Australia is a highly developed industrial-agrarian country, it ranks 13th among OECD members in terms of basic statistical indicators, and is in the top ten in terms of living standards.
Over the past three decades, Australia has become one of the world's mineral supply centers, like Canada, the USA, Brazil, South Africa and Russia. By the 1990s. it has become a major mineral exporter in the Asia-Pacific region. A key role in the economy belongs to the mining and agricultural sectors of the economy, which are largely oriented towards foreign markets. The share of the manufacturing industry is small, unlike other highly developed countries, amounting to only 16%.
Livestock farming plays a leading role in highly developed agriculture; Australia is the world's largest supplier of high-quality wool and meat, as well as wheat.
In its foreign economic activity, Australia pays increased attention to the countries of the Asia-Pacific region that are members of APEC, and primarily to Japan.
Geographical and geopolitical location.
Australia is the only country in the world that lies entirely on one continent (including a number of adjacent islands, the largest of which is Tasmania). It is located in the Southern Hemisphere at the junction of two oceans - the Pacific and Indian. Australia is the loneliest continent on Earth: it is separated from Europe by about 20 thousand km, from the USA by 11-15 thousand. km, and from the countries of Southeast Asia - “only” 3.5 thousand. km. One of the most favorable factors of its geopolitical position is its relative proximity to the countries of the Asia-Pacific region, along with Japan and New Zealand. Australia is a highly developed country, and to its north lies a group of dynamic newly industrialized countries.
Australia is removed from the main centers of military conflicts, which is why it was practically not affected by the wars of the 20th century.
Natural conditions and resources.
Of all the continents, Australia has the simplest coastline. This is the lowest of all continents - 95% of its territory has a height of less than 600 m, and the highest peak, Mount Kosciuszko, rises to only 2230 m. Most of it is occupied by plains and plateaus. The most significant mountain system is the Great Dividing Range. Australia holds the record for dry climate among continents: 2/3 of its territory is occupied by tropical deserts and semi-deserts, and only a third of the country receives more than 500 mm of precipitation per year. There are few rivers and lakes, most of them fill with water only after rainfall and disappear during the dry season, and half of the country's water resources are concentrated in Tasmania. The only navigable river throughout the year is the Murray, the longest is the Darling. The rivers in the interior, the so-called creeks, dry up completely during the dry season; The lakes are mostly salty, with significant reserves of artesian water. The soils are predominantly moderately fertile, in the extreme east and southwest - podzolic, in the steppe regions - red-brown and brown, in inland deserts and semi-deserts - gray and gray-brown. The climate on the continent is tropical and subtropical, while in Tasmania it is temperate. The average temperature in July is +12...+20°С, in January – +20...+30°С, the most favorable climatic conditions are in the southeast, east and southwest. Tasmania is called Australia's Switzerland, but these territories are not immune to prolonged droughts. Along the northeastern coast lies a chain of islands and atolls stretching over 2,000 km, the Great Barrier Reef, which Australians consider a wonder of the world. It is home to 150 species of corals of all shapes and colors, and more than 1,500 species of fish and crustaceans.
The flora and fauna of the country are unique and exceptionally rich, most of it is endemic. Nowhere else will you find such a variety of marsupial mammals, the egg-laying platypus and echidna, and the lungfish ceratodes. The Australian eucalyptus is the tallest tree on the globe, some of its specimens rise above 150 m. Tropical forests cover an area of 894 thousand hectares, and the country has over 500 national parks and more than 270 protected areas (more than 5% of the territory). Thanks to environmental measures, two-thousand-year-old pine trees and amazingly clean rivers, untouched by economic activity, have been preserved.
Australia is one of the richest countries in the world in mineral resources. In terms of coal reserves (116 billion tons), it is in 4th place in the world after the USA and Russia. The largest basins are Newcastle near Sydney and Bowen in south-east Queensland, as well as the lignite Gippsland in southern Victoria. At the same time, coal from the New Castle Basin is one of the highest quality and cheapest in terms of production costs in the world.
Oil resources have been discovered on the Bass Strait shelf, but they are small (about 300 million tons), and there is natural gas there (reserves 690 billion m3). Australia ranks first in the world in terms of uranium reserves: the main deposits are located in the Alligator River basin on the Arnhem Land Peninsula, Ranger is being developed (reserves - 911 million tons).
The country has the richest resources for ferrous metallurgy: in terms of iron ore reserves (15.8 billion tons) it ranks third in the world after China and Brazil. The largest iron ore basin of high-grade hematites and ferruginous quartzites is located within the Hamersley mountain range in the north-west, and significant deposits of manganese ores are located on Groote Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria. The raw material base for non-ferrous metallurgy is extensive, where the most important place belongs to bauxite (2nd place after Guinea, reserves of about 6 billion tons), which were discovered near Perth in the southwest of the country and on the west coast of the Cape York Peninsula. The main region for reserves of copper, lead-zinc, nickel and tantalum ores is Queensland. There are large reserves of rare earth metals, rutile and ilmenite sands (raw materials for titanium production), Australia leads the world in reserves of gold (Kalgoorlie in the southwest of the country) and diamonds (the world's largest mine, Argyle, operates in the northwest). Sapphires are mined, but Australia is especially famous for precious opal, which is considered the national stone.
Historical and geographical features.
The first Europeans to set foot on Australian soil were the Dutch W. Janszoon (1606) and A. Tasman (1642). However, the beginning of European colonization of the mainland was marked by the voyage of D. Cook, who discovered its eastern coast in 1770. He declared it a British possession and named it New South Wales. On January 26, 1788 (this day is celebrated as Australia Day), the English captain A. Phillip, who arrived in the Sydney Bay area at the head of 11 ships, founded the first settlement. Australia initially served as a place of exile for English convicts. In 1827, the British government officially announced the establishment of sovereignty over the entire continent. During this period, colonists discovered rich grazing lands east of the Great Dividing Range, which gave rise to the development of sheep farming. Australia becomes the main supplier of wool for Great Britain, providing up to half of its imports. By the middle of the 19th century. there were already about 16 million heads of sheep, while the population barely exceeded 0.5 million people. To provide labor for large sheep farms, measures were taken to increase free immigration from Great Britain. The development of sheep farming required the expansion of pasture lands, and as a result, the indigenous population began to be pushed out of these lands, and often their extermination.
The “Gold Rush,” which began in 1851, caused a new wave of immigration, from different continents, as a result of which the population by the beginning of the 20th century. reached almost 4 million people. (an increase of 7.5 times compared to 1851). During this period, Australia already provided 40% of world gold production. In 1901, the colonies were united (by this time there were six of them, they arose as new lands were developed - New South Wales in 1788, Tasmania in 1825, Western Australia in 1830, South Australia in 1836. and Queensland in 185.9) into the Commonwealth of Australia, which received the status of a dominion of Great Britain. In 1931, according to the Statute of Westminster, Australia received full independence from the mother country and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. In the typology of countries around the world, it is classified as a country of settler capitalism.
Political system. Australia is a federal parliamentary state that is part of the Commonwealth. Officially, its head is the Queen of Great Britain, whose power is represented by the Governor-General, appointed on the recommendation of the Australian government. The country has a constitution of 1900. The highest legislative body is the federal parliament, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The main role in carrying out the legislative functions of parliament is played by the House of Representatives, which consists of 148 deputies elected for a three-year term. The upper house of parliament, the Senate, consists of 76 senators elected for a term of six years. Executive power is exercised by the government, formed from representatives of the parliamentary majority party headed by the prime minister. The leading role belongs to the Liberal and National parties that make up the coalition. The largest trade union association is the Australian Council of Trade Unions. The Australian peace movement is massive: there are more than 70 pacifist organizations in the country.
Administratively, Australia is divided into six states (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania) and two territories (Northern and Australian Capital Territories), which have their own parliaments and governments and enjoy significant independence. Australia is a member of the OECD, ANZUS, ANZUS, APEC, takes part in UN peacekeeping operations, in particular in neighboring East Timor, and was one of the initiators of the Treaty on a Nuclear Free Zone in the South Pacific (Treaty of Rarotonga).
Population.
The population of Australia is about 20 million people. About 77% of it are descendants of people from the British Isles, who form the nation of Anglo-Australians; In total, the descendants of Europeans make up 92%, Australians of Asian descent - 7, and the share of Aborigines - 1%. After World War II, the population increased mainly due to natural increase, which amounted to 8 people. per 1000 inhabitants (birth rate - 15, death rate - 7), the role of immigration is decreasing, although it continues to play a significant role.
The average life expectancy is 81 years for women and 75 years for men. Infant mortality is one of the lowest in the world - 6 people. per 1000 births. In the age structure, despite the relative youth of the nation, there is a decrease in childhood ages (their share is 22%), as well as an increase in the elderly population (12%). Employment is 50% (9.2 million people), with the share of people employed in industry being 22%, in agriculture – 5%, in the service sector – 69% (one of the highest rates in the world).
The population density (2.4 people per 1 km2) is minimal compared to other parts of the world (the world average is 44 people per 1 km2). The settlement is characterized by extreme unevenness. A quarter of the country's area (Southeast, Northeast and Southwest) is home to more than 80% of the population, and the population density here is several times higher than the average. As the territory was developed, the bulk of the Aborigines were forced into the less favorable arid regions of the states of Western Australia, Queensland, and especially the Northern Territory. Their plight is one of Australia's social problems: Aboriginal unemployment is high, life expectancy is significantly lower, and infant mortality is four times higher than that of whites.
Australia is one of the most urbanized countries in the world, with 86% of the population urban. This is by no means a phenomenon of post-war development; at the beginning of this century, 50% of the population lived in cities, and by the end of World War II - 70%. The largest cities are Sydney (about 4 million people), Melbourne (3 million people), Brisbane (1.3 million people), Perth (1.2 million people), Adelaide (more than 1 million people). people), which account for almost 60% of the country's population. Canberra (320 thousand people) was immediately built as the capital, and its official opening took place in 1927 (before that the capital was Melbourne). There is practically no industry here, many cultural and scientific institutions; it is one of the greenest cities in the world (12 million trees from different countries were planted during construction). In general, the population density of Australian cities is extremely low compared to world standards, the cities stretch, mainly along highways, for tens of kilometers, and Australians are considered the most “commuter” nation in the world. Peripheral areas are extremely sparsely populated. Farms are often located tens and sometimes hundreds of kilometers apart.
The official language is English, 76% of the population professes Christianity (including 26% Catholics, 26% Anglicans).
Features of development and general characteristics of the economy.
A distinctive feature of Australia's economy for many decades has been the critical role played by agriculture. Despite the fact that Australians have long been firmly established in cities, until the middle of this century they “rode a sheep”, i.e. the bulk of the income was obtained through the export of agricultural products, which accounted for 90% of the value of all exports. The mining industry was mainly limited to the extraction of gold and coal; the manufacturing industry developed poorly until the Second World War.
The Second World War gave impetus to economic development. For the needs of the allied forces on the Pacific Front, the production of various types of weapons is quickly being established, and a significant portion of the food supply is being supplied to them. In addition, cut off from traditional sources of supply, the country was forced to organize the production of many goods previously imported. Australia emerged from the war as an industrial-agrarian state. The automotive industry, which began in 1948 and had a strong influence on the formation of the electrical, metalworking and chemical industries associated with it, became important in the development of industry. But since the mid-1950s. the country began to lag behind leading countries in production technology, manufacturing products could not withstand competition either in quality or price, R&D expenditures amounted to less than 1% of GDP (in the USA at that time - almost 3%). The situation in industry forced the Australians to begin a more thorough study of the bowels of the earth.
In the 1960s The “third discovery” of the Australian continent begins. The results were immediate and were so significant that the country turned from a “farm” into a “quarry.” The mining industry quickly overtook agriculture as a share of GDP. Australia in the post-war period opened up wide access to foreign capital. Over time, British capital, which had long been the leader in the economy of the fifth continent, was supplanted by American and then Japanese capital. Almost 40% of all large companies and their branches operating in the country are controlled by foreigners. In certain industries, the share of foreign capital is much higher: in the automotive industry it is almost 100%, in the chemical industry - about 80%, in the production of transport equipment - more than 50%. Its share is highest in the mining and manufacturing industries, finance and trade.
A paradoxical situation has arisen in Australia: on the one hand, the country is one of the most developed economically, on the other hand, it has the characteristics of developing countries: raw materials constitute the main item of its exports, manufacturing products cannot compete with the corresponding goods of leading countries, and The most important industries are dominated by foreign capital. The country's shares in the world economy in 2000 were: in GDP - 1.1%, in industry - about 1, in agriculture - about 1, in exports - 1.1%
Industry.
Coal plays a leading role in the fuel and energy complex. Coal production in 1997 amounted to 227 million tons (6th place in the world) and is continuously increasing, but the country ranks 1st in coal production per capita - about 13 tons. More than half of it is exported, at the beginning 1990s Australia has surpassed the United States in this indicator and has become a world leader. The main flows of coal are directed to Japan (55%), countries of Southeast Asia and Europe. In recent years, intensive development of oil and gas fields has been underway: in 1997, oil production amounted to 36.5 million tons and gas production - 28 billion m 3. Australia produces about 270 billion kWh of electricity (15 thousand kW per person), with thermal power plants producing 90.4% (the main fuel is coal), the rest is hydroelectric power plants. There are no nuclear power plants being built in the country. But in terms of uranium production (5.5 thousand tons), Australia ranks 2nd after Canada (all uranium is exported). The development of thermal power engineering has led to the emergence of environmental problems: Australia is in third place in the world (after the USA and Kazakhstan) in CO 2 emissions - 4.19 tons per person, and in total emissions - at the end of the second ten.
The metallurgical industry is dominated by the stages of extraction and beneficiation of metal ores and the production of concentrates, a significant part of which is exported. Over the past 30 years, the extraction of ores and minerals has increased fourfold (from 179 million to 720 million), while production has shifted to new, sparsely populated areas in the west and north of the country. In terms of iron ore production, Australia is in 3rd place in the world after China and Brazil, manganese ore is in 2nd place after South Africa; It is in 1st place in the extraction of bauxite, titanium raw materials, and diamonds, and 3rd in gold. Table data 1 allow us to judge the scale of exports of mineral raw materials.
Mining and export of metal ore raw materials, 1994
| Type of raw material | Production | Export H |
| Iron ores, million tons | 128 | 116 |
| Manganese, million tons | 1,9 | 1,3 |
| Nickel, thousand tons | 79,0 | 79,0 |
| Ilmenite, million tons | 1,8 | 1,7 |
| Zinc, thousand tons | 955 | 835 |
| Copper, thousand tons | 512 | 400 |
| Silver, thousand tons | 1,0 | 0,9 |
| Gold, t | 1,0 | 0,9 |
| Bauxite, million tons | 41,7 | 5,3 |
| Diamonds, million carats | 43,7 | 43,7 |
The bulk of ferrous metallurgy enterprises (steel production - more than 8 million tons) are located on the south-east coast near the Newcastle coal basin (Wollongong, Port Kembla, Newcastle) and in the south (Whyalla, Adelaide, Melbourne). The iron and steel industry is dominated by the Australian TNC Broken Hill Proprietary.
Australia concentrates about a quarter of the world's alumina production capacity, the largest plants operating in Gladstone in north-east Queensland, as well as in the west of the country (Quinana et al.). It is the fifth largest aluminum producer in the world. The first plant was built at Bill Bay in Tasmania, and large production areas have now developed in the Newcastle coalfield and southern Victoria (the country's main aluminum smelter operates in Portland near Melbourne). The main production area for copper, zinc, lead, nickel and base metals is Queensland (Mount Isa, Townsville and Gladstone), lead and zinc are smelted in Broken Hill. The non-ferrous metallurgy industry is dominated by TNCs from Japan, the USA and Western Europe. Since the late 1970s. in fact, there was a transfer of aluminum production from Japan (it practically does not produce it at present), where energy is much more expensive.
Chemical industry products make up a small share in the production structure. Mineral fertilizers for agricultural needs and pesticides are produced. In the post-war period, with the beginning of the development of our own oil resources and the introduction of new technologies, the role of organic synthesis chemistry increased. Basically, enterprises gravitate towards coal mining areas, centers of the metallurgical industry and oil refining. The leading centers are Port Pirie, Newcastle, Port Kembla, etc. English and American capital predominate in this industry.
Mechanical engineering specializes in the production of equipment for the mining industry, vehicles, and agricultural machinery. Instrument making, production of industrial robots, etc. are developing at an accelerated pace. One of the oldest industries is agricultural engineering; enterprises are located mainly in the southeast of the country, but the country’s needs are not fully met: some of the equipment is imported from developed countries. Australian shipbuilding specializes in the production of small-tonnage vessels for transporting raw materials, as well as passenger and fishing vessels. The main shipyards are located in major ports - Newcastle, Sydney, Brisbane and Devonport. The country produces about 400 thousand cars at the enterprises of American TNCs (General Motors, Ford Motor), which are located in large industrial centers. The largest plant of the Ford Motor Company is located in Geelong, and the Japanese automobile industry is also strengthening. In general, in the development of mechanical engineering, one can note a focus on the production of more complex equipment, a decrease in equipment imports and an increase in exports, mainly to the Asia-Pacific countries.
Among other industries, the food industry has received particularly great development. This is due to the development of agricultural production, which largely exports – the export quota in some industries is up to 60%. Australia accounts for a tenth of the world's exports of meat, cheese and sugar, the main importers being Japan and Southeast Asian countries.
Australian agriculture is carried out in very difficult natural conditions. More than 500 million hectares (65% of the total area of the continent) are involved in agricultural turnover, but over 90% of them are characterized by the predominance of poor soils and lack of water (recurrent droughts can last up to three or more years). This limits the development of agricultural production and affects the sectoral structure. Only 40 million hectares (8% of the land) are used for crop production and intensive livestock farming, the rest for extensive grazing. In the post-war period, employment in agriculture fell by 30% to about 5%, while production increased significantly. Unfavorable natural conditions are compensated by the presence of huge areas, which were gradually brought into circulation, which is why agriculture was extensive. But over the past 30 years it has become highly mechanized - the capital-to-labor ratio has doubled. Overall, Australia has one of the largest and most developed agricultural industries in the world and is one of the leading exporters of agricultural products.
Historically, the leading role in agriculture was played by sheep farming, focused mainly on the production of wool, the bulk of which was exported. To date, the share of this industry has noticeably decreased, although Australia continues to rank first in the world in the production and export of wool. In recent years, attention has been paid to the breeding of beef cattle, and the scale of production of grain and industrial crops, fruits and vegetables has increased. As a result, by the 1980s. Meat livestock farming has become the leading branch of agriculture, wheat production is in 2nd place, and wool production is only in 3rd place - the industry structure has become more diversified. The number of cattle is about 25 million heads, sheep - 130 million heads (in 1990 this figure was 170), characterized by the predominance of merino sheep. Extensive pastures for sheep grazing are located in the east and west of the country, cattle breeding is concentrated in the southwest and along the slopes of the Great Dividing Range, as well as around large industrial centers.
Wheat production in 1996 amounted to 23.5 million tons (7th place in the world), exports amounted to 7.8 million tons (4th place); This crop is grown mainly in the southeast and southwest of the country. Other grains grown include rice (production – 950 thousand tons, export – 500 thousand tons) and barley. In the west and east, cotton and sugar cane are cultivated, and vegetable growing and horticulture are of great importance.
The uneven distribution of the economy and population, significant distances between the economic centers of the country affected the features of the transport system of Australia. It is most dense (it is in the main areas of development - in the southwest and southeast. Inland water transport is practically absent. Since colonial times, railways and roads have been laid from deposits and sources of raw materials to export ports. The leading role in the transportation of goods (transported mainly products of the mining industry and agricultural raw materials) belongs to railway transport, the length of railways exceeds 40 thousand km. Road transport plays a major role in the development of the northern and western regions, where intensive road construction has been carried out in recent years, but they basically repeat the configuration of railways and complement them. Australia has a relatively small fleet, the main purpose of which is to service transportation between the country’s ports. A significant part of foreign transportation is carried out by foreign ships. Large ports are Sydney, Melbourne, Newcastle (specializing in the export of coal), Port Kembla, Gladstone, etc. .
Air transport is of utmost importance for both internal and external relations, especially in the transportation of passengers.
Foreign economic relations are of utmost importance for Australia, whose economy is largely focused on the export and import of many types of products, and the large role of foreign capital should be taken into account. The share of foreign trade turnover in the country's GDP exceeds 25%, and a negative balance is typical. Imports are dominated by machinery and equipment, about 40% of exports are raw materials and fuel, and a third are agricultural products. The main trading partners are Japan, the USA, EU countries, ASEAN, New Zealand, Taiwan and South Korea.
Oceania is a part of the world that is a separate geopolitical region that consists of many islands and atolls located in the western and central Pacific Ocean.
Geographical position
The islands of Oceania are located between the temperate latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere and the subtropical latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Often in geography, Oceania is considered together with Australia.
There is even a geographical name - Australia and Oceania. The total area of Oceania is 1.24 million km2. The population is 10.6 million people.
Oceania is divided into three geographical regions - Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia. Oceania is washed by numerous seas - the Coral, Solomon, New Guinea, Tasman Seas, the Koro and Fiji Seas, which belong to the Pacific Ocean, as well as the Arafura Sea (Indian Ocean).
Oceania Climate
Most of Oceania has a tropical climate. Most of the islands of Oceania are characterized by heavy rainfall. On the islands that are located closer to the tropical zone, the average annual temperature is 23 °C, on the islands near the equator - 27 °C.
Oceania's climate is also influenced by currents such as La Niña and El Niño. Most of the islands of Oceania are negatively affected by active volcanoes, tsunamis and typhoons.
This region is characterized by sudden changes in weather conditions - droughts are replaced by torrential rains.
Population of Oceania
The majority of the population of the islands of Oceania is represented by indigenous people, which include Micronesians, Polynesians, and Papuans. Polynesians are mixed racial types - they show features of Caucasoids and Mongoloids.
The largest Polynesian peoples are Hawaiians, Maoris, Tongans, and Tahitians. Each nationality has its own language, which is represented by an almost complete absence of consonants.
The racial type of Melanesians is Australoid. The linguistic fragmentation of the Melanesian tribes is very large - a common occurrence is that residents of neighboring villages cannot understand each other. Papuans inhabit some regions of Indonesia and New Guinea.
All Papuan languages are very similar to each other. They are based on the English language, so often even residents of remote regions speak English perfectly.
Economy
The vast majority of Oceanian states have a very weak economy. The reasons for this are factors such as the remoteness of the islands from developed superpowers, limited natural resources, and shortage of personnel.
Many countries are completely economically dependent on Australia and the USA. Agriculture is the basis of the economy. Among the most common agricultural crops are coconut palms, breadfruit, and bananas. Some states have fishing fleets.
Plan:
1. Introduction.
2. Geographical location of Australia and Oceania.
3. Natural resources and conditions.
4. Population of the country. Demographic situation.
5. Farm:
Ø Industry.
ü Ferrous metallurgy
ü Non-ferrous metallurgy
ü Fuel and energy industry
ü Chemical and oil refining industry
ü building materials industry
ü Light industry
ü Food industry
ü Mechanical engineering
Ø Agriculture.
6. Geography of transport.
7. External economic relations.
Ø Import
Ø Export
8. Conclusion.
9. List of references.
Introduction:
Realizing that in the 11th grade you have to take a lot of subjects and there is such an opportunity to reduce the number of subjects, I decided to do it, I decided that it would be nice to start doing it, but I found out that I was not the only one taking the same topic, so I decided to compete. And find out whose project will be better.
Why Australia? I just would like to get there, go to the whole continent, visit there, admire the business part of Sydney, look at the people and show themselves off. The essay is a good excuse to get to know this country better. Get to know all the people better. Find out what Australia is like. Find out why there are few fresh water supplies there. As I described in the abstract.
The structure of this essay is not something unusual or extraordinary.
I want to say that history influences natural conditions, numerous changes in the boundaries of Australia have affected the geographical location and, consequently, natural conditions), which in turn affect the distribution of the population, and all this already affects the geography of industry and foreign economic relations.
Geographical position.
Australia is the only state in the world that occupies the territory of an entire continent, so Australia has only maritime borders. Australia's neighboring countries are New Zealand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and other island states of Oceania. Australia is remote from the developed countries of America and Europe, large markets for raw materials and sales of products, but many sea routes connect Australia with them, and Australia also plays an important role in the Asia-Pacific region.
Australia has a federal structure and includes 6 states:
The capital of Australia is Canberra.
A state located on the mainland of Australia and a number of nearby islands, the largest of which is the island of Tasmania. The total area is 7,682,300 km 2 (land area is 7,617,930 km 2). The length of the coastline is 25,760 km. Along the northeastern coast of the Kara Sea lies the Great Barrier Reef, which is 2,500 km long. Along the eastern coast, leaving a narrow coastal strip, from Cape York in the north to Bass Strait in the south and continuing on the island of Tasmania, stretches the Great Dividing Range, 3,300 km long. Its average height is 300-400, the highest part is the southern Australian Alps (Mount Kosciusha 2,228 m). In the center of the mainland there is a vast zone of lowlands, most of which are the basins of the Murray River (Mary) and Lake Eyre, as well as the Nullarbor Plain. In the west of the country is the Great Western Plateau with four deserts: the Great Victoria Desert, the Great Sandy Desert, the Gibson Desert and the Simson Desert. Australia is very poor in fresh water. The main part of the rivers is located in the north: the Murray (Murray), Darling and others. The rivers located in the center and in the west dry up during the summer season. Most of the country's lakes are salty. The largest lake, Eyre, is no exception, with a water level 12m below sea level. Australia has mineral resources: coal, iron ore, copper, tin, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas and oil. Meadows and pastures occupy most of the country's territory (58%), 6% is allocated for arable land.
Oceania
Oceania is the world's largest collection of islands in archipelagos in the central and southwestern Pacific Ocean. The islands and archipelagos of Oceania are located in a vast area of the Pacific Ocean between 29 0 N latitude. and 53 0 S. w. and 130 0 east. and 109 0 W. All of Oceania, except for two relatively large land masses - New Guinea (829 thousand sq. km.) and New Zealand (265 thousand sq. km.), consists of almost 7 thousand islands. The total area of Oceania is only about 1.3 million square meters. km.
Melanesia, located in the western part of Oceania, includes New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, the D'Entrecasteaux Islands, the Louisiades Archipelago, the Solomon Islands, the Santa Cruz Islands, the New Hebrides, New Caledonia, the Loyalty Islands, the Fiji Islands and several others. The total area of Melanesia (Black Island) is 969 thousand square meters. km, of which almost 6/7 is in New Guinea - this micro-continent of Melanesia.
Polynesia (multi-island), stretching from the extreme southwest to the eastern limits of Oceania, includes the islands: New Zealand, Tonga, Samoa, Wallis, Horn, Tuvalu, Tokelau, Cook, Tubuai, Societies, Tuamotu, Marquesas, Hawaiian Islands, Easter Island etc. The area of Polynesia without New Zealand is only 26 thousand square meters. km, and 17 thousand of them are in the Hawaiian Islands.
Micronesia (small island), occupying the northwestern part of Oceania, is a collection of small, tiny islands and archipelagos of predominantly coral, but also volcanic origin. The most important island groups of Micronesia are the Caroline, Mariana, Marshall and Gilbert Islands. The total area of the islands of Micronesia is only about 2.6 thousand square meters. km, but these islands are scattered over a huge expanse of water with an area of 14 million square meters. km.
On most islands of Oceania, natural conditions are generally favorable for human life. It is not surprising that people populated almost all of Oceania, developed even the most remote and small pieces of land, having had a significant impact on the natural world of the islands over the past millennia.
The total population of Oceania is currently about 10 million people. Of these, 5 million live in Melanesia, 4.5 million in Polynesia and over 0.3 million in Micronesia.
The modern population of Oceania consists of three main components. The first component is the indigenous people, whose ancestors settled the archipelagos of Oceania a thousand years ago. The second is for the newcomer population. These descendants come from Europe, Asia and America, whose migration continues to this day. And the third is the most diverse groups of mixed origin.
The basis of the modern political map of Oceania was formed as a result of the long and persistent struggle of the colonial powers for the division of ocean archipelagos and individual islands among themselves. Until the early 60s of our century, there was only one independent state in Oceania - New Zealand, created by colonists from England, Scotland and Ireland. In the last decade, in the context of the general crisis of capitalism and the collapse of the world colonial system, Oceania has intensified the national liberation movement.
Oceania is an ethnographic concept rather than a geographical one. Many of the oceanic islands differ significantly from one another in their size, vegetation, soils, and natural resources. These differences are primarily related to their origin. Islands in the ocean are special natural-territorial complexes, including various rocks, fresh ground or surface water, soil, terrestrial vegetation and fauna. These are peculiar micromeres scattered on the surface of ocean waters and representing ecological systems.
By origin, the islands of Oceania belong to four types: volcanic, biogenic, geosynclinal and continental. Volcanic islands range in size from a few square kilometers to several thousand kilometers. Biogenic islands are formed by animal organisms. These are coral reefs, including. Geosynclinal islands are found in the western part of the ocean, in continuation of the earth's crust of the transitional continent. The mainland islands are entire mountainous countries.
Islands in Oceania are washed by warm seas. Almost all of it lies in the tropical zone, and only New Zealand and its neighboring islands are in the subtropics. At the same time, the aquatic environment is diverse in its properties, and these differences are clearly manifested in the landscapes of the islands and affect the lives of the peoples inhabiting them. Water currents not only carry heat or cold, but also contribute to the dispersal of organisms. The main direction of movement of surface water masses in Oceania is from east to west. The waters of the seas and oceans washing the islands of Oceania are rich in biological resources. The mineral resources of the seabed are significant.
Climate. Warm, even, mild - this climate can be characterized in Oceania. The position of the islands in equatorial and tropical latitudes causes high air temperatures. At the same time, winds from the ocean significantly soften the heat, so the climate of the tropical islands is one of the most comfortable on the globe. It is no coincidence that the Pacific Islands attract huge numbers of tourists. There are two climatic regions in Oceania: trade wind and monsoon. The first occupies the eastern and central parts of this territory of the Pacific Ocean, the second - its western part, including the island of New Guinea.
And yet the climate is different on different islands. Within the vast expanse of Oceania, there are large differences in the temperature conditions of winter and summer, in the amount of precipitation and its consistency, and in the susceptibility of the islands to tropical hurricanes.
Natural resources and conditions.
Australia is rich in a variety of mineral resources. New discoveries of mineral ores made on the continent over the past 10-15 years have propelled the country to one of the first places in the world in reserves and production of minerals such as iron ore, bauxite, and lead-zinc ores.
The largest deposits of iron ore in Australia, which began to be developed in the 60s of our century, are located in the Hamersley Range in the north-west of the country (the Mount Newman, Mount Goldsworth, etc. deposits). Iron ore is also found on the islands of Kulan and Kokatu in King's Bay (in the north-west), in the state of South Australia in the Middleback Range (Iron Knob, etc.) and in Tasmania - the Savage River deposit (in the valley of the Savage River).
Large deposits of semimetals (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). Deposits of semimetals and copper are also found in Tasmania (Reed Rosebery and Mount Lyell), copper in Tennant Creek (Northern Territory) and in other places.
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 (Gove deposit), as well as in the southwest, in the Darling Range (Jarrahdale deposit).
Uranium deposits have been discovered in various parts of the mainland: in the north (Arnhem Land Peninsula) - near the South and East Alligator rivers, in the state of South Australia - near Lake. Frome, in Queensland - the Mary Catlin field and in the western part of the country - the Yillirri field.
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 has been found and produced in Queensland (Mooney, Alton and Bennett fields), on Barrow Island off the northwest coast of the mainland, and 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.
The water resources of the continent itself are small, but the most developed river network is on the island of Tasmania. The rivers there are fed with mixed rain and snow and are full of water throughout the year. They flow down from the mountains and are therefore stormy, rapids and have large reserves of hydroelectric power. The latter is widely used for the construction of hydroelectric power stations. The availability of cheap electricity contributes to the development of energy-intensive industries in Tasmania, such as the smelting of pure electrolyte metals, the production of cellulose, etc.
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 Clarence River is navigable for 100 km from the mouth, and the Hawkesbury for 300 km. 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 largest river in Australia, the Murray, begins in the area of Mount Kosciuszko. Its largest tributaries - the Darling, Murrumbidgee, Goulbury and some others - also originate in the mountains.
Food p. The Murray and its channels are mainly rain-fed and, to a lesser extent, snow-covered. 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 longest river (2450 km), gets lost in the sands 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 Cooper's Creek (Barku), Diamant-ina, 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 rain 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 for artificial breeding of the latter 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 has been 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.
Since the Australian continent for a long time, 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, i.e. 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.
Tropical rainforests grow in the far north and northwest of the country, where it is hot and the warm northwest monsoons bring moisture. 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 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 places it is scraped, interspersed with vast, devoid of vegetation, sandy, rocky or clayey desert areas, and in places with thickets of tall turfy grasses (spinifex).
The eastern and southeastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range, where precipitation is high, 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 layer is formed by grass trees.
On the island of Tasmania, in addition to eucalyptus trees, there are many evergreen beech trees related to South American species.
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 country's territory 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.
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 semi-desert and especially steppe areas surrounding the desert interior, where there is grass and in some places shrub-wood 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.
The Australian continent is located within the 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. Tasmania lies within the temperate zone.
The subequatorial climate, characteristic of the northern and northeastern parts of the continent, is characterized by an even temperature range (during the year the average air temperature is 23 - 24 degrees) 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.
In the tropical zone on the Australian continent, two main types of climate are formed: tropical wet and tropical dry.
A humid tropical 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 degrees, and the coldest is 11.5 - 13 degrees).
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 desert tropical climate. In summer (December-February), average temperatures here rise to 30 degrees, and sometimes higher, and in winter (June-August) they drop to an average of 10-15 degrees. The hottest region of Australia is the north-west, where in the Great Sandy Desert the temperature remains at 35 degrees and even higher almost all summer. In winter, it decreases slightly (to about 25-20 degrees). In the center of the mainland, near the city of Alice Springs, in the summer the temperature during the day rises to 45 degrees, and at night drops to zero or lower (-4-6 degrees).
Central and western parts of Australia, i.e. approximately half of its territory receives an average of 250-300 mm of precipitation per year, and the surrounding area of the lake. Air - less than 200 mm; but even these minor precipitations fall unevenly. Sometimes there is no rain at all for several years in a row, 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.
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 country is similar to that 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 degrees, June - 12 - 14 degrees), sufficient precipitation (from 600 to 1000 mm).
The zone of continental subtropical climate 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 to the east, into the western regions of the state of New South Wales. The main features of this climate are low precipitation and relatively large annual temperature fluctuations.
The humid subtropical 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 into the interior of the continent decreases). In summer, temperatures rise to an average of 20-24 degrees, but in winter they drop quite significantly - to 8-10 degrees. The climate of this part of the country 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 temperate climate zone includes only the central and southern parts of the island of Tasmania. This island is largely influenced by the surrounding waters, and its climate is characterized by moderately warm winters and cool summers. The average January temperature here is 14-17 degrees, June - 8 degrees. The predominant wind direction is western. The average annual precipitation in the western part of the island is 2500 mm, and the number of rainy days is 259. In the eastern part the climate is somewhat less humid.
In winter, snow sometimes falls, but it does not last long. Heavy rainfall favors the development of vegetation, and especially grasses, which grow all year round. Herds of cattle and sheep graze on evergreen lush natural and improved by sowing forage grasses all year round.
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 rivers of the continent is only 350 cubic km.
Population. Demographic situation
In 1996 Australia's population was 18,322,231 people, so Australia's place in the world in terms of population is in the forties. In 2000, the population was 19.2 million people.
The country is mainly populated by Europeans, 77% of Australia's population are descendants of settlers from the British Isles - the English, Irish, Scots, who formed the Anglo-Australian nation, the rest are mainly immigrants from other European countries, Aborigines and Mestizos - 250 thousand. people (1991). The majority of the country's population are immigrants. One in four Australians was born overseas. After. The Second World War began an immigration program, during which the country's population was increased from 7.6 million. people in 1947 up to 15.5 million people in 1984 About 60% of this growth came from immigrants and their Australian-born children. The main core of the population of Australia are Anglo-Australians.
Australia belongs to the countries with type I reproduction.
Out of 18,322,231 people. Men aged 1 to 14 years - 2,032,238, from 15 to 64 - 6,181,887, from 65 and older - 934,374, women aged from 1 to 14 years - 1,929,366, from 15 to 64 - 6,017,362, from 65 and older - 1,227,004 people .
The average population density is about 2 people per km 2. But population density varies throughout the country. This is explained by the fact that about half of Australia's territory is occupied by deserts and semi-deserts that are not suitable for habitation. Therefore, the population density in desert areas is less than a person per square kilometer, and on the east coast the climate is much more favorable, which is why large Australian cities are located here - Sydney (3.6 million people), Melbourne (3 million people), Brisbane (1.2 million people) ), and the population density here is from 1 to 10 people. per sq. km., also on the west coast in the area of Perth (1.2 million people) the population density is up to 10 people per sq. km. km.
The capital of Australia was home to 311 thousand people in 1999. Australians are mostly city dwellers. At the beginning of the twentieth century. 50% of the country's population lived in cities after. World War II - 70%, in the 60s. The rural population was 16% in the 80s. - 14%. The process of urbanization continued all the time, and its pace was steadily increasing, as predicted at the end of the twentieth century. the rural population will be 8%.
More than 70% of Australians live in 12 major cities of the country: the federal capital, state capitals and the Northern Territory and cities with a population of more than 100 thousand. people Melbourne and Sydney are home to about 40% of the country's population.
Birth rate - 14 newborns per 1,000 people. (1995) Mortality rate - 7 deaths per 1,000 people (infant mortality rate - 7.1 deaths per 1,000 births). The average life expectancy of men is 74 years, women is 81 years (1995). The working capacity of the population totals 8,630,000 people, of which 34% are employed in the financial and service sectors, 22% in the public and communal sectors of the economy, 20% in trade, 16% in industry, 6% in agriculture ( 1991).
Farm:
Australia, in a relatively short period of time - only about 80 years - has gone through a difficult path of economic development as an agrarian and raw material appendage of the metropolis, which the country was at the beginning of the 20th century; it has turned into an economically highly developed state. This was facilitated by a number of historical and economic conditions. After this, Australia's economic development immediately followed the capitalist path.
Of great importance for the development of the economy was also the fact that in the entire history of its existence, Australia did not experience military destruction and did not pay war debts or reparations. The military situation not only did not weaken the country's economy, but, on the contrary, contributed to general economic, and mainly industrial, development, since it was necessary to produce with our own means what had previously been brought from the mother country.
Satisfying this demand and thereby increasing agricultural productivity and productivity was especially important for the country.
Industry of Australia.
One of the oldest industries in Australia is the mining industry. The Australian mainland is rich in a wide variety of mineral resources. From 50% to 90 and even 99% of mining industry products are exported to other countries.
Australia's mining industry plays an important role in the country's economy because... Mining raw materials were, and still are, one of the main items of Australian export.
According to scientific research, an average of 50 tons of iron ore, 55 tons of limestone, 4 tons of zinc, 200 tons of coal, 175 cubic meters are mined per year per Australian resident. crude oil. Australia is one of the world's main exporters of minerals, although it only develops 0.02% of Australia's entire territory, because... in some regions there are difficulties of access or remoteness of deposits, or unprofitability of development.
During the 1980s a large influx of investment in the mining and manufacturing industries led to an increase in production rates. Australian workers are the most skilled. Working conditions today are dramatically different from working conditions 10 or more years ago. The need to use new technologies is constantly increasing, and therefore industry today includes new branches of science and technology, business administration and marketing, environmental control, etc.
The development of the mining industry from its very inception was determined by the widespread investment of English capital.
Iron and steel industry of Australia.
In 1994, iron ore production amounted to 123.9 million tons (by weight). The smelting of some metals increased and amounted to 7.2 million tons (cast iron), and steel - 7.6 million tons.
In Australia, all stages of ferrous metal production are developed - blast furnace, steel foundry, rolling, as well as the production of special steels and alloys and various types of metalworking. The smelting of non-ferrous metals: copper, tin, zinc, etc. has received great development. Ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy meets the increased needs of mechanical engineering and other industries.
Main iron ore deposits: Pilbara (Western Australia), Mount Newman, Mount Goldsworth deposits, on the islands of Kulan and Cockatoo in King's Bay (in the north-west), in the state of South Australia in the Middleback Range (Iron Knob, etc.) and in Tasmania - the Savage River field (in the Savage River valley).
Crude metals are also smelted in the area of the Mount Isa copper deposit and some others.
The main centers of iron and steel industry in Australia are located on the east coast (the cities of Port Kembla, Newcastle, Melbourne).
Non-ferrous metallurgy of Australia.
For 1994 Copper production, thousand. tone 381. Production of refined copper from ores and secondary raw materials, thousand tons 331. Zinc production, thousand tons 985.1. Production of pig zinc, thousand tons 315. Extraction of lead, thousand tons 519. Production of refined lead from primary and secondary raw materials, thousand tons 211. Mining of tin, thousand tons8. Production of primary tin, thousand tons 0.2. Aluminum mining, thousand tons 1382. Primary aluminum production, thousand tons 1382. Bauxite, thousand tons 41733.
The main centers of the non-ferrous metallurgy are Sydney, Bell Bay, Risdon, Port Kembla, Kalgoorlie-Boulder.
Fuel and energy industry
Australia.
For 1992 Oil, million tons 26.9. Gas, billion cubic meters m 23.2. Hard coal, million tons 175.1. Brown coal, million tons 50.7. Electricity production, billion kW/h 162.
The main fuel and energy base of Australia is hard and brown coal, large deposits of which are directly located in the south-eastern parts of the country. Coal-fired thermal power plants provide a significant portion of all electricity supplied to consumers. These thermal power plants are located where there are coal deposits. In the early 70s, several thermal power plants running on natural gas were built. Australia is not rich in hydroelectric resources; the bulk of hydra energy resources are concentrated in the southern highlands of the East Australian Mountains and on the island of Tasmania. The rivers of the coastal parts of New South Wales and Queensland have insignificant energy reserves.
The Snowy Mountains hydroelectric system, completed in 1975, is the largest (3740 MW).
Chemical and petroleum industry in Australia.
The chemical industry began to develop especially quickly in the post-war years. In many large port cities, powerful oil refineries were built, operating on domestically produced and imported oil. Refining crude oil contributed to the development of petrochemicals.
Since agriculture, one of the most important sectors of the economy, has a great need for mineral fertilizers, superphosphate is produced in large quantities in Australia using imported raw materials. Fertilizer production plants are located in areas where there are coal deposits, coke is produced, iron and steel, non-ferrous metals, etc. are smelted. The sulfuric acid obtained by processing these types of raw materials and semi-finished products is 90% used in superphosphate plants. Since phosphorites are brought by sea, an important factor in the location of enterprises for the production of phosphate fertilizers is their proximity to port cities.
The main centers of the chemical and oil refining industry are Sydney, Clyde, Melbourne, Gladstone, Perth.
Forestry, woodworking industry
and construction industry
Australian materials.
The forestry industry is one of the most interesting to study due to its complexity, versatility, prevalence throughout the world and the need for its products for the economy of any country.
Mining of construction materials and minerals that do not contain metals is carried out in small-scale mines. Concentrates and pellets are produced at special enterprises.
The main centers of light and food industry are Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Hobart.
Light industry
Australia.
Australian light industry is mainly provided with locally produced raw materials and its own goods (shoes, knitwear, fabrics, etc.), largely satisfying the needs of the population, but high-quality products and some semi-finished products and raw materials are imported. Light industry enterprises are concentrated mainly in large industrial cities in the southeast of the country. Small factories are found in many medium and small towns.
The bulk of enterprises in all sectors of the manufacturing industry are located in the south-eastern, most economically developed part of Australia - in the states of New South Wales, Victoria and partly South Australia. After the end of the Second World War, new industrial enterprises began to be created in cities or even small towns in the inland, remote areas of the states. Many immigrants arriving in Australia are sent here in an organized manner. Most new enterprises are built, as a rule, in already developed and populated areas, mainly in areas with sufficient rainfall. Creating industrial enterprises in desert or semi-desert zones is expensive. It is carried out only in certain cases: during the construction of military facilities or enterprises, which, even at high costs, guarantee quick profit and products that are in demand in the domestic or foreign markets.
Food industry
Australia.
The food industry, one of the oldest industries, has gained great importance. It is represented by butter production, cheese making, milk canning industry, brewing, meat canning, meat and cold storage, flour milling, bacon production, tobacco leaf processing, etc. Numerous enterprises for canning vegetables and fruits.
The food industry, both in the past and today, is characterized by an export orientation. A significant part of fully or partially processed agricultural products is sent to other countries. For example, the export of meat of all types accounts for up to 45% of its production, butter - up to 50, cheese - 45, wheat and flour - up to 80, sugar - 60-65%.
Since a significant part of food products is exported, the largest and most well-equipped food plants and factories are located in the country's port cities. Some small and medium-sized enterprises are located in areas producing one or another agricultural product. Butter factories and cheese factories are located where dairy cattle are raised and there are railway stations, which makes it possible to quickly ship butter and cheese to consumption centers or ports. Bakeries, confectioneries, breweries and some other enterprises are found wherever the population is concentrated.
Most of the meat industry enterprises are large plants that slaughter livestock and cut up carcasses, and produce canned meat, sausages and frankfurters. Many of them also have special workshops where they process bones, bristles, horns, hooves, produce food for poultry, glue, various fats and other products.
Since beef cattle farming is developed mainly in the northern, northeastern and eastern parts of the mainland, the largest meat processing plants are located mainly in the port cities of the states of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. A number of factories are also concentrated in the interior regions, where livestock raising is combined with grain farming.
Enterprises for canning vegetables and fruits are located where vegetable growing and horticulture are developed. Many of them, even very large ones, are located in rural areas where the necessary raw materials are produced, some in large cities on the coast. Vegetables and fruits are delivered chilled by rail or in special vans.
Mechanical Engineering Australia.
Since the development of industry since 1967. In Australia, 25 cities with a population of over 40 thousand were built. people , 12 ports and 1900 km laid. Railway tracks.
Nowadays, new branches of mechanical engineering such as the production of aircraft and automobile engines, locomotives, tractors, trucks and cars, electrical equipment, electronic equipment and various instruments are developing especially rapidly in Australia. Mechanical engineering products largely satisfy the country's needs.
Agriculture Australia.
Australian agriculture is highly marketable and has a pronounced capitalist character. It makes extensive use of machines and hired labor. Australia is a country with historically large landholdings.
In the 20s of the 19th century. Australian wool has gained a strong position in the textile industry of the metropolis. So Australian land-owning companies were given land in the river valley. Gloucester in the colony of New South Wales; Van Diemen's green company settled in the northern part of the island of Tasmania. Soon she annexed other most convenient lands to her possessions.
In the 70s of our century, the share of farms with plots larger than 4 thousand hectares and constituting only 3.6% of the total number of farms accounted for 82.3% of the land fund, including the largest ones, measuring 40 thousand hectares (0.6% of farms), - 62.7% of land. Farms with land plots ranging from 0.4% to 200 hectares own only 1.8% of all land used in agriculture.
Farms with large tracts of land are found mainly in the arid interior of the country and in the north, where extensive farming methods require the use of large areas.
Intensive farms are mainly concentrated in the south-eastern and south-western coastal areas, as well as in the Murray-Murrabidgee area, where there are tracts of irrigated land. Farms with a suburban type of economy are located near large industrial cities.
Australia, later than other developed capitalist countries, embarked on the path of a technical revolution in agriculture. This project was uneven. To a large extent, it covered such industries as dairy and fattening, growing vegetables, fruits, grapes, cotton, rice and other food and industrial crops. Grain farming and pastoralism remain largely extensive.
In conditions of an extremely arid climate and uneven precipitation, artificial irrigation is of great importance for agriculture, not only in the interior parts of the continent, but also in coastal already inhabited and developed areas, where it helps to increase productivity and intensify the economy. For example, the average wheat yield on non-irrigated lands ranges from 11 to 15 centners per hectare, but when irrigation is used, the yield increases by 5-6 times.
The leading place in agriculture belongs to the oldest industry - pasture animal husbandry. In the 1970s, it accounted for 68% of the total value of agricultural production, and farming accounted for just over 32%. In livestock farming, sheep breeding occupies the first place. The main group of the general sheep population consists of merino sheep, whose wool is of the highest quality and most expensive. The second group is sheep of semi-fine wool meat-wool breeds. They produce good wool and meat.
In addition to wool, Australian sheep farming also produces a significant amount of meat. Among capitalist countries, Australia ranks first in the production of mutton and lamb and second in their export. Beef and dairy cattle are also raised in Australia. Its population began to increase rapidly in the last quarter of the 19th century. The raising of cattle for meat is concentrated in the hands of individual cattle breeders or cattle breeding companies. They own herds and pastures, large slaughterhouses and meat-packing plants in port cities, and partly the transportation of meat products to the world market. Beef cattle breeding is developed mainly in the tropical and subtropical parts of the north of the country. Here livestock is grazed mainly on natural pastures (extensive farming method).
Dairy farming is particularly intensive. The country's warm climate allows dairy cattle to be kept on pastures throughout the year. In areas where there are strong winds, trees and dense shrubs are planted along the boundaries of the paddocks to protect animals from them. Many farms also use locally produced concentrated feed and imported feed with the addition of vitamins and growth simulators. The most common breeds of dairy cattle are Jersey, Guernsey, Holstein and the Australian-bred Illowar Shortgon. Dairy farms are located mainly in coastal areas where rainfall is relatively high. Pig farming is related to dairy farming.
Poultry farming is also developed in Australia. Poultry farms are small in size and highly specialized: some raise chickens, others fatten broiler chickens, others supply eggs and partly chicken carcasses. They export live chickens, chilled carcasses and eggs. Other types of livestock farming include the breeding of horses, mainly racing horses, and camels.
Wheat, like other grain crops (oats, barley, corn), except rice, is mainly grown on rainfed lands without the use of artificial irrigation, but phosphorus fertilizers are applied. Grain farming is mainly extensive in nature. In addition to wheat, the cultivation of forage crops, such as clover, lupine and other legumes, ryegrass and other grasses, is of great importance in crop production. On the coastal plains in tropical Queensland, pineapples, bananas, mangoes, and papayas are grown. Cotton, tobacco and other industrial crops are grown in Australia.
In Australia, both crop farming (horticulture, grain farming) and livestock farming (cattle and sheep breeding) have developed.
The Australian agricultural map shows that the intensity of land use decreases with distance from the coast.
The east coast of Australia has a warm and mild climate, which is why sheep are raised on pasture for slaughter, dairy cows are raised, and horticulture and grain farming are practiced.
On the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range, where sufficient rainfall occurs, there is a strip of forest red-brown soils, rich in humus, and when fertilized, suitable for growing wheat and other crops. This is where Australia's “wheat belt” stretches.
The southwestern part of Australia is characterized by a Mediterranean climate, conducive to the development of intensive agriculture.
Victoria and the south-west foothills of New South Wales have a subtropical climate, conducive to the cultivation of fruit trees, a variety of vegetables and forage grasses.
Heavy rainfall and slight temperature fluctuations on the island. Tasmania allows the raising of cattle and sheep.
The steppe and semi-desert regions of Australia are the world's largest sheep breeding areas. Sheep, being on private farms, are kept on natural pasture all year round.
Wool is Australia's top export, generating billions of dollars annually for producers and creating jobs across the country. Therefore, the Australian Wool Corporation is supporting a broad-based research program into the application of robotics in the wool industry. This research has been ongoing since 1973. to this day.
Robotics is also used in gardening. The robotics system increases the productivity of the orchards several times, since the robot selects the fruit, each time “calibrated”, which avoids further sorting.
Productivity is key, and without further development of agricultural robotics, and if products are produced at uncompetitive prices, Australia could be forced out of global product markets.
Geography of transport.
For Australia, external and internal relations are of great importance. The government pays a lot of attention to the construction of internal communications, the reconstruction of ports and the creation of an extensive radio and telecommunications network. Rail transport is almost entirely the responsibility of the federal and state governments. The railway network is densest in coastal industrialized areas, especially in the southeastern, eastern and partly southwestern outskirts of the mainland; the north, north-west and inland areas are almost completely devoid of railways.
The seas and oceans that wash the shores of Australia are important for the economic life of the country. Australia's main trade links with other countries and continents are carried out by waterways. Huge ocean liners export Australian goods - wheat, meat, butter, cheese, valuable minerals (iron ore, non-ferrous metals and their alloys, coal, bauxite, etc.), as well as industrial products. Finished products, semi-finished products and raw materials needed by industry, agriculture, transport and other sectors of the Australian economy come to Australia from overseas.
Air transport is also important for Australia. A network of regular airlines exists in many major Australian cities, and small aviation has also become widespread. Australian airports handle millions of passengers every year.
The most developed highway and rail transport networks are located on the east coast of the mainland. Transport routes extend from the major ports of East and West Australia (Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne) into the interior of the mainland. Pipeline transport has also been used in Australia. From oil and gas production sites (Mumba, Jackson, Roma, Muni) pipelines go to ports in the East.
Length and density of transport
ways of Australia.
Length of transport routes, thousand km:
Railways 35.8
Highways 810.3
Density of the network of transport routes (km of transport routes per 1000 sq. km of territory)
Railways 4.7
Highways 105.4
Australia offers tourists everything that their restless soul craves: white sandy beaches, modern cities, quaint deserts, lush jungles and unique wildlife.
In Australia you can:
Try to mine gold. In places that experienced a gold rush in the last century, gold is still found today;
Learn to jump with a parachute. It is a popular sport here and Australia hosts many international skydiving competitions;
Go kayaking down mountain rivers. Also a popular pastime;
Fly in hot air balloons. They hang in the skies of Australia continuously.
Learn to scuba dive. They will help and even issue a certificate, however, without the right to be an instructor in this dangerous form of leisure;
Drive a rented car across the whole of Australia - ten days is enough, but memories!
Fish with all your heart, both in the sea and in rivers;
Go rock climbing. Fanatics of this cause flock here from all over the world;
Go sledding... from the sand dunes!
External economic relations.
The role of foreign trade in the Australian economy is very large. Export is one of the main sources of foreign exchange. Domestically, firms that can increase their exports enjoy a tax discount. The conditions for financial payments have been simplified for exporters, and a special export insurance corporation has been created. In the late 1970s, more than 47% of the total value of Australian exports came from various agricultural products, 27% from mining products and more than 23% from manufacturing. Of the exported mining raw materials, the first place is occupied by iron ore and concentrates, and the second place is by coal.
Imports are represented by various machines used in agriculture, construction and manufacturing (more than 40%), capital equipment (more than 22%), consumer and food products, lubricating oils and other goods. The import of mineral raw materials and semi-finished products is extremely small (from 6 to 7%). Oil and petroleum products, phosphorites, as well as chrome ores and small quantities of ores or concentrates of other metals are imported.
Australia imports goods mainly from the USA, Great Britain, Japan and Germany. Australia's trade with its neighbor New Zealand began to expand after August 1965. Australia exports food products, as well as coal, some types of machinery, textiles, shoes, etc. to the countries of East and Southeast Asia. Imports from these countries mainly consist of natural rubber, oil, tea, coffee, vegetable oils and fibers, packaging materials . Australia's trade with Oceania is small. However, Australia has gained a fairly strong position in trade with them, displacing the UK and other countries.
Australia is a member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the ANZUS Pact, and is part of the commonwealth led by Great Britain.
Australia is one of the world's largest exporters.
Indicators
Foreign trade turnover
Export
Import
Foreign trade balance
Main indicators of foreign trade
(in current prices billions of dollars)
Australia.
77% of the population of Australia are immigrants from different parts of the Earth and Australians speak not only English, the state language, but also Portuguese, German, Greek, Russian, etc. Modern Australia is a country of mass immigration, annually accepting 100-150 thousand people, therefore Australia has direct cultural ties with many countries around the world.
Conclusion:
Working on this essay took me a lot of time, this work took me an average of 1 hour every day, but be that as it may, I don’t think that this time was wasted; during my work I learned a lot of interesting things about Australia. I never knew anything about the history of this country and would hardly have known if it had not been for working on this essay; I did not know that Australia is so dependent on the foreign market, etc. In my opinion, Australia has quite good development prospects, if only because of the high level of tourism, which brings quite a lot of income to the country, and currently all other industry also brings in even greater profits.
I already said in the introduction that I wanted to go there and because of this I had a double impression of this country: from the point of view of a tourist, Australia made a very strong impression on me because of the beauty of Sydney (where the Olympic Games were held), nature, but , and from the point of view of the person who prepared the essay on this country, it made a much smaller impression than China and Great Britain, with which, from a geographical point of view, I am very familiar.
In the last lines of the work I would like to briefly summarize everything that was said above. The geographical, economic and intellectual potential of Australia is enormous, and, despite all today's difficulties, I am convinced that time will pass and it will take its rightful place not only in culture, not only in science, but also in technology and economics.
"Everything will be right. The world is built on this." Here one cannot but agree with Bulgakov.
Bibliography:
1. Lucian Volyanovsky “The continent that has ceased to be a legend”, 1991.
2. Encyclopedic reference book “Countries of the World” Smolensk “Rusich” 2000
3. "Australia and Oceania. Antarctica" Countries and Peoples Moscow "thought" 1981
4. “Economic Geography” by I. A. Rodionov and T. M. Bunaskova Moscow “Lyceum” 1999
5. Countries and Peoples “Universal Encyclopedia for Youth” Moscow Publishing House Pedagogika-Press.
6. Textbook 10th grade “Economic and social geography of the world” Y.N.GLADKY S.B.LAVROV
Area - 7.7 million km2. Population - 20.3 million people
The state is composed. Commonwealth - six states and two territories. Capital -. Canberra
EGP
. Australia (Australia) is the only country in the world that occupies an entire continent. Australia is located southeast of. Eurasia. She is washed by waters. Quiet and Indian Oceans. The main feature of the economic and geographical position of the country. Australia - isolation, distance from other continents. Technical progress in transport and communications has brought it closer to other continents. Relative proximity takes on a positive meaning. Australia to countries. South-Eastern and. Eastern. Asia and. Oceania. In terms of territory size, the country ranks sixth in the world. Russia,. Canada,. China. USA and Brazil. From the west to the east is the territory. Australia stretches for 4.4 thousand km, and from north to south - for 3.1 thousand km. km.
Australia is an economically highly developed country. In absolute size. GNP, it is included in the group of the first 15 countries in the world, while in the global division of labor it specializes in agriculture and raw materials
Australia is a member. UN,. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and other global and regional organizations
Population
. Modern population. Australia was formed by emigrants. By the beginning of European colonization, about 300 thousand aborigines lived on the mainland, and now their number is more than 150 thousand people. They belong to the Australoid race and do not ethnically form a single whole. The Aborigines are divided into many tribes speaking different languages.
After. Second World War. Australia accepted many so-called “displaced persons”, as well as people from the European south and east - Italians, Yugoslavs, Greeks, etc. Among them were more than 20 thousand Ukrainians. Recently, the share of immigrants in population growth is 40%. In recent decades, the country has suffered from increasing rates of illegal immigration from countries. South-Eastern and. Eastern. AsiaAsia.
The population is distributed very unevenly throughout the country. The main areas of greatest density are concentrated in the east and southeast, southwest and south. Here the population density is 25 - -50 people per 1 km2, and the rest of the territory is very sparsely populated (the density does not reach one person per 1 km2). In some inland desert areas. Australia has no population. In recent decades, there have been shifts in the distribution of the country's population, thanks to the discovery of new mineral deposits in the north and south. The Australian government encourages the movement of the population to the center of the continent, to underdeveloped areas.
By level of urbanization. Australia ranks among the first in the world - 90%. Among urban settlements. Australia is divided into three groups of cities: firstly, these are small mountain towns that are scattered throughout the continent and are its integral feature; secondly, these are state capitals that perform not only administrative and political functions, but also economic, commercial, scientific, cultural, thirdly, these are medium-sized centers that arose near the capitals, taking on the functions of centers of various industries.
Employment structure. Australia is typical for post-industrial countries. Thus, 3.6% are employed in agriculture, 26.4% in industry, and 70% in the service sector. In 2005, unemployment was about 55%.
Natural conditions and resources
At 0.3% of the world population. Australia 5.8% of the earth's surface. Therefore, its provision with natural resource potential is 20 times higher than the world average, primarily mineral
resources. The discovery of new deposits brought the country to a leading position in the world in reserves and production of iron and lead-zinc ores, bauxite
The largest deposits of coal, oil and gas are located in the eastern part. Australia. In the western and northern parts of the country there are deposits of ore: iron, nickel, polymetals, gold, silver, copper, manganese. Bauxite deposits are concentrated on the peninsula. Cape York and the north-east. Northern Territory. With the exception of oil, the country fully meets its needs with basic raw materials for industry.
60% of the territory. Australia is occupied by drainage regions. The river network is the densest on the island. Tasmania is the country's deepest river. Murray with its tributaries. Darling and. Murrumbidgee. Rivers flowing down the eastern slopes. Big. The watershed ridge, short and fairly deep rivers of the central. Australia does not have a permanent flow. Most of the country's lakes, like rivers, are characterized almost exclusively by rainfall. They have neither a constant level nor a drain. In summer, the lakes dry up and become shallow salt marsh depressions.
Forest resources. Australia are insignificant. Forested areas, including the Scrabes, account for about 18% of the country's total area. Under the influence of economic activity, vegetation has changed enormously
The country's topography is a vast plateau, concave in the central part and raised at the edges. Mountains occupy 5% of the territory. There is a large depression in the center. The central lowland is an arid region. And Australia.
The northern and northeastern parts of the country are located in the tropical climate zone. The largest part. Australia occupies a subtropical climate zone. Only the extreme south is included in the temperate climate zone. Australia is known as an arid continent, but areas with sufficient rainfall account for 1/3 of the total area. In arid areas there are significant reserves of groundwater.
Unique natural landscapes. Australia and the magnificent beaches of its east coast are the basis for the rapid development of environmental, tourist and sports (diving, yachting, windsurfing) tourism
The main feature of the economic and geographical position of Australia and Oceania is isolation, isolation from other continents.
The Commonwealth of Australia is the only state in the world that occupies an entire continent. In terms of territory size (7.7 million km2), it is in 6th place in the world after Russia, China, and. From west to east, the Commonwealth of Australia stretches for 4.4 thousand km, and from north to south - for 3.1 thousand km. almost in the center it crosses the Southern Tropic. The state is located in subequatorial (north), tropical (centre), subtropical (south) and temperate (southern Tasmania).
At the beginning of the 17th century. The Dutch navigator W. Janszoon was the first to visit its shores, and after him in 1770, an English navigator visited its shores and declared Australia an English possession. The English Parliament passed a law establishing a convict settlement in Australia. For the period 1788-1850. 146 thousand convicts and 187 thousand people arrived on the continent. free settlers. It follows from this that the population of the country is mainly from Europe and forms an Anglo-Australian nation.
The state of the Commonwealth of Australia is named after the mainland, on which over 99% of its territory is located, including about. Tasmania and many small islands. Australia is a federal state, part of the British Commonwealth, consisting of six states: New South Wales, Victoria, Queenland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania. The head of state is the Queen, represented by the Governor-General, who is appointed on the recommendation of the Australian government. The formation of the state took place in 1901, when six separate English colonies were united into the Australian Union, which received dominion status, and in 1931, under the Westminster status, Australia received complete independence from the mother country in external and internal affairs.
Oceania is a cluster of islands in the Pacific Ocean that are of continental, coral, and volcanic origin. The region is located in equatorial and tropical latitudes, except for the extreme northern and southern islands. ranges from +23° to +30°С, precipitation falls from 3000 to 14000 mm per year. The exception is the continent of Australia - it is the driest continent on Earth. Deserts occupy vast areas and extend for 2.5 thousand km from the coast to the foothills of the Great Dividing Range, with a temperature of 35°C and 200-300 mm of precipitation. It was generally accepted that almost 1/3 of the continent was generally useless, unpromising from the point of view of economic development. However, deposits of manganese, lead-zinc ores, uranium, bauxite, gold, etc. were discovered in desert areas, which brought Australia to one of the first places in the world in terms of mineral wealth and as one of the largest producers and exporters of mineral raw materials.
Australia has gone through a difficult path of economic development in a short period of time. From an agricultural and raw materials appendage of the metropolis, which the country was at the beginning of the 20th century, it has turned into an economically developed state. Industry, initially mining and then manufacturing, and partly agriculture began to develop at the level of technical development in England, which was the highest in the world at the time when the settlement of Australia began. In the person of settlers from England, Australia received highly skilled workers and engineers. At the same time, the fifth continent has remained one of the largest producers of agricultural raw materials (wool) and food (wheat, meat, sugar, fruits) for a hundred years; occupies one of the first places in the export of raw sugar and honey; First place in the world in terms of sheep population (200 million heads - 12 per person), export of wool and sheepskin, and is the world's largest exporter of beef, lamb and veal. More than 60% of the country's agricultural products are exported. The dairy industry, winemaking and brewing are also well developed.
