Australia Notes
What group of people would be most affected if Australia's artesian wells dried up? Why?
Ranchers; Great Artesian Basin is a source of underground water that ranchers use for livestock.
Where did the Aborigines come from?
Southeast Asia
What is another name for the Western Plateau?
The Outback
Where is it hot during the day, but cold during the night?
The Outback
What geographic factors cause most of Australia's population to cluster in coastal urban areas?
The region is evenly populated because of physical features and climates. Most people in Australia and New Zealand live along the coast.
Why is Australia unevenly populated?
The region is unevenly populated because of physical features and climate.
_________________ goes through middle of the continent.
Tropic of Capricorn
What physical feature covers two-thirds of the Australian continent?
Western Plateau
What is the Western Plateau?
a low expanse of flat land in central and western Australia
What areas include most of the country's farmland?
coastal areas
__________ of Australia have moister climates.
coastal areas
How was Oceania formed?
colliding tectonic plates millions of year ago
European languages were brought by _________.
colonization
How did the Maori live?
hunters and farmers
The people of Oceania speak a total of _____ languages.
1,200
What is the maximum inches of rain that the Outback gets per year?
10 inches
What percent of Australia's land is arable?
10%
Today, Aborigines make up about _% of the population.
2%
population of Australia
3 million
Australia's indigenous people are called _______.
Aborigines
_________ is a large island.
Australia
What is the government of Australia?
Australia is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government.
Describe Australia's relative location.
Australia is in the southern hemisphere. Tropic of Capricorn goes through middle of the continent.
The ______ forced Aborigines and Maori off their lands.
British
What is the capital of Australia and where is it located?
Canberra, and is located in the Southeast.
What separates the Great Dividing Range from the Western Plateau?
Central Lowlands
an area of flat plains made up of grassland and desert
Central Lowlands
What is the main language of Australia and New Zealand?
English
a source of underground water that archers use for livestock.
Great Artesian Basin
famous natural wonder
Great Barrier Reef
the world's largest coral reef
Great Barrier Reef
chain of hills and mountains along the eastern coast of Australia.
Great Dividing Range
Why are Australia's seasons different from the United States?
It is below the equator and the Tropic of Capricorn goes through the middle of the continent.
How is Australia politically divided?
It is divided by states and territories.
Why is Australia called "The Land Down Under"?
It is in the southern hemisphere, under the equator.
Why is it called a continent and a country?
It is tremendous in size.
British sailor __________ was the most famous European explorer of the region.
James Cook
What are New Zealand's indigenous people called?
Maori
What are the three major island clusters?
Melanesia Micronesia Polynesia
large, freestanding rocks
Monoliths
Explain where the majority of Australia's population lives.
Most people in Australia and New Zealand live along the coast.
largest mountain in Australia
Mt. Kosciusko
supply water that supports farming
Murray and Darling Rivers
two longest rivers in Australia
Murray and Darling Rivers
New Zealand's two largest islands
North Island South Island
group of thousands of islands
Oceania
first people of Oceania
Pacific Islanders
Where did the Maori come from?
Polynesia
queen of Australia.
Queen Elizabeth II
List various types of animals that live in Australia and explain what is different about these types of animals.
kangaroos, koalas, echidnas, wallabies; they are only found in this region
Dry areas are home to a ____________ industry
livestock-ranching
What type of climate does New Zealand have?
marine west coast climate
What did the Aborigines live as before they settled in Australia?
nomadic gathers and hunters
Where are tropical rain forests found in Australia?
northeast
Australia is also a major producer of _____.
opals
Differences in _________ cause significant changes in climate and vegetation.
rainfall
Main exports of New Zealand:
sheep and wool
Which hemispheres are Australia located in?
southern
What is the climate in desert areas?
steppe
Most of Oceania has a _______ climate.
tropical rain forest
Oceania is vulnerable to ________.
typhoons
What are the country's major agricultural crops?
wheat, barley, fruit, and sugarcane
Many Asians have migrated to Australia and New Zealand in search of ____.
work
Does Australia have a Prime Minister?
yes
Does New Zealand have the same government as Australia?
yes