Activity 8: Web 2.0

Internet In EducationEME 6053

Alan L.

AUSTRALIA

ALL ABOUT AUSTRALIA

Interesting Facts:Cities, States & Territories

The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five

states and two territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories,

known as external territories, and a claim to a territory in Antarctica. 

Interesting Facts:Weather

Australia experiences temperate weather for most of the year but the climate can vary due to the size of our continent. The northern states typically experience warm weather much of the time, with the southern states experiencing cooler winters. Australia is also one of the driest continents on earth with an average annual rainfall of less than 600 millimeters. Like all countries in the southern hemisphere, Australia's seasons are opposite to those in the northern hemisphere. December to February is summer; March to May is autumn; June to August is winter; and September to November is spring.

Interesting Facts:Geography

•Australia is the world’s largest island - but smallest continent, covering 7.69 million square kilometers.

•It is the sixth-largest nation after Russia, Canada, China, the United States and Brazil.

•Australia is also the only continent that is governed as a single country.

•Australia’s ocean territory is the third-largest in the world, spanning three oceans and covering around 12 million square kilometers.

•Australia currently has a population of almost 23 million people.

Must See Attractions

Sydney Opera House

Ululu

Great Barrier Reef

Bungle Bungle

Must See Attractions:Sydney Opera House

Opening in 1973, this multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney, Australia was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon. It is one of the busiest performing arts centers in the world, hosting over 1,500 performances each year attended by some 1.2 million people

Must See Attractions:Uluru (Ayers Rock)

Uluru is one of Australia's most recognizable natural landmarks. The sandstone formation stands 1,142 ft high

(rising 2,831 ft above sea level), with most of its bulk lying underground, and has a total circumference of 5.8 miles.

Must See Attractions:Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system

composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 1,600 miles over an area of approximately 133,000

sq. miles.

The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms

Must See Attractions:Bungle Bungle

Located in Purnululu National Park, these 350 million year old sandstone domes, rise over 300 meters. The Bungle Bungle was “discovered” by a film crew in an airplane in the 1980’s. The Bungle Bungles gain their tiger-stripes from black algae growth that permeates the more porous layers of the rock, and a glossy orange build up of manganese and iron staining.

Unique Animals

Kangaroo

Koala

Tasmanian Devil

Wombat

Unique Animals:Kangaroo

Kangaroos are herbivorous, eating a range of plants and, in some cases, fungi. Most are nocturnal but some are active in the early morning and late afternoon. Different kangaroo species live in a variety of habitats. Kangaroos of all sizes have one thing in common: powerful back legs with long feet. Most kangaroos live on the ground and are distinguished from other animals by the way they hop on their strong back legs. A kangaroo’s tail is used to balance while hopping and as a fifth limb when moving slowly.All female kangaroos have front-opening pouches that contain four teats. This is where the ‘joey’, or young kangaroo, is raised until it can survive outside the pouch.

Unique Animals:Koala

The koala is broadly similar in appearance to the wombat (its closest living relative),but has a thicker coat, much larger ears, and longer limbs. The koala has large, sharp claws to assist with climbing tree trunks. Weight varies from about 31 lb for a large southern male, to about 11 lb for a small northern female. The koala's five fingers include two opposable thumbs, providing better gripping ability. The koala is one of the few mammals (other than primates) that has fingerprints. Koala fingerprints are similar to human fingerprints; even with an electron microscope, it can be quite difficult to distinguish between the two.

Unique Animals:Tasmanian Devil

The Tasmanian devil is a carnivorous marsupial, now found in the wild only on the Australian island state of Tasmania. The size of a small dog, it is the largest carnivorous

marsupial in the world. It is characterized by its stocky and muscular build, black fur, pungent odor, extremely loud and disturbing screech, keen sense of smell, and ferocity

when feeding. The Tasmanian devil's large head and neck allow it to generate the strongest bite per unit body mass of any living mammal, and it hunts prey as well as

eating household products if humans are living nearby. Although it is usually solitary, it sometimes eats with other devils and defecates in a communal location. Despite its

rotund appearance, the devil is capable of surprising speed and endurance, and can climb trees and swim across rivers.

Unique Animals:Wombat

These marsupials, are short-legged, muscular quadrupeds, approximately 39 inches in length with a short, stubby tail.  Wombats dig extensive burrow systems with rodent-like front teeth and powerful claws. One distinctive adaptation of wombats is their backwards pouch. The advantage of a backwards-facing pouch is that when digging, the wombat does not gather dirt in its pouch over its young.