 Governed by French
– Polynesia
 Antarctica
– no official government
– no permanent settlements
Government
Today…
 Australia
– Well developed economy &
high per capita GDP
($23,200)
 Export mostly raw
materials
 Imports mostly
manufactured goods
– Many people work in
service industry
– Trade partners include
Asian nations and United
States
 New Zealand
– Combination of fishing,
farming, and tourism
– Exports: wool, meat, fish,
dairy products
– Sheep outnumber people
13:1
Economy…
Agriculture…
 Only 6% of land is good for
farming
 Australia and New Zealand
export large quantities of
meat and wool
 Australia is leading wool
producing country
– Ranching
 Graziers, or herders tend to
large ranches called stations
– Farming
 Copra – the dried meat from
the coconut palms is the only
farm export.
 Wheat is Australia’s most
important crop
Mining & Manufacturing…
 Mining
– important part of the
economy
– Leading producer of
diamonds, bauxite,
opal, and lead
– Also leading producers
of coal, copper, and iron
ore
Country
– Many island countries
may benefit one day
from mineral deposits Australia
on the ocean floor
 Manufacturing
– Some countries are
moving toward
manufacturing of
clothing and textiles
Botswana
China
Congo
South Africa
Reserve (in million
carats)
230
225
20
350
150
Tourism…
 Tourists are drawn each
year to clear blue water
and white sand
 Draw visitors from
around the world but
especially from U.S. &
Japan
 Vital industry for
islands such as Fiji &
Tahiti
Environmental
Issues…
 Cane toads
– Introduced toads into
the cane fields to eat
the bugs
– No natural enemy—they
were poisonous
 Brush tail possum was
introduced in 1837
– Carried a disease that is
deadly to the cattle
population
Cane
Toads in
Australia
Environmental
Issues…
 Phosphate Mining
– Chemical used to make
fertilizer
– Strip mining has
destroyed the topsoil
 Logging
– More than 1/3 of the
Australia’s woodlands have
been cleared
 Nuclear Testing
– France, Great Britain, and
U.S. used their Pacific
territories as nuclear testing
grounds
– 1940s and 1950s – U.S.
tested on Bikini Atoll on the
Marshall islands
Environmental
Issues…
 Global warming is
special worry for
people of the Pacific
– As polar ice melts,
ocean levels rise
– Many of these islands
may be submerged or
vulnerable to storms
 Ozone depletion is the
greatest danger to this
area.
 Fear that global
warming will kill the
Krill