r17 Australia and New Zealand
| Autor: Tomáš Veselý | Škola: G Opatov |
| Strany: 1 A4 | Obrázky: ne |
| Dokument stažen: 1910x | Náhled zobrazen: 2763x |
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| Textový náhled: 17 - Australia and New Zealand Australia Capital: Canberra Area: 7,628,300 square kilometers Population: 16,532,000 Monetary unit: Australian dollar The continent of Australia is situated southeast of Asia. About 240 kilometers off the southeast coast lies Tasmania, a large island belonging to Australia. The Great Dividing Range along the east coast includes Mount Kosciusco 2,230 meters – in New South Wales. The western plateau rises to 600 metres and contains arid areas in the Great Sandy and Grand Victoria Deserts. The northwest part of Western Australia and Northern Territory are also arid. The northern-east has heavy rainfall and Cape York Peninsula has jungles. The Murray River rises in New South Wales and flows 2,574 kilometres into the Indian Ocean. Politically the Commonwealth of Australia is a federation of eight states and territories. It has been settled since 1788. The large majority of the population is of British origin; there are German, Greek, Dutch and Italian minorities. Australia's dark-skinned aborigines live, except in the reservation in Arnhern Land in very primitive conditions. They are very good hunters and trackers; their strongest weapon is boomerang. The Commonwealth of Australia is a self-governing federation of six states and two territories. The Parliament consists of the Crown (represented by the Governor-General), the Senate and the House of Representatives. Australia has a fauna unlike that of the other countries. The best known examples are the koala bear, the duck-billed platypus, the kangaroo, the wombat, the dingo, and the barking and frilled lizards. Characteristic of Australia's specific flora is the oil yielding eucalyptus. Australia is highly industrialized country. Wool and meat are important products. The country produces 30% of the world's wool, 50% of its merino wool. The continent is also one of the world's largest wheat producers. Other important products are sugar, wine, fruit, vegetables, minerals and petroleum. Principal manufactures include iron and steel, textiles, electrical and radio equipment, drugs, chemicals, paints, machinery, clothing, motor cars, aircraft, ships. Tourism is rapidly expanding. Australia had been already inhabited by the Aborigines for at least 30 000 years when the British explorer Captain Cook raised the British flag. Initially the British used it as the gigantic prison camp for convicts. 160 000 people were deported. In the middle of the 19th century Australia began to attract immigrants. The Aborigines were cruelly suppressed. New Zealand Capital: Willington Area: 268,676 square kilometres Population: 3,292,300 Monetary unit: New Zealand dollar The main islands of New Zealand lie in the South Pacific about 2090 kilometres east of Australia. They are North Island, South Island, Steward Island and Chatham Islands. Including remote islands to the north the Ross Dependency to the south; the span of New Zealand is from the tropics to Antarctica. Wellington and Auckland on the North Island are chief ports. Christchurch is the main city of South Island. South Island has the picturesque Southern Alps. There are 15 peaks over 3,000 metres, the highest being Mt Cook. Snow-topped mountains, smoking volcanoes, deep fjords, boiling geysers, caves and golden beaches are among the scenic attractions. The population is mostly of British origin. The native Maoris are Polynesians. New Zealand is an independent member of the British Commonwealth. The Governor-General represents the British Crown. The members of the House of Representatives are elected by universal suffrage. New Zealand is largely dependent on agricultural products (wool, meat, butter, cheese) for export income. Food processing is the largest industry. The pulp and paper industry on North Island is partly powered by natural steam from volcanic areas. | |