Britannica Student Encyclopedia - 2010

factories in Austin. Later many hightechnology

industries moved to the city.

As a result, the city’s population grew

rapidly.

..More to explore

Texas

Auroras are

named after

Aurora, the

ancient Roman

goddess of the

dawn.

228 Austin BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

Australia

Australia is the only country that takes

up a whole continent. It is known for its

vast Outback, the Great Barrier Reef,

and its unique wildlife. The capital of

Australia is Canberra.

Geography

Australia is one of the largest countries

in the world, but it is also the smallest

continent. Located south of Asia,

Australia lies between the Indian Ocean

and the Pacific Ocean. Off the

southeastern coast is the island of

Tasmania. It has more than 4,000 lakes.

Along Australia’s northeastern coast is

the world’s largest coral reef, the Great

Barrier Reef.

The western half of the continent is a

plateau with several deserts, including

the Great Victoria Desert. East of the

plateau is a lowland area that rises to the

Great Dividing Range, a range of mountains

on the east coast. In the southeast

are the Australian Alps. There, Mount

Kosciusko, Australia’s tallest mountain,

stands 7,310 feet (2,228 meters) high.

The Darling and Murray rivers also run

through the southeast.

Australia is very dry. Most areas have hot

summers and mild winters. Because

Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere,

summer starts in December, and winter

starts in June.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Australia 229

 

Plants and Animals

Australia’s plants vary from region to

region. The rain forests of the northeast

include flowering plants, palms, and

laurels.Woodlands and forests cover

eastern Australia. Eucalyptus trees are

common in the highlands of the south

and at the edges of the deserts. Desert

shrubs and grasses grow in dry areas.

The country is home to many unique

animals, including emus (large flightless

birds), dingoes (wild dogs), and platypuses

(egg-laying mammals). Many of

the world’s marsupials live in

Australia—for example, kangaroos,

koalas, and wallabies. Crocodiles, lizards,

snakes, turtles, and parrots also live

there.

People

More than 90 percent of Australians

have European roots. Australia welcomed

many immigrants, or people

from other countries, over the years.

However, entry tests were set up to make

it very hard for nonwhites to settle there.

This changed in 1973. Since then, many

Asians have immigrated to the continent.

Aborigines, the native people of

Australia, make up a small percentage of

the population.

Almost 70 percent of Australians are

Christians. There are also small groups

of Buddhists and Muslims. Many people

do not follow any religion.

Few people live in the central region,

called the Outback or “bush.” About 85

percent of all Australians live in cities,

mostly along the coasts. The official

language is English.

Economy

Australia is a prosperous country. Most

people work in trade, businesses that

serve the public, and manufacturing.

Manufacturers make food, print, and

metal products; chemicals; and

machinery.

Australia’s rich natural resources include

oil, coal, and natural gas. Mines provide

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is located in

Australia’s Northern Territory. The area is

sacred to Australian Aborigines.

A bridge crosses the Yarra River in Melbourne.

The city is Australia’s second largest,

after Sydney.

230 Australia BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

iron, bauxite, copper, opals, and

sapphires.

Agriculture and fishing are small parts of

Australia’s economy. Still, Australia is

one of the world’s largest producers of

wool. The wool comes from more than

100 million Australian sheep. Farmers

grow wheat, vegetables, fruits, nuts, cotton,

and other crops.

History

Aborigines lived in Australia for at least

40,000 years before Europeans arrived.

They came from Asia by boat or by land

that is now underwater.

European Explorers

Portuguese and Spanish explorers may

have landed in Australia in the 1500s. In

the 1600s several Dutch explorers

reached the continent. They included

Dirck Hartog and Abel Tasman. Hartog

discovered the west coast, and Tasman

sailed along the southern tip of what is

now called Tasmania. Because of all

these voyages the Dutch named the continent

New Holland in 1644. But they

did not settle there.

William Dampier, an English pirate

turned explorer, landed on the west

coast twice in the late 1600s. In 1770

Captain James Cook landed in southeastern

Australia and claimed it for

Great Britain. He named the region

New SouthWales.

First Fleet and Settlement

Captain Cook thought that New South

Wales was a good place for settlement.

At the time, England’s prisons were

overcrowded. So the English government

decided to send prisoners to Australia

to start a penal colony—a place

where criminals are sent to live.

Captain Arthur Phillip was in charge of

the First Fleet. He led 11 ships carrying

about 200 marines, a few free settlers,

1644 1770 1788 1851 1901 1992 2000

Dutch explorers

name the

continent New

Holland.

James Cook

claims

Australia for

Great Britain.

Britain sets up

the first colony

in Australia.

A gold rush

brings many

settlers to

Australia.

Australia

separates from

Britain.

Aborigines