722-723 U9 CH26 UO TWIP-860976 3/14/04 10:27 PM Page 722 Unit Fur seal on the beach, Antarctica Boy selling fish, Samoa 722 722-723 U9 CH26 UO TWIP-860976 3/14/04 10:28 PM Page 723 Australia,Australia, Oceania,Oceania, andand AntarcticaAntarctica ustralia, Oceania, and A Antarctica are grouped together more because of their nearness to one another than because of any similari- ties among their peoples. These lands lie mostly in the Southern Hemisphere. Australia is a dry continent that is home to unusual wildlife. Oceania’s 25,000 tropical islands spread out across the Pacific Ocean. Frozen Antarctica covers the earth at the South Pole. + Lone tree in the outback, Australia NGS ONLINE www.nationalgeographic.com/education 723 724-733 U9 CH26 RA TWIP-860976 3/14/04 10:35 PM Page 724 REGIONAL ATLAS Focus on: Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica LYING ALMOST ENTIRELY in the Southern Hemisphere, this region includes two continents and thousands of islands scattered across the Pacific Ocean. Covering a huge portion of the globe from the Equator to the South Pole, the region includes landscapes ranging from polar to tropical. Oceania North and east of New Zealand is The Land Oceania. Its roughly 25,000 islands lie scattered across the Pacific Ocean on both sides of the Both a continent and a single country, Equator. Some of these islands are volcanic. Australia is a vast expanse of mostly flat land. A Others are huge formations of rock that have chain of hills and mountains known as the Great risen from the ocean floor. Still others are low- Dividing Range runs down the continent’s east- lying coral islands surrounded by reefs. ern edge. Between this range of mountains and the Pacific Ocean lies a narrow strip of coastal Antarctica The frozen continent, Antarctica land. West of the Great Dividing Range lies covers and surrounds the South Pole. It is Australia’s large—and very dry—interior. Here in almost completely buried under an enormous the Australian “outback” are seemingly endless sheet of ice. The ice is as much as 2 miles miles of scrubland, as well as three huge deserts. (3.2 km) thick in places and holds 70 percent Along Australia’s northeastern coast lies the of the world’s freshwater. Great Barrier Reef. This famous natural wonder is the world’s largest coral reef, home to bril- liantly colored tropical fish and underwater The Climate creatures. Australia is one of the driest continents in Across the Tasman Sea from Australia lies the world. Its eastern coast does receive rainfall New Zealand, made up of two main islands— from the Pacific Ocean. Mountains block this North Island and South Island—and many moisture from reaching inland areas, however. smaller ones. Both North Island and South Island Much of Australia’s outback has a desert climate. have sandy beaches, emerald hillsides, and snow- No place in New Zealand is more than tipped mountains. Plateaus and hills dominate 80 miles (129 km) from the sea. This country the rest of New Zealand’s landscape. has only one climate region: marine west coast. 724 UNIT 9 724-733 U9 CH26 RA TWIP-860976 3/14/04 10:35 PM Page 725 UNIT ▼ Sheep grazing near Mount Egmont, New Zealand ▼ Emperor penguins, Antarctica 725 724-733 U9 CH26 RA TWIP-860976 3/14/04 10:35 PM Page 726 REGIONAL ATLAS This means that New Zealand has mild tempera- producers of lamb and wool. New Zealand’s tures and plentiful rainfall throughout the year. main crops include wheat, barley, potatoes, The islands of Oceania have mostly tropical fruits, and vegetables. climates, with warm temperatures and distinct The people of Oceania depend primarily on wet and dry seasons. Rain forests cover many of fishing and farming. Across much of Oceania, the islands. the soil and climate are not favorable for wide- Antarctica is one of the coldest and windiest spread agriculture. Islanders generally raise only places on the earth, as well as one of the driest. enough food for themselves. Yet some larger It receives so little precipitation that it is consid- islands have rich volcanic soil. In such places, ered a desert—the world’s largest cold desert. cash crops of fruits, sugar, coffee, and coconut products are grown for export. Antarctica is believed to be rich in mineral The Economy resources. To preserve Antarctica for research and exploration, however, many nations have Mines dot the Australian landscape. Its agreed not to mine this mineral wealth. In fact, ancient rocks and soils are rich in minerals such 43 nations signed the Antarctic Treaty in 1959 to as uranium, bauxite, iron ore, copper, nickel, and commit to peace and science. They even agreed gold. Little of Australia’s land is good for growing to share their scientific observations and results. crops. Instead, vast cattle and sheep ranches—or stations, as the Australians call them—spread across much of the country. The worst drought The People in almost 100 years occurred in 2002–2003, which had a negative impact on the economy. The first settlers in this region probably came Sheep far outnumber people in New Zealand, from Asia thousands of years ago. Australia’s first where pastures are lush and green almost year- inhabitants, the ancestors of today’s Aborigines, round. New Zealand is one of the world’s leading may have arrived more than 40,000 years ago. Not until about A.D. 1000, however, did seafaring peoples reach the farthest islands of Oceania. The British colonized Australia and New Zealand in the 1700s and 1800s. These two countries gained their independence in the early 1900s. Many South Pacific islands were not freed from colonial rule until after World War II. Today Australia and Oceania are a blend of European, traditional Pacific, and Asian cultures. ▼ Girl selling fruit, French Polynesia UNIT 9 724-733 U9 CH26 RA TWIP-860976 3/14/04 10:36 PM Page 727 UNIT Despite its vast size, this is the least popu- lous of all the world’s regions. It is home to only about 32 million people. More than half of these live in Australia, where they are found mostly in coastal cities such as Sydney and Melbourne. Roughly 4 million people live in Australia New Zealand, which also has large urban populations along its coasts. Oceania is less Data Bits urbanized. Antarctica has no permanent human Automobiles per 1,000 people 485 inhabitants at all. Groups of scientists live and work on the frozen continent for brief periods T to carry out their research. elevision sets per 1,000 people 716 VOTE Democratic elections Y es ▼ The city of Melbourne, along the Ethnic Makeup southeastern coast of Australia World Ranking Aboriginal and Other 1% Asian 7% GNP per capita Life in US $ 1st expectancy 8th 18th 78 years 50th $20,650 100th Caucasian 92% 150th Population: Urban vs. Rural 91% 9% Sources: World Desk Reference, World Development Indicators; The World 2000; Almanac, 2004. Region Exploring the 1. Which two continents lie in this region? 2. Why is Antarctica considered a desert? 3. Why is so little of Australia’s land good for farming? 4. Where do most of the region’s people live? 727 724-733 U9 CH26 RA TWIP-860976 3/15/04 12:28 AM Page 728 REGIONAL ATLAS Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica Physical 120°E 130°E 140°E 150°E 160°E170°E180° 170°W 160°W 150°W 140°W 130°W 30°N CHINA PACIFIC OCEAN TROPIC OF CANCER 20°N P N O M W E 10°N I C INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE R S O L N E S M E Y EQUATOR 0° L I A A New N N Guinea E E 10°S S I B S a G r r A Great Sandy r Coral i e I Desert Macdonnell e a r t Sea 20°S Ranges R Fiji A e New e Caledonia Islands f TROPIC OF CAPRICORN Gibson Great Artesian e Desert g AUSTRALIA Basin n . a Great Victoria R R ° ng 30 S Desert Lake li g r n Eyre a i D d Great i Australian iv North D Bight t Mt. Kosciuszko Island ea NEW Murray R. Gr 7,310 ft. ZEALAND 40°S (2,228 m) Southern Mt. Cook Alps INDIAN Tasmania Tasman 12,316 ft. (3,754 m) OCEAN Sea South Island 50°S 20 40 ° E °E 0 ° ° ° W W A 40 20 N TA R INDIAN 0 mi. 1,500 C ATLANTIC T IC OCEAN 0 km 1,500 C 60°S OCEAN IR 60 C °E Miller Cylindrical projection ° en Maud L ue L Enderby E 60 W RONNE ICE Q and SHELF Land Vinson Massif Mountain peak ANTARCTIC ANTARCTIC CIRCLE 16,067 ft. PENINSULA (4,897 m) T ANTARCTICA 80° °E W R 80 A South N Pole m Land S Australia A Ellsworth WEST EAST ANTARCTICA N ANTARCTICA 0 mi. 500 ° T 26,247 ft. 8,000 m 100 W M A 100°E ar R 0 km 500 ie C °S 19,685 ft. GREAT 6,000 m By T 80 d ARTESIAN La rd I n GIBSON nd ROSS ICE C a DESERT BASIN L 13,123 ft. 4,000 m M SHELF s INDIAN MACDONNELL PACIFIC T S e °W ° k 120 6,562 ft. OCEAN RANGES CORAL 2,000 m S l 120 OCEAN 70 i ° . E SEA 0 mi. 1,000 W Sea level 0 km 1,000 160 W 140 ° S Lambert Azimuthal ° ° 728 ° ° 60 E E 160 Equal-Area projection 180 724-733 U9 CH26 RA TWIP-860976 3/14/04 10:38 PM Page 729 UNIT Political °E 140°E120 160°E 180° 160°W 140°W 30°N CHINA PACIFIC OCEAN TROPIC OF CANCER HAWAII 20°N U.S.