Australia (from the Latin australis - “southern”) is a continent located in the Eastern and Southern Hemispheres of the Earth. The entire territory of the mainland is the main part of the state of the Commonwealth of Australia. The continent is part of the world region Australia and Oceania.

Geographical position

Australia is a continent in the Southern Hemisphere with an area of ​​7,659,861 km². The length of the continent from north to south is about 3,700 km, the width from west to east is about 4,000 km, the length of the mainland coastline (without islands) is 35,877 km.

The northern and eastern coasts of Australia are washed by the Pacific Ocean: the Arafura, Coral, Tasman, Timor Seas; western and southern - Indian Ocean. Near Australia are the large islands of New Guinea and Tasmania. Along the northeastern coast of Australia, the world's largest coral reef, the Great Barrier Reef, stretches for more than 2,000 km.

The extreme eastern point of Australia is Cape Byron (28°38′15″ S 153°38′14″ E (G) (O)), the western point is Cape Steep Point (26°09′05″ S . latitude 113°09′18″ E (G) (O)), northern - Cape York (10°41′21″ S 142°31′50″ E (G) ( O)), southern - Cape South Point (39°08′20″ S 146°22′26″ E (G) (O)) (if we consider the island of Tasmania as part of the continent, then Cape South -East Cape 43°38′40″ S 146°49′30″ E (G) (O)).

Relief of the Australian continent

Plains predominate. About 95% of the surface does not exceed 600 m above sea level.

Western Australian Plateau - average heights 400-500 meters, with raised edges: in the east - the Musgrave Mountains (highest point - Mount Woodroffe, 1440 m) and the McDonnell Range (highest point - Mount Zeal, 1511 m), in the north - the Kimberley massif (height up to 936 m), in the west - the flat-topped sandstone ridge Hamersley (highest point - Mount Meharry, 1251 m), in the southwest - the Darling Range (highest point - Mount Cook, 571 m).

Central lowland with prevailing altitudes up to 100 m above sea level. In the Lake Eyre area the lowest point is 16 m below sea level. In the southwest is the Mount Lofty Range. The Great Dividing Range, medium-altitude, with flat tops, steep, turning into rolling foothills (downs) in the west. In the south in the Australian Alps the highest point is Mount Kosciuszko, 2230 m.

Geological structure

At the heart of the continent is the old Australian Plate, which represents part of the Gondwana continent in the Southern Hemisphere of the Earth.

Minerals

Australia is rich in a variety of mineral resources. The discoveries of mineral ores made on the continent over the past 10-15 years have brought the continent to one of the first places in the world in terms of reserves and production of minerals such as iron ore, bauxite, and lead-zinc ores.

The largest iron ore deposits in Australia, which began to be developed in the 60s of the 20th century, are located in the Hamersley Range in the north-west of the mainland (Mount Newman, Mount Goldsworth, etc. deposits). Iron ore is also found in the state of South Australia in the Middleback Range (Iron Knob, etc.).

Large deposits of polymetals (lead, zinc with an admixture of silver and copper) are located in the western desert part of the state of New South Wales - the Broken Hill deposit. An important center for the extraction of non-ferrous metals (copper, lead, zinc) developed near the Mount Isa deposit (in Queensland). Copper deposits are also found at Tennant Creek (Northern Territory) and elsewhere.

The main gold reserves are concentrated in the ledges of the Precambrian basement and in the southwest of the mainland (Western Australia), in the area of ​​​​the cities of Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie, Northman and Wiluna, as well as in Queensland. Smaller deposits are found in almost all states.

Bauxite occurs on the Cape York Peninsula (Waipa deposit) and Arnhem Land (Gow deposit), as well as in the southwest, in the Darling Range (Jarrahdale deposit).

Manganese-containing ores are found in the north-west of the continent - in the Pilbara region. Uranium deposits were discovered in various parts of the continent: in the north (Arnhem Land Peninsula) - near the South and East Alligator rivers, in the state of South Australia - near Lake Frome, in the state of Queensland - the Mary Catlin deposit and in the western part of the continent - the deposit Yillirri.

The main deposits of hard coal are located in the eastern part of the mainland. The largest deposits of both coking and non-coking coal are developed near the cities of Newcastle and Lithgow (New South Wales) and the cities of Collinsville, Blair Athol, Bluff, Baralaba and Moura Keanga in Queensland.

Geological surveys have established that in the bowels of the Australian continent and on the shelf off its coast there are large deposits of oil and natural gas. Oil is found and produced in Queensland (Mooney, Alton and Bennett fields), on Barrow Island off the northwest coast of the mainland, as well as on the continental shelf off the southern coast of Victoria (Kingfish field). Gas deposits (the largest Ranken field) and oil were also discovered on the shelf off the northwestern coast of the continent.

Australia has large deposits of chromium (Queensland), Gingin, Dongara, Mandarra (Western Australia), and Marlin (Victoria).

Non-metallic minerals include clays, sands, limestones, asbestos, and mica, which vary in quality and industrial use. Australia is rich in precious opal.

History of the mainland

Australia, due to its remote location, was opened to the world later than other continents. The discovery of Australia took place more than a hundred years after the discovery of America. The Dutch navigator W. Janszoon discovered some new land in 1606 (it was the Cape York Peninsula).

Climate of the Australian continent

The Australian continent is located within three main warm climate zones of the Southern Hemisphere: subequatorial (in the north), tropical (in the central part), subtropical (in the south). Only a small part of the island of Tasmania is within the temperate zone.

Subequatorial belt

The subequatorial climate, characteristic of the northern and northeastern parts of the continent, is characterized by an even temperature range (average air temperature throughout the year is 23-24 °C) and a large amount of precipitation (from 1000 to 1500 mm, and in some places more than 2000 mm). Precipitation is brought here by the humid northwest monsoon, and falls mainly in summer. In winter, during the dry period of the year, rain falls only sporadically. At this time, dry, hot winds blow from the interior of the continent, which sometimes cause droughts.

Tropical zone

In the tropical zone on the Australian continent, two main types of climate are formed: tropical wet and tropical dry. A tropical humid climate is characteristic of the extreme eastern part of Australia, which is within the zone of southeast trade winds. These winds bring moisture-rich air masses from the Pacific Ocean to the mainland. Therefore, the entire area of ​​​​the coastal plains and eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range is well moistened (on average 1000 to 1500 mm of precipitation falls) and has a mild warm climate (the temperature of the warmest month in Sydney is 22-25 ° C, and the coldest month is 11.5 -13 °C). Air masses bringing moisture from the Pacific Ocean also penetrate beyond the Great Dividing Range, losing a significant amount of moisture along the way, so precipitation falls only on the western slopes of the ridge and in the foothills area.

Situated primarily in tropical and subtropical latitudes, where solar radiation is high, the Australian mainland is warming greatly. Due to the weak ruggedness of the coastline and the elevation of the outlying parts, the influence of the seas surrounding the mainland has little effect in the internal parts.

Australia is the driest continent on Earth, and one of the most characteristic features of its nature is the wide distribution of deserts, which occupy vast spaces and stretch for almost 2.5 thousand km from the shores of the Indian Ocean to the foothills of the Great Dividing Range.

The central and western parts of the continent are characterized by a tropical desert climate. In summer (December - February), average temperatures here rise to 30 °C, and sometimes higher, and in winter (June - August) they drop to an average of 10-15 °C. The hottest region of Australia is the north-west, where in the Great Sandy Desert the temperature remains at 35 °C and even higher almost all summer. In winter, it decreases slightly (to approximately 20-25 °C). In the center of the mainland, near the city of Alice Springs, in the summer the temperature rises to 45 °C during the day and drops to zero or lower at night (-4-6 °C).

The central and western parts of Australia, that is, about half of its territory, receive an average of 250-300 mm of precipitation per year, and the surrounding area of ​​Lake Eyre - less than 200 mm; but even these minor precipitations fall unevenly. Sometimes for several years in a row there is no rain at all, and sometimes the entire annual amount of precipitation falls in two or three days, or even in a few hours. Some of the water quickly and deeply seeps through the permeable soil and becomes inaccessible to plants, and some evaporates under the hot rays of the sun, and the surface layers of the soil remain almost dry.

Subtropical zone

Within the subtropical zone, there are three types of climate: Mediterranean, subtropical continental and subtropical humid.

The Mediterranean climate is characteristic of the southwestern part of Australia. As the name suggests, the climate of this part of the continent is similar to the climate of the European Mediterranean countries - Spain and Southern France. Summers are hot and generally dry, while winters are warm and humid. Relatively small temperature fluctuations by season (January - 23-27 °C, June - 12-14 °C), sufficient precipitation (from 600 to 1000 mm).

The subtropical continental climate zone covers the southern part of the mainland adjacent to the Great Australian Bight, includes the environs of the city of Adelaide and extends somewhat further east into the western regions of New South Wales. The main features of this climate are low precipitation and relatively large annual temperature fluctuations.

The subtropical humid climate zone includes the entire state of Victoria and the southwestern foothills of New South Wales. In general, this entire zone is characterized by a mild climate and a significant amount of precipitation (from 500 to 600 mm), mainly in the coastal parts (the penetration of precipitation deeper into the continent decreases). In summer, temperatures rise to an average of 20-24 °C, but in winter they drop quite significantly - to 8-10 °C. The climate of this part of the continent is favorable for growing fruit trees, various vegetables and forage grasses. True, to obtain high yields, artificial irrigation is used, since in summer there is not enough moisture in the soil. Dairy cattle (grazing on forage grasses) and sheep are raised in these areas.

The hot climate and insignificant and uneven precipitation over most of the continent lead to the fact that almost 60% of its territory has no flow to the ocean and has only a sparse network of temporary watercourses. Perhaps no other continent has such a poorly developed network of inland waters as Australia. The annual flow of all the continent's rivers is only 350 km³.

Water resources

The continent's water resources are limited. Australia is the continent with the poorest rivers. The rivers flowing from the eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range are short and flow in narrow gorges in the upper reaches. Here they may well be used, and in part they are already used for the construction of hydroelectric power stations. When entering the coastal plain, rivers slow down their flow and their depth increases.

Many of them in estuarine areas are even accessible to large ocean-going vessels. The flow volume and regime of these rivers are different and depend on the amount of precipitation and the time of its occurrence.

On the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range, rivers originate and make their way through the interior plains. The longest river in Australia, the Murray (2375 km), begins in the area of ​​Mount Kosciuszko. Its largest tributaries, the Murrumbidgee (1485 km), Darling (1472 km), Goulbury and some others, also originate in the mountains.

The Murray River and its channels are fed mainly by rain and to a lesser extent by snow. These rivers are fullest at the beginning of summer, when the snow melts in the mountains. In the dry season, they become very shallow, and some of the Murray's tributaries break up into separate standing reservoirs. Only the Murray and Murrumbidgee maintain a constant flow (except in exceptionally dry years). Even the Darling, Australia's third longest river, is lost in the sand during summer droughts and does not always reach the Murray. Almost all rivers of the Murray system have dams and dams built, around which reservoirs are created, where flood waters are collected and used to irrigate fields, gardens and pastures.

The rivers of the northern and western coasts of Australia are shallow and relatively small. The longest of them, the Flinders, flows into the Gulf of Carpentaria. These rivers are fed by rain, and their water content varies greatly at different times of the year.

Rivers whose flow is directed to the interior of the continent, such as Coopers Creek (Barku), Diamantina, etc., lack not only a constant flow, but also a permanent, clearly defined channel. In Australia, such temporary rivers are called “creeks”. They are filled with water only during short showers. Soon after the rain, the river bed again turns into a dry sandy hollow, often without even a definite outline.

Most lakes in Australia, like rivers, are fed by rainwater. They have neither a constant level nor a drain. In summer, the lakes dry up and become shallow saline depressions. The layer of salt at the bottom sometimes reaches 1.5 m.

In the seas surrounding Australia, sea animals are hunted and fished. Edible oysters are bred in sea waters. In the warm coastal waters in the north and northeast, sea cucumbers, crocodiles and pearl mussels are fished for. The main center of their artificial breeding is located in the area of ​​​​the Koberg Peninsula (Arnhem Land). It was here, in the warm waters of the Arafura Sea and Van Diemen Bay, that the first experiments on the creation of special sediments were carried out. These experiments were carried out by one of the Australian companies with the participation of Japanese specialists. It was found that pearl mussels grown in the warm waters off the northern coast of Australia produce larger pearls than those off the coast of Japan, and in a much shorter time. Currently, the cultivation of pearl mussels has spread widely along the northern and partly northeastern coasts.

Australia's lakes, which are quite significant in number and size, are swamps for most of the year. To the north of Spencer Gulf (but not connecting to it) lies Lake Torrens, surrounded by sand dunes, which has a circumference of 225 km. Even further north, 12 meters below sea level, is the largest Lake Eyre, and to the east of it Lake Gregory, which can be divided into several separate lakes. To the west of Lake Torrens lies on a plateau, rising 115 m, the large Lake Gairdner, which, like countless smaller lakes in the same area, is extremely abundant in salt and seems to have only recently become separated from sea water. In general, there are clear signs that the southern coast of the continent is still slowly rising from the sea waters.

Vegetable world

Since the Australian mainland, starting from the mid-Cretaceous period, was isolated from other parts of the globe, its flora is very unique. Of the 12 thousand species of higher plants, more than 9 thousand are endemic, that is, they grow only on the Australian continent. Endemics include many species of eucalyptus and acacia, the most typical plant families of Australia. At the same time, there are also plants here that are native to South America (for example, southern beech), South Africa (representatives of the Proteaceae family) and the islands of the Malay Archipelago (ficus, pandanus, etc.). This indicates that many millions of years ago there were land connections between the continents.

Since the climate of most of Australia is characterized by extreme aridity, its flora is dominated by dry-loving plants: special cereals, eucalyptus trees, umbrella acacias, succulent trees (bottle tree, etc.). Trees belonging to these communities have a powerful root system, which goes 10-20, and sometimes 30 m into the ground, thanks to which they, like a pump, suck out moisture from great depths. The narrow and dry leaves of these trees are painted mostly in a dull gray-greenish color. Some of them have leaves facing the sun with their edges, which helps reduce the evaporation of water from their surface.

In the far north and northwest of the continent, where it is hot and the warm northwest monsoons bring moisture, tropical rainforests grow. Their tree composition is dominated by giant eucalyptus, ficus, palm trees, pandanus with narrow long leaves, etc. The dense foliage of the trees forms an almost continuous cover that shades the ground. In some places on the coast itself there are thickets of bamboo. In places where the shores are flat and muddy, mangrove vegetation develops.

Rain forests in the form of narrow galleries stretch for relatively short distances inland along river valleys. The further south you go, the drier the climate becomes and the more intense the hot breath of the deserts is felt. Forest cover is gradually thinning. Eucalyptus and umbrella acacias are located in groups. This is a zone of wet savannas, stretching in a latitudinal direction to the south of the tropical forest zone. In appearance, savannas with sparse groups of trees resemble parks. There is no shrub growth in them. Sunlight freely penetrates through a sieve of small leaves of trees and falls on the ground covered with tall, dense grass. Forested savannas are excellent pastures for sheep and cattle.

The central deserts of the mainland, where it is very hot and dry, are characterized by dense, almost impenetrable thickets of thorny low-growing shrubs, consisting mainly of eucalyptus and acacia trees. In Australia these thickets are called scrub. In some places the scrub is interspersed with vast, devoid of vegetation sandy, rocky or clayey desert areas, and in some places with thickets of tall turfy grasses (spinifex).

The eastern and southeastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range, where there is a lot of rainfall, are covered with dense tropical and subtropical evergreen forests. Most of these forests, as elsewhere in Australia, are eucalyptus trees. Eucalyptus trees are valuable industrially. These trees are unrivaled in height among hardwood species; some of their species reach 150 m in height and 10 m in diameter. Wood growth in eucalyptus forests is high and therefore they are very productive. There are also many tree-like horsetails and ferns in the forests, reaching 10-20 m in height. At their top, tree ferns bear a crown of large (up to 2 m in length) feathery leaves. With their bright and fresh greenery, they somewhat enliven the faded bluish-green landscape of eucalyptus forests. Higher in the mountains there is a noticeable admixture of damarra pines and beech trees.

The shrub and grass cover in these forests is varied and dense. In less humid variants of these forests, the second tier is formed by grass trees.

In the southwest of the mainland, forests cover the western slopes of the Darling Range, facing the sea. These forests consist almost entirely of eucalyptus trees, reaching considerable heights. The number of endemic species here is especially high. In addition to eucalyptus trees, bottle trees are widespread. They have an original bottle-shaped trunk, thick at the base and sharply tapering at the top. During the rainy season, large reserves of moisture accumulate in the trunk of trees, which are consumed during the dry period. The undergrowth of these forests contains many shrubs and herbs, full of bright colors.

In general, Australia's forest resources are small. The total area of ​​forests, including special plantations consisting mainly of softwood species (mainly radiata pine), amounted to only 5.6% of the continent at the end of the 1970s.

The first colonists did not find plant species characteristic of Europe on the mainland. Subsequently, European and other species of trees, shrubs and grasses were introduced to Australia. Grapevines, cotton, grains (wheat, barley, oats, rice, corn, etc.), vegetables, many fruit trees, etc. are well established here.

Animal world

Australia's animal diversity is small: only 235 species of mammals, 720 of birds, 420 of reptiles and 120 species of amphibians are known to live on this continent and adjacent islands.

Soils

In Australia, all types of soils characteristic of tropical, subequatorial and subtropical natural zones are represented in a natural sequence.

In the area of ​​tropical rainforests in the north, red soils are common, changing towards the south to red-brown and brown soils in wet savannas and gray-brown soils in dry savannas. Red-brown and brown soils containing humus, some phosphorus and potassium are valuable for agricultural use. The main wheat crops in Australia are located within the red-brown soil zone.

In the marginal regions of the Central Plains (for example, in the Murray Basin), where artificial irrigation is developed and a lot of fertilizers are used, grapes, fruit trees, and forage grasses are grown on sierozem soils.

In the ringed interior desert territories of semi-desert and especially steppe areas, where there is grass and in some places shrub-tree cover, gray-brown steppe soils are common. Their power is insignificant. They contain little humus and phosphorus, so when using them even as pastures for sheep and cattle, phosphorus fertilizers are required.

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The smallest continent on planet Earth is Australia. With an area of ​​7,659,861 km2 (with islands 7,692,024 km2), it occupies only 5% of the planet's total land area. At the same time, the size of the continent, when viewed from north to south, will be 3.7 thousand kilometers, and from west to east approximately 4,000 kilometers. In this case, the length of all the coasts of the continent will be approximately 35,877 kilometers.

The continent is located in the southern hemisphere of the planet. From the north, south and west, mainland Australia is washed by the Indian Ocean, and from the east it is washed by the Tasman and Coral Seas. Australia is also famous for the largest coral reef in the world (more than 2000 km), which is located on the northeastern coast of the continent.

The entire territory of the mainland belongs to one state, which is called Australia. Officially, this state is called the Commonwealth of Australia.

Extreme points of mainland Australia

There are four extreme points that are located on the Australian mainland:

1) The most extreme point in the north is Cape York, which is washed by the Coral and Arafura seas.

2) The westernmost point of the mainland is Cape Steep Point, which is washed by the Indian Ocean.

3) The southernmost point of Australia is Cape South Point, which washes the Tasman Sea.

4) And finally, the easternmost point of the mainland is Cape Byron.

Relief of Australia

Mainland Australia is dominated by plains. More than 90% of the continent's total land mass does not exceed 600 meters above sea level. There are also mountain ranges in Australia, which usually do not exceed a height of 1500 kilometers. The highest mountains in Australia are the Australian Alps, the highest mountain of which Kosciuszko reaches an altitude of 2230 meters above sea level. Also in Australia there are the Musgrave Mountains, the Western Australian Tablelands, the Kimberley Plateau, the Darling Range and Mount Lofty.

The entire territory of the continent of Australia is located on the Australian Plate, which includes the mainland of Australia and part of the adjacent ocean.

Australian inland waters

In terms of internal waters, this continent is characterized as the poorest continent in terms of rivers. The longest river on the mainland, the Murray, originates from the area of ​​Australia's highest mountain, Kosciuszko, and reaches a length of 2375 km.

The rivers are fed mainly by rain or melt water. The rivers are at their fullest at the beginning of summer, and then they begin to shallow, and in some places turn into stagnant reservoirs.

Just like rivers, lakes on the mainland are also fed by rainwater. Such lakes do not have a constant level and flow. In summer, they can dry out completely and turn into depressions, the bottom of which is covered with salt. The thickness of salt at the bottom of dry lakes can reach up to 1.5 meters. Australia's fairly large lakes can be swamps for most of the year. There is a hypothesis that the south of the continent continues to rise from the ocean.

Climate of mainland Australia

Mainland Australia is located in three climatic zones at once - the subtropical zone, the tropical zone and the subequatorial zone.

The subtropical zone of the continent of Australia includes three climates - subtropical continental, subtropical humid and Mediterranean.

The Mediterranean climate is characterized by dry and hot summers, but warm and humid winters. There are slight fluctuations between the seasons (in summer the temperature rises to 27 degrees Celsius, and in winter the air temperature drops to 12 degrees Celsius) and there is quite a lot of precipitation. This climate is typical for the southwestern part of Australia.

The subtropical humid climate is characterized by large temperature differences between different periods of the year (in summer the temperature rises to +24 degrees Celsius, and in winter it drops to -10 degrees Celsius below zero) and significant precipitation. This climate is typical for the entire state of Victoria and part of the state of New South Wales, which is located in the southwest.

The subtropical continental climate is characterized by low precipitation and large temperature differences and is characteristic of southern Australia.

The tropical zone is formed from tropical dry and tropical wet climates.

The tropical humid climate is located in the east of the continent and is characterized by little precipitation. This climate is formed due to the action of southeastern winds, which are saturated with moisture from the Pacific Ocean.

A tropical dry climate is typical for the central and western parts of the continent. The hottest climate is in the north-west of the mainland - in summer the temperature rises to 35 degrees Celsius, and in winter it drops very slightly to 20 degrees Celsius. It is worth noting the city of Alice Springs, which is located in the central part of the continent, where temperatures during the day can rise to 45 degrees and at night drop to -6 degrees Celsius below zero. At the same time, precipitation may not fall in some places for years, and then the annual norm of precipitation may fall in a matter of hours. In this case, moisture is very quickly absorbed by the ground or evaporates.

The subequatorial climate on the Australian mainland is characterized by stable temperatures throughout the year (23 degrees Celsius) and high rainfall.

Flora and fauna of Australia

Due to the fact that the continent is isolated from other continents, the flora of this continent is very diverse. At the same time, there are plants and animals that live only on this continent and are not found anywhere else. And due to the peculiarities of the dry climate on the continent, dry-loving plants predominate among plants. For example, eucalyptus, acacia and others. In the north of the mainland you can find tropical forests.

The area of ​​the mainland covered by forests is only 5%. Over time, many trees and plants were introduced from other continents that took root well in Australia, for example, grains, grapevines, and some types of fruits and vegetables.

But the variety of animals on the mainland is not so diverse. In total, there are just over 230 species of mammals living on the mainland, more than 700 species of birds and more than 120 species of amphibians. But most of these animals exist only on the mainland and will not survive anywhere else, since they feed on plants that also exist only on the Australian mainland. This is such a unique world that is worth seeing with your own eyes.

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Rocks "Twelve Apostles"

origin of name

Even ancient geographers were convinced of the existence of a hypothetical land in the Southern Hemisphere, which on the maps of those times was designated as Terra Australis Incognita - “unknown southern land.” This name was first put on the map in the 2nd century by Ptolemy of Alexandria, who assumed that Africa in the south passes into an as yet undiscovered continent.

Dutch sailors, the first to reach this land, gave it the name “New Holland”. In 1814, the English navigator Matthew Flinders was the first European to circumnavigate the continent and proposed calling it Terra Australis, “as it would be more pleasant to the ear.” But his proposal was not immediately accepted, and only in 1817, the governor of the state of South Wales, Lachlan Macquarie, began to use the name “Australia” in official documents and invited the Colonial Office of the British Empire to accept, which was done in 1824.

Big cities

Flora and fauna

The even warm climate, the diversity of natural conditions in different parts of the continent and the long-term isolation of the continent contributed to the fact that the evolutionary processes of Australia were not as rapid as on other continents. Thanks to this, amazing plants and animals, long extinct on other continents, have survived to this day. Of the 12 thousand species of vegetation, more than 9 thousand are endemic, not found anywhere else in the world. Due to the fact that the climate of the continent is mostly arid, the plants here are dry-loving, among them the most famous are eucalyptus and bottle tree. The tropical forests of the north are rich in umbrella acacias, huge eucalyptus trees (up to a hundred meters in height!), bamboo, various types of ficus and palm trees. Eastern subtropical evergreen forests amaze with huge twenty-meter ferns and tree-like horsetail.

Unique animals live in the vastness of Australia; not only do they not exist anywhere else on the planet, they simply cannot survive anywhere else, as they feed on plants that grow only here. Almost 90% of the continent's fauna are endemic. Of the 235 species of mammals, half are marsupials. On the mainland, “living fossils” have survived to this day - the platypus and the echidna. Australia is the only continent where there are no ungulates or monkeys. There are two surviving carnivores here - the Tasmanian devil, a carnivorous marsupial, and the dingo. One of the symbols of Australia, the Tasmanian devil, used to live throughout the mainland, but humans and dingoes pushed it out to Tasmania.

The bird world of Australia is extremely rich, numbering 720 species of birds, almost half of which are endemic. Emu ostriches, cockatoos, cassowaries, black swans, honeyeaters, birds of paradise, lyrebirds are recognized symbols of the continent.

There are no predators here, but there are many other dangerous representatives of the animal world - in Australia there are 65 species of poisonous snakes. If you see a sign prohibiting swimming, do not ignore the warning - deadly jellyfish and sharks are found in coastal waters. Blue-ringed octopuses are among the most poisonous animals on the planet.

The appearance of man did not have the best effect on flora and fauna; many of their unique representatives were irretrievably destroyed. But now, thanks to the efforts of the government, the situation is changing dramatically - compliance with environmental laws is strictly controlled. Many nature conservation parks and reserves have been created. It was possible to restore some species of animals and plants that were on the verge of extinction. National parks have given impetus to the development of tourism. In many protected areas, interesting tourist routes have been created that allow you to touch the past of the planet and observe with your own eyes the life of Australia’s wildlife.

Geographical features

Australia ranks last among continents in terms of area, which is 7.7 million square kilometers. Australia has no borders with any state. The continent's shores are washed by the seas of the Indian and Pacific oceans.

Australia is the only continent without glaciers or volcanoes. Most of the country's territory is occupied by deserts and semi-deserts, there are fertile lands in the east and southwest, and in the north there are woodlands, savannas and jungles of the Arnhem Land Peninsula.

The most fertile areas of the country are the coastal ones. Thanks to the moist sea winds carrying precipitation, they receive enough water for vegetation; there are alpine meadows and tropical jungles.

The Great Barrier Reef, a unique attraction of Australia, stretches along the northeastern coast for 2000 kilometers. Many of the reef islands have become luxury resorts.

There are mountains on the mainland, but there are few of them, only 5% of the entire territory, and the smaller half of them are above 1000 meters. In the mountain range of the Great Dividing Range, rising on the east coast, is the highest point of the continent - Cape Kosciuszko with an altitude of 2228 meters.

Australia's main rivers flow through the southeast of the country. There are only two large rivers - the Murray, 2.5 thousand kilometers long, and the Darling, whose length is no more than 2,000 kilometers. The Murray is a deeper river that maintains a constant flow, while the Darling dries up during the hot season. The island of Tasmania boasts an abundance of deep and fast rivers.

The south of Australia is replete with salt lakes that have no drainage and fill only during the rainy season. The largest lake is Eyre with an area of ​​9.5 thousand square kilometers. Eyre is 16 meters below sea level and is the lowest point on the mainland.

Story

The ancestors of the aborigines, immigrants from the island of New Guinea, began to populate the mainland many thousands of years ago. The idyllic existence of the indigenous people was first disrupted in the 17th century by Dutch explorers. Europeans landed in the north of the continent and discovered a large nearby island, which they named Tasmania after the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman.

Almost a hundred years later, in 1770, James Cook arrived here. He explored the eastern lands of the mainland, named them New South Wales and declared them the property of Britain. A decade later, Europeans began to actively settle new lands.

The first inhabitants of the continent were criminals. At that time, England deported its convicts to North America, but this punishment had to be stopped with the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War.

The English government decided to use the very opportunely discovered new lands and developed a plan to send convicts to New South Wales. In January 1788, the first flotilla reached the distant mainland. There were 1,373 people on board the 11 ships, 700 of them were criminals. Soon the new arrivals founded a settlement, which later became the city of Sydney. And now on January 26, residents of the Green Continent celebrate Australia Day.

Over the next 80 years, another 160,000 criminals were sent to Australia. And in the second half of the 19th century, gold was found on the continent, a gold rush began, and more than 40 thousand Chinese emigrants came here in search of fortune.

Since World War II, the country has welcomed thousands of migrants from 200 countries, making Australia one of the most diverse countries in the world.

State structure. Population

Australia is a federal parliamentary state. Formally, the head of state is Queen Elizabeth II of England, but executive power is concentrated in the hands of the prime minister.

The Federation consists of 6 states:

• New South Wales, a hub for cultural, entertainment and sporting events.
• Western Australia, which occupies almost a third of the continent and consists almost entirely of deserts. Three-quarters of the country's gold is mined here and one-fifth of the world's aluminum is produced. The state has the highest average income, but also the largest population shortage due to its hot climate. The size of the state is comparable to Western Europe.
• Queensland, named after Queen Victoria, is famous for its banana plantations and the Great Barrier Reef.
• Victoria, the smallest state with developed skiing. The history and development of the state is closely connected with the gold rush.
• South Australia is famous for its wine and the fact that this state has never accepted prisoners.
• Tasmania, almost half the state is protected World Heritage Sites.

In addition to the states, the Commonwealth of Australia includes two mainland territories - the Northern and Capital Territories. And also several small areas. Half of the Northern Territory's land is owned by Aboriginal people and is the country's most sparsely populated and least urbanized region. The capital territory at one time separated from South Wales, and Canberra, the capital of Australia, was built here in 1927.

Australia is a country with a highly developed economy, the largest exporter of beef and wool, and also exports large quantities of wheat, lamb, and minerals. Accordingly, the standard of living of the population is consistently high.

The country ranks 50th in the world in terms of population. About 24 million people live in Australia, of which 230 thousand are indigenous people. Aboriginal people received their legal rights only in the 60s of the last century and they live mainly in reserves and national parks of Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

According to the Australian Constitution, no religion is authorized by law or receives financial support from the state. Australians are free to practice any religion and be free of any creed.

Population densities vary. If up to 80% of the population is concentrated in cities, then in other areas the density may be less than one person per square kilometer. This is explained by the fact that more than half of the country’s territory is unsuitable for human habitation due to the extremely hot climate.

Australians are friendly and open people; their temperament mixes the features of Puritan Great Britain with the cheerful character of people from America. Local residents prefer a casual style in casual clothing; they are friendly and smiling with foreigners.

Holidays

• January 1 - New Year.
• January 26 is Australia Day.
• Easter Monday.
• April 25 - Anzac Day (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps Day).
• May 1 - Labor Day.
• July 14 is the Queen's birthday.
• December 25 - Christmas.
• December 27 is Boxing Day.

Helpful information

The national currency is the Australian dollar. Along with paper money, the world's first plastic money is in use here. It is more profitable to exchange currencies in banks; it is important to remember that they are closed on weekends.

From the Green Continent, tourists bring crocodile leather products, the famous Australian ugg boots, and original aboriginal crafts - boomerangs, spears, ritual masks. You can buy opals inexpensively here. Various souvenirs made from eucalyptus are very popular among travelers. Many people buy clothes made from unique merino wool. If you buy goods worth more than $300, you will get back 9.1% of the amount spent, you just need to keep your receipt.

You cannot import food, weapons, some medicines, products of animal and plant origin, wood products and even soil on the soles. You can import duty-free goods worth no more than $900, 50 cigarettes and 1 liter of alcohol. At the airport of arrival, you and your luggage will be disinfected with a special product.

Remember - in Australia, spitting on the streets, smoking in public places and driving while intoxicated are punishable by large fines.

Driving in Australia is on the left, so tourists need to be extremely careful. Due to the long distances, the most popular transport in the country is airplanes.

Traveling by bus is also in demand in the country.

Rail transport is almost undeveloped due to the difficulties of laying a railway.

You can rent a car if you have an international license, have more than 1 year of driving experience, and are over 21 years old and under 75 years old. A deposit will be required.

If you go deep into the continent, stock up on food, water, fuel and be sure to take a satellite phone with you, since mobile communications do not work everywhere.

Be extremely careful in nature - there are many poisonous snakes and insects around, brush up on the rules of first aid for bites of poisonous animals.

The mains voltage is 240/250 Volts; adapters will be needed for Asian and European devices.

Australia has 3 time zones. Time in Canberra is 7 hours ahead of Moscow.

A quarter of its inhabitants were born outside of Australia.

Australia is the most law-abiding country in the world, although the ancestors of many of its citizens are deported criminals.

Calendar of low prices for air tickets to Australia

The continent of Australia is so small that its area is even smaller than some countries in the world. Its territory is only 7.63 million square km. The smallest continent is located in and is crossed by the southern tropic. Its shores are washed by the waters of the Pacific and Due to its small size, Australia is sometimes also called the island mainland.

The continent is not connected by land to any of the other continents; it is located completely separately. The rest of the world's continents are located at a considerable distance from Australia. This contributed to the formation of a unique flora and fauna, in many ways different from others

Uniqueness of Australia

The flora is also unique: 90% of the continent’s plants are endemic, found only here. The symbol of Australian flora is the eucalyptus - the tallest tree on the planet, reaching the height of a fifty-story building.

The smallest continent is also the driest on the planet. Most of it is located in the tropical climate zone, as a result of which almost the entire central part of the continent is occupied by huge deserts. Australia is also called the lowest continent. 215 meters is the average absolute height, and the highest point is only 2230 meters high.

Past and current name

“Unknown land” - this is what Australia was called on ancient maps. Even today it remains a mysterious land and a country full of surprises for most people. The name of the continents is most often associated with their geographical location, the same applies to Australia: translated from Latin “australis” means “southern”. And this name appeared relatively recently, only at the beginning of the 19th century. And before that, its individual parts were called by the names that the discoverers gave them. The modern name was finally established after the Englishman Flinders sailed around the continent.

The smallest continent on our planet is also famous for the fact that its territory is completely occupied by one country - the Commonwealth of Australia. The largest city in the country is Sydney, famous throughout the world for its opera house, a real eighth wonder of the world. Another unusual masterpiece is the Harbor Bridge - a bridge across the beautiful Port Jackson Bay, which has a half-kilometer-long arch.