Australia (0)

Australia
Australia is the smallest continent in the world. It is 7.6 million square kilometres big. It is often called the island continent because it is rather small for a continent and very big for an island. There are only five countries bigger than Australia in the World. There are five states in the mainland. Tasmania is also considered as a state so there are six states. The Northern Territory and Canberra are also independent but they are not states. Canberra is the capital of Australia and it is situated between Sydney and Melbourne because both of these cities wanted to be the capital.
The population is about 19 million people and growing . New South Wales is the most populated state and Victoria is the most densely populated state. The national language is English . It is English because British settlers came to live in Australia in the past and they brought convicts with them who were also British.
Symbols . The Australian Flag came into being after the federation of the Australian States into the Commonwealth of Australian on the first January , 1901. The Commonwealth Blue Ensign was selected as a result of a public competition (over 30 000 designs were submitted). In the upper left corner there is the Union Jack that is the national flag of England . It denotes Australia's historical links with Great Britain. Under the flag there is the Commonwealth star which has seven tips. Six of them represent the states and the last one is for the Commonwealth of Australia. The Southern Cross is in the right. It consists of five stars. The group of stars on the flag shows the geographical place of Australia which is in the southern hemisphere.
The coat of arms was created in 1912. Before that coat of arms there was another that did not have so many things on it. On the coat of arms there is the national animal kangaroo. Emu is also there because it is a bird that is very interesting and it is only in Australia. They are standing on the golden wattle that is the national flower. In the top there is the star of the Commonwealth. Under it there is a shield with six parts each containing a representation of the badge of a state. From left the states are New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and in the second row there are South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.
The anthem of Australia is called ‘Advance Australia Fair ’. It was officially declared the national anthem on 19 April 1984. Peter Dodds McCormick, a Scot, composed ‘Advance Australia Fair' under the pen-name ‘Amicus' (amicus is the Latin word for friend ). ‘God Save the Queen ’ was the anthem before it. It was first performed in Sydney on Saint Andrew 's Day, 1878. Peter McCormick died in 1916 and ‘Advance Australia Fair' became free of copyright in 1966. Some of the original words of the song have been changed for the official version . On specifically Royal occasions, both ‘Advance Australia Fair’ and ‘God Save the Queen' are played. The second choice for the anthem was ‘Waltzing Matilda’. It is still a famous song and Australians like that song and they sing it.
Government and Head of State. Australia is a constitutional monarchy, (queen + teda asendavad inimesed) based on a liberal democratic tradition . Queen Elizabeth II, queen of Great Britain, is also formally Queen of Australia. In reality the power or the country is put to life by the Parliament . Parliament consists of The House of Representatives (esindajate koda) and the Senat . The House of representatives consists of 150 members . The Senat comprises 12 representatives from each state and 2 from each territory. The executive power in Australia is in the hands of the Prime Minister. Today the Prime Minister is John Howard.
History. The first inhabitants in Australia are the Aborigines who came there about 60000 years ago. The first known Europeans to arrive in Australia were the Dutch . William Jaanzsoon tried to reach the East Indies, but landed in western Australia in 1611. The Dutch gave a poor account of Australia considering it to be and arid land inhabited by fierce savages. Abel Tasman was also a Dutch sailor and he discovered Tasmania.
Captain James Cook discovered the fertile eastern coast in 1770 and had a more favourable outlook . He explored the coast and named some most important features , such as Botany Bay, for instance . Australia was called Terra Australis Incognita before 1770 and it means ‘southland’.
After the disgraceful loss in the American War of Independence, Britain looked to establish new penal settlements to replace the North Atlantic colonies . The first fleet of 11 ships with 1500 aboard, half of them convicts, arrived at Botany Bay in January 1788. Sydney grew from that first British penal settlement.
Transportation of convicts to New South Wales ceased in 1840, but continued to Western Australia in 1868. About 160 000 convicts arrived in over 80 years. The convicts were mostly poor townspeople. Only few of them were from wealthier classes . The building of a new society based on these people was an outrageous challenge. The most cunning and skilful of the convicts became later the founders of prominent colonial families. Until 1830s the convicts were harshly punished for almost no reason, flogging being the most common penalty .
During the 1850s, the settlement was boosted by gold rushes. Gold was first found at Bayhurst in 1851 . Scarcity of labour (tööjõupuudus), the vastness of the bush , and new wealth based on farming, mining and trade all contributed to the development of uniquely Australian social institutions and sensibilities.
The idea of unifying all the states first came to Earl Grey in 1847. It was only on January 1, 1901, that the Australian colonies federated to become the Commonwealth of Australia. As neither Sydney nor Melbourne was an acceptable new capital, a new city Canberra – was built as a result of an architectural competition.
Geographical position. The Commonwealth of Australia is on the Southern Hemisphere. The tropic of Capricorn goes through Australia. It is the only continent except Antarctica that is all south of the equator. Its name also means ‘southland’. It is the smallest continent of the World. Since it is all south of the equator its seasons are all opposite than ours. It is an island continent.
The territory of Australia is 7.6 million square kilometres. Its coasts are washed by the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. Australia has an even coastline. The northern coast is more idented ( tasane ). There are the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Cape York Peninsula in the north. The Great Australian Bight washes the southern coast.
The seas and oceans that wash the coasts of Australia are warm . The Coral Sea is the warmest that is why many corals live in the seas. The skeletons of these tiny organisms have formed a great belt of coral – the Great Barrier Reef. It is 2000 kilometres long and 2-150 kilometres wide.
The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef on earth. Tourists from everywhere visit it because it is a unique natural phenomenon. There can be found more than 300 varieties of corals with colours ranging from pale blue to bright yellow. Recently, black coral, the rarest of type all, was found on one of the reefs. There are also big- game fish, like the coral cod, which weighs up to 200 pounds .
The Relief. Australia is a low and old continent. Its relief is simple – plains cover the greater part of it. West Australia was once part of Gondwanaland (manner, mis koosnes erinevate maailmajagude osadest).
The Western Plateau consists of tablelands and some mountains of denudation. Most of the rocks have turned into sand . There are big sand deserts on the Western Plateau; the Great Desert and the Victoria Desert. In central Australia there are lowlands, covered with sedimentary rocks (settekivimid). The Great Dividing Range runs along the Pacific coast. The mountains are old and worn down. The Australian Alps are the highest of them. The highest top of Australia is Mount Kosciusko (2,2 km above sea level). Australian rocks are rich in gold, polymetallic ores, iron ore, copper , uranium. Much coal is mined in the sedimentary rocks of south-east.
The greatest attraction in the Northern Territory is Uluru . It is a huge monolith rock, 862 metres above the sea level, rising out of the desert. The local Aborigines regarded it as a sacred site. No one is sure when the first Aborigines moved into the area but the best evidence suggests that it was at least 10000 years ago.
The first graded road was built in 1948 on mount Uluru. Ayers Rock was created as a national park in 1950.
Artistically Kata Tjuta is noted for its engravings and its rock piles whereas Uluru is famous for its rock paintings. Both the engravings and the geometric rock piles are believed to have been created by the Spirit Ancestor during the Dreamtime.
Waterbodies. There are very few rivers in Australia. Australian temporary rivers are called creeks – they are full of water only after rains .
The biggest rivers are in the east. Most of them are short. The Murray River with its tributary the Darling gives water for irrigation (vilja kastmiseks).
Most of the lakes also have water only after the rains. Lake Eyre , the biggest, is one of the many salt lakes in Central Australia.
Australia has much underground water. The Great Artesian Basin under the Central Lowlands makes cattle -breeding possible there. The network of artesian wells provides cattle with water.
Natural zones . The wet forests occupy the narrow coastal region in the east. In the west they give place to grasslands with some trees called savannas. Farther west the trees disappear and the savannas give place to the bushlands. The real desert occupies the centre of the Western Plateau. In the very south-west there are thin forests of evergreen trees.
Most of the Australian trees are various kinds of eucalyptus (gum tree) and acacia (wattle). Some eucalyptuses are small bushes in the semideserts, some are the main trees in the savannas but the biggest grow as tall as 100 metres and form forests in the east. Eucalyptuses give the people timber, eucalyptus oil.
Of 600 kinds of acacias the golden wattle, the national flower of Australia, is the best known.
Of other trees there grow bottle trees in the savannas, tree-ferns in the tropical forests and many others.
Animals . The animal life of Australia is unique. The marsupials or pouched mammals form the biggest group of animals. Most of the she-marsupials have pouches in which to carry their young.
The kangaroo is the best known of all Australian animals. There are many kinds of different kangaroos of different size . They are famous for their hopping style and being the biggest marsupials around . Kangaroos congregate in groups up to ten to feed together. Mother and young stick together for years after the baby has left mama’s pouch . They are born as small, bean -sized hairless babies that climb up into the safety of the pouch. After 33 weeks the little kangaroos have to leave the pouch.
At top speed kangaroos can make 4m leaps and reach the velocity of 50 km/h. The long, heavy and powerful kangaroo tail makes it all possible by providing balance and stability. Only tree kangaroos can move their hind feet independently of one-another.
The wombat is a marsupial rat. The koala or pouched bear lives in the gum-trees. It is the loveliest of all the Australian animals.
The Tasmanian wolf and the Tasmanian devil, the only native carnivores of Australia, are almost extinct.
The egg-laying mammals are the strangest of all Australian animals. They lay eggs like birds and feed their young with milk like mammals do. They form a link between birds and mammals.
The duck -bill or platypus lives in the rivers of East Australia mostly. The echidna or spiny ant- eater eats termites.
Of many birds the emu, the Australian ostrich, is the biggest.
The lyrebird has got its name from he lyre-like tail of the he-bird. He can imitate all kinds of noises. The black swan is also found in Australia only. Many bright coloured parrots, cockatoos and birds of paradise live in the forests.
There are few ordinary mammals in Australia. The dingo is a wolflike wild dog. He is a menace to all the Australian cattle-breeders.
The Englishmen brought rabbits to Australia. Soon they became wild and very numerous. They are the real pests of the fields and pastures.
In 1930 the Australians started to build the rabbit proof fence . They built it because the rabbits spread too rapidly and they were bad for the cattle-breeders. The fence was built until 1940 but it did not help. The rabbits still spread quickly all over Australia. Rabbit proof fence is 3000 km long.
Climate. Australia is the driest continent on earth. The climate has no extremes. There are two climatic zones in Australia- tropical in the north and temperate in the south. In summer the temperature is about 30º in the north and 20º in the south. In winter there is 20º in the north and 10º in the south.
States and territories. Australia has six states: Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania. It also has two territories: the Northern Territory (a huge sparsely settled mainland area + Papua and New Guinea and a number of island territories) and the Australian Capital Territory where the nation ’s capital, Canberra lies.
Western Australia. The capital is Perth . The largest state of Australia, this dry region is under the deserts and semideserts mostly. Bushland, so typical of this region, gives way to subtropical forests in the south west. In wetter parts of this region plains are used for breeding merino sheep . If possible, wheat , citruses and fruits are grown . This part of the country is extremely rich in minerals: lead , manganese, iron-ore, nickel , silver , gold, copper, bauxite and coal. Western Australia provides 75% of Australia’s 240 tonnes of gold. Many immigrants live there because it was the last state to accept convicts.
South Australia. The capital is Adelaide . Miles and miles of flat and treeless land. The average rainfall on plains is 10 inches a year and it all drains quickly underground, so there are no surface streams. The water lies hundreds and sometimes thousands of feet underground. On the coast near Adelaide the climate is mediterranean and the plats more luxuriant.
Adelaide is the city of flowers, gardens and parklands. Its population is about 900000. The Torrens River flows through the city.
The state is rich in iron-ore, lead and silver. In wetter areas sheep-breeding is developed.
Victoria. The capital is Melbourne. Most of the Australians live on the eastern and southern coasts of the continent where the major port cities are located .
Manufacturing is highly developed in Victoria. The climate is suitable for developing agriculture . Cattle, sheep and wheat are grown. The farms are profitable business.
Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia. It is considered to be the financial capital of the country. In 1901 Melbourne was the capital city and was made the capital of the country’s federal government. In 1927 the capital was transferred to Canberra.
The history of Melbourne began in 1835 when a fellow called John Batman bought about 600000 acres of land from a band of Aborigines. He decided to build a town there. Settlers began to move in and in 1851 gold was found. Goldseekers poured in and the town grew rapidly. The city developed into a major port and commercial centre. The landmarks to be mentioned in Melbourne are the City hall, Olympic park and Royal Botanic gardens.
New South Wales. It is a picturesque state. It’s got everything from the Blue Mountains to beautiful stretches of golden beaches. The Blue Mountains are part of the Great Dividing Range which runs up the east coast of Australia. Mount Kosciusko is in New South Wales. There are some permanent rivers in that state but they don’t amount to much. It is the most populated state. It is and industrial state. Important minerals are found there – lead, zinc and silver. They are now even more important than gold. Botany Bay is the most famous sightseeing there.
The capital is Sydney. It is the oldest city in Australia. It is also the most well-known city. The 2000 Olympics were held there. The Opera House and the Harbour Bridge are the symbols of Australia. The biggest stadium in Sydney is Telstra.
Queensland. Brisbane is the capital. Queensland is situated in the northeastern part of Australia. Queensland was originally a penal colony . It was called Moreton Bay but its name was later changed to Queensland in honour of Queen Victoria. Great Barrier Reef is near it. The state is rich in zinc, lead, copper, silver, coal and bauxite.
Tasmania. Tasmania is the smallest state. Hobart is the capital of it. Hobart is the second oldest city in Australia. Tasmania is called the land of apples. People grow merino sheep there. The biggest part of Australia’s hydro-electricity is produced there.
Canberra. Canberra is the capital of Australia. 320000 people live there. In 1908 the Australians selected a place for the capital. Before Canberra the capital was Melbourne. New capital was built because Sydney and Melbourne both wanted to be the capital. There are 4 seasons in Canberra which is very rare in Australia. It is often called the bush capital because it rich in plants . Molonglo River goes through the city.
Northern territory. The capital of Northern territory is Darwin . Mount Uluru is the most famous sightseeing there. Mining is very important there. Kakadu national park is full of rock paintings. The outback is there.
The Outback. The Outback is in the centre of Australia. Two thirds of Australia is Outback. Only 100000 people live in such a big area. It is very sparsely populated. There are enormous cattle stations. People travel there by road or by air. Small planes bring people food and medicines to places that are very far away . There are Flying Doctors in the Outback. They are doctors who help people who are very ill. They come to people by air. People call them by special phones . Every house has medicine boxes so that the doctors can help them by radio if the situation is not very bad. Children who live in the Outback study by radio. The teachers check the exercises and give the pupils new tasks.
Industry, minerals, power.
Until recently, Australia was chiefly interested in the produce she got from mining: these were her main industries. She imported most of the manufactured goods she needed. Now, however , Australia is also important manufacturing country; she makes for herself many of the goods, machinery, chemicals and clothing that she needs .
Many raw materials needed for industry are available in the country but it is upon the development of power that Australia has made her rapid industrial expansion. The chief source of power is coal mined in the Sydney Coal Basin.Newcastle is the largest provincial town in Australia and Wollongong with Port Kembia the second. Sydney produces metal goods, chemicals, cloth, electrical equipment , building and household goods and foodstuff. Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo have similar industries to those of Sydney and also make motor -cars and agricultural machinery. Electricity is generated in power stations burning brown coal from the huge open cut workings at Yallourn.
Hydro-electricity provides an increasing amount of Australia’s power and Tasmania generates more than half of it. Industries requiring much electricity – zinc, aluminium and paper industries for example, are important in Tasmania.
In 1851 there was a goldrush in Victoria. In ten years the population rose from 405 000 to 1 146 000. At first this brought confusion and lawlessness but order was gradually restored and in the end Australia gained many benefits. With and increased population agriculture became more important and extended more easily along the railways, which were built first to link the mining settlements with the coast.
Kalgoorlie is an important mining town near Perth. A pipeline , 350 miles long, brings water to it from Mundaring reservoir behind Perth.
Water has to be carried to another important mining centre on the edge of the desert in western New South Wales. This is Broken Hill where there are great silver; lead and zinc mines. These metals are now more valuable than gold. They are sent by train to be smelted in Port Pirie. Much zinc is then sent to Tasmania for refining. Afterwards the zinc is used for making iron sheeting for roofs, building and water storage tanks.
The latest scientific discoveries in Australia are copper, tin, tungsten , bauxite, ‘rare earths’ and uranium. Oil has also been found in Western Australia.
Iron and steel are still the basic metals.
People. The first inhabitants in Australia were the Aborigines. They came to Australia from Indonesia. Aborigines were nomads. They like to be called the indigenous Australians. The white people discovered Australia much, much later. Now there are almost 20 million Australians, but more than half of the continent is almost empty. Most of the people live in one sixth of the country. They live mostly in south-east, south and south-western corner of the continent because in these parts soil and climate, and above all rainfall, have been more kind to graziers and farmers.
Of every ten Australians, five live in capital cities, two in other towns and three on farms and stations. This remarkable concentration of people in town and city may seem surprising in view of the great importance of wool , wheat, meat , butter and fruit production. But mechanised farming enables great areas to be made productive by the work of quite few people. Tourism is very important in Australia.
Australia Day is the most important holiday . It is celebrated on January 26. People come together then to celebrate what’s good : the people, their land, their diversity , Aboriginal cultures , their freedom and democracy , their spirit.
Sports . One third Australians do sports. Most important sports in Australia are water sports. The most famous sportsman in Australia is Ian Thorpe . He is a world class swimmer. The Olympic game have been held in Australia twice. The first time was in 1956 in Melbourne and the second time in 2000 in Sydney. The Sydney Olympic games were a success . Lately the Australian have tried to develop their football league and have brought some star players there. Their own national team has too some superstars. I think that basketball has also become more important because Australian basketball player Andrew Bogut was the first pick in 2005 NBA draft . Rugby is also quite popular there.
Culture. The oldest music in Australia is the music of the Aboriginal people. In Aboriginal societies, music plays a central role in both social and spiritual life. Today these songs are sung in sacred ceremonies.
Art is one of the key elements of the Aboriginal culture. Their art was used for recording history and stories . Ochre colours are used for painting. They painted on bark, rocks and persons. There are three types of art: dot art, stencil art and x-ray art. Rock paintings can be erased by touching them. Albert Namatrjira is the most famous Aboriginal artist. Now he is dead.
‘Crocodile Dundee’ is a film that is filmed in Australia. The main character Michael Dundee is played by the most well-known Australian actor Paul Hogan.