Top 10 Geographic Characteristics of Oceania (Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands)

Top 10

Geographic Characteristics

of

Oceania(Australia, New Zealand and

the Pacific Islands)

Ch. 11

1. Australia is both a continent and a country. Including Tasmania, it is the land size of the continental United States.

• 85% pop is urban (only 15% rural)

• Most live along eastern & southern rim

2. Aborigines are the native inhabitants of Australia.

They came from SE Asia 50,000 to 70,000 years ago to live in the Outback.

When Europeans arrived, many killed off by disease.

Today only 2% of Australia’s 20 million total population (390,000), but gaining back rights and land taken from them

3. Australia and New Zealand are both former British colonies. Australia was

a colony of convicts! Both countries are still loyal to Great Britain (even to the point of sending soldiers to aid of

GB).

4. Climate/Vegetative Regions• Australia is the flattest continent on

the planet: Tropical Savannas of the North—

includes cyclones Mediterranean of South/West

Eastern Highlands—Great Dividing Range (but all less than 3,000 ft tall)

Interior— OUTBACK, “the bush,” “back of beyond,” “never never”

(includes Ayers Rock)

4. Climate/Vegetative Regions con’t.

•Australia’s climate is not very diverse…

Very little rainfall (mostly arid/semiarid climate zones).

Coastal areas are Mediterranean or tropical climate (where population is).

Seasons are the opposite times as ours (Summer = Jan., Winter = June)

5. Economy/Resources• Mining – copper, gold, iron

ore, coal, bauxite, and diamonds

• Ranching – sheep for meat and wool (largest supplier of wool in world since 1850) and cows for beef

• Agriculture – wheat, dairy, and sugarcane

5. Economy/Resources (continued)• Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)

– Established 1989– Only intergovernmental group in world that doesn’t oblige

members to participate in treaties – decisions made by consensus and commitments are voluntary

– 21 members (including Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, US, China, Russia, etc)

– Account for 40% of world’s population, over 50% of global production, over 40% of global trade

• Three Pillars (goals) include: trade/investment, business facilitation, economic/technical cooperation

6. The Great Barrier Reef, located off the northeastern coast is

the largest coral reef in the world. It is 1250 miles long with the

world’s greatest variety of ocean life!

It’s the only living thing that can be seen

from space!

7. New Zealand, located 1000 miles SE of Australia, is located along the Ring

of Fire (prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions). Made up of two

islands, North and South.

NEW ZEALAND’S RELATIVE LOCATION(ASTRIDE PLATE BOUNDARIES)

THE IMPACT

8.The Maori peoples are native to New Zealand. They make up 15% of New

Zealand’s population (compared to 2% of Aborigines in Australia).

9. The Pacific Islands are divided into three groups:

A.Melanesia

B.Micronesia

C.Polynesia

10. Problems in Paradise

•Severe trade deficits – import 10x greater than export

•Tourism is good, but depend on larger nations for support

•Resources of fish & deep sea minerals have a promising future, but concerns with environment

•To protect fishing industry, islands claim a 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around the islands. Any foreign countries wishing to fish must get permission

•Global warming may cause sea level to rise, great concern for islands that barely rise above sea level, within 50 years many may disappear