Australia. presentation for a lesson in geography (Grade 11) on the topic. Australia Natural conditions in Australia

Australia is the driest continent on earth. It is all in the southern hemisphere. This determines the natural conditions and resources of Australia.

Natural conditions and resources of Australia: climate

For the reasons mentioned above, the seasons in Australia are the opposite of the seasons in the northern hemisphere, being hot from November to January and cool from June to August.

The climate in Australia has sharp differences in its different parts. Its northern part, humid and hot, is replaced by semi-desert areas, and the coasts (southeast and south) belong to the subtropical zone, so the climate here is warm and pleasant.

Natural conditions and resources of Australia: relief

The terrain in Australia is mostly flat. From the Cape York Peninsula, the Great Dividing Range stretches in the east of the country to the Bass Strait, and it continues on the island of Tasmania. The highest point in Australia is Mount Kosciuszko (2228 m).

In the west of the country you will find four deserts: the Great Victoria Desert, the Simpso Desert, the Gibson Desert, and the Great Sandy Desert.

Australia attracts tourists from all over the world with its exoticism, unique flora and fauna, comfortable climate, endless beaches, cloudless skies and bright sun.

Natural conditions and resources: rivers

There are few large rivers on the Australian mainland, except for the island of Tasmania. Australia's main river is the Murray, with tributaries the Goulburn, the Murrumbidgee and the Darling.

At the beginning of summer, these rivers are the most full-flowing, because. snow is melting in the mountains. They become very shallow during the hot season. Even the Darling, which is the longest in Australia, gets lost during a drought in the sands. Dams were built on almost all of the Murray's tributaries, and reservoirs used for irrigation were created near them.

Natural conditions and resources: lakes

The lakes of Australia are predominantly waterless basins. Rarely, when filled with water, they become silty, salty and shallow reservoirs.

The largest lakes in Australia include Lake Eyre, Gairdner, Garnpang, Amadius, Torrens, Mackay, Gordon. But here you can meet unique, simply amazing lakes.

For example, Lake Hillier, which is bright pink, is located on Middle Island. Even if you fill something with water from the lake, its color will not change. There are no algae in the lake, and scientists have not given an explanation for what exactly gives the lake such a pink color.

Or there is the luminous Jeepsland Lake. It is a complex of swamps and lakes located in the state of Victoria. Here, in 2008, a high concentration of microorganisms Noctiluca scintillans or Nightweed was observed.

Photographer Phil Hart and local residents observed such a rare phenomenon. The “night light” glows when it reacts to stimuli, so the photographer threw stones into the water and teased them in every way to capture the glow, and at the same time also an unusual picture of the sky. However, the pictures turned out just wonderful.

Natural conditions and resources: forests

In Australia, forests occupy only 2% of the entire mainland area. But tropical rainforests, located along the shores of the Coral Sea, are unusual for Europeans and very picturesque.

Subantarctic and subtropical forests with huge ferns and eucalyptus trees are located in the east and south of the continent. In the west, "hard-leaved" evergreen savannah forests grow. Here you can find eucalyptus trees whose leaves are turned in such a way that they do not give shade.

About 500 species of different eucalyptus trees can be found in Australia, for example, blue eucalyptus trees in the Blue Mountains in the Thunder Valley.

The largest subtropical forests in the world in terms of area are the Rainforests, which have survived almost unchanged since the time of Gondwana. Here you can see plants that have been growing since the time of the dinosaurs.

A large volcano was once located here, which supplied these lands with good soil. At the moment, the volcano has been destroyed by erosion, but magnificent high waterfalls have appeared. So in the Gondwana forests you will definitely find something to admire.

The rainforests between New Wales and Queensland are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Now this area includes 50 reserves.

Mineral resources

This is the main natural wealth of Australia. Australia ranks first in the world in zirconium and bauxite reserves and second in uranium reserves.

Australia is one of the largest coal producers in the world. There are deposits of platinum in Tasmania. Gold deposits are located mainly in the southwest of Australia, near the cities of Northman, Coolgardie, Wiluna, Queensland. And there are small deposits of this valuable metal in almost all states of the continent. The state of New South Wales has diamonds, antimony, bismuth and nickel.

The state of South Australia is distinguished by the fact that opals are mined here, and even an entire underground city of Coober Pedy or Coober Pedy has been built. The mining town is located at the bottom of a dried-up ancient sea. Its inhabitants mine opals and live underground to escape the unbearable heat. They say here: "If you need a new house, dig it yourself!" The underground city has shops and even an underground temple.

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Essay on the topic: Australian Union

Introduction

The Commonwealth of Australia, Australia (English Australia, from Latin australis "southern") is a state in the Southern Hemisphere, located on the mainland of Australia, the island of Tasmania and several other islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The sixth largest state in the world, the only state that occupies an entire mainland.

EGP of the country

Australia is the only state in the world that occupies the territory of an entire continent, therefore Australia has only maritime borders. Australia's neighboring countries are New Zealand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and other island states of Oceania. Australia is remote from the developed countries of America and Europe, large markets for raw materials and sales of products, but many sea routes connect Australia with them, and Australia also plays an important role in the Asia-Pacific region.

Conclusion: Australia occupies the territory of an entire continent and has only maritime borders, but Australia is far from developed countries and this is bad.

Natural conditions and resources

Australia is rich in a variety of minerals. New discoveries of mineral ores made on the continent over the past 10-15 years have advanced the country to one of the first places in the world in terms of reserves and extraction of such minerals as iron ore, bauxite, lead-zinc ores.

The largest deposits of iron ore in Australia, which began to be developed since the 60s of our century, are located in the region of the Hamersley Range in the north-west of the country (the Mount Newman, Mount Goldsworth, etc. deposits). Iron ore is also found on the Kulan and Kokatu Islands in King's Bay (in the northwest), in the state of South Australia in the Middleback Range (Iron-Knob, etc.) and in Tasmania - the Savage River deposit (in the Savage river valley).

Large deposits of polymetals (lead, zinc mixed with silver and copper) are located in the western desert part of the state of New South Wales - the Broken Hill deposit. An important center for the extraction of non-ferrous metals (copper, lead, zinc) has developed near the Mount Isa deposit (in the state of Queensland). There are also deposits of polymetals and copper in Tasmania (Reed Rosebury and Mount Lyell), copper in Tennant Creek (Northern Territory) and elsewhere.

The main gold reserves are concentrated in the ledges of the Precambrian basement and in the southwest of the mainland (Western Australia), in the area of ​​the cities of Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie, Northman and Wiluna, as well as in Queensland. Smaller deposits are found in almost all states.

Bauxites occur on the Cape York Peninsula (Waype Field) and Arnhem Land (Gow Field), as well as in the southwest, in the Darling Range (Jarradale Field).

Uranium deposits have been found in various parts of the mainland: in the north (Arnhemland Peninsula) - near the South and East Alligator rivers, in the state of South Australia - near Lake. Frome, in the state of Queensland - the Mary-Katlin field and in the western part of the country - the Yillirri field.

The main deposits of coal are located in the eastern part of the mainland. The largest deposits of both coking and non-coking coal are developed near the cities of Newcastle and Lythgow (New South Wales) and the cities of Collinsville, Blair Atol, Bluff, Baralaba and Moura Kiang in Queensland.

Geological surveys have established that large deposits of oil and natural gas are located in the bowels of the Australian mainland and on the shelf off its coast. Oil has been found and produced in Queensland (the Mooney, Alton and Bennet fields), on Barrow Island off the northwestern coast of the mainland, and also on the continental shelf off the south coast of Victoria (the Kingfish field). Deposits of gas (the largest Ranken field) and oil have also been discovered on the shelf off the northwestern shores of the mainland.

Australia has large deposits of chromium (Queensland), Gingin, Dongara, Mandarra (Western Australia), Marlin (Victoria).

From non-metallic minerals, there are clays, sands, limestones, asbestos, and mica of various quality and industrial use.

The water resources of the continent itself are small, but the most developed river network is on the island of Tasmania. The rivers there have a mixed rain and snow supply and are full-flowing throughout the year. They flow down from the mountains and therefore are stormy, rapids and have large reserves of hydropower. The latter is widely used for the construction of hydroelectric power plants. The availability of cheap electricity contributes to the development of energy-intensive industries in Tasmania, such as the smelting of pure electrolyte metals, the manufacture of cellulose, etc.

The rivers flowing from the eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range are short, in their upper reaches they flow in narrow gorges. Here they may well be used, and partly already used for the construction of hydroelectric power stations. When entering the coastal plain, the rivers slow down their flow, their depth increases. Many of them in the estuarine parts are even accessible to large ocean-going vessels. The Clarence River is navigable for 100 km from its mouth, and Hawkesbury for 300 km. The volume of runoff and the regime of these rivers are different and depend on the amount of precipitation and the time of their occurrence.

On the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range, rivers originate, making their way along the interior plains. In the region of Mount Kosciuszko, the most abundant river in Australia, the Murray, begins. Its largest tributaries, the Darling, Murrumbidgee, Goulbury and some others, also originate in the mountains.

Food r. The Murray and its channels are mostly rainy and to a lesser extent snowy. These rivers are at their fullest in early summer, when the snow melts in the mountains. In the dry season, they become very shallow, and some of the Murray's tributaries break up into separate stagnant reservoirs. Only Murray and Murrumbidgee retain a constant current (except for exceptionally dry years). Even Darling, the most long river Australia (2450 km), during summer droughts, getting lost in the sands, does not always reach Murray.

Dams and dams have been built on almost all the rivers of the Murray system, near which reservoirs have been created, where flood waters are collected and used to irrigate fields, gardens and pastures.

The rivers of the northern and western coasts of Australia are shallow and relatively small. The longest of them - Flinders flows into the Gulf of Carpentaria. These rivers are fed by rain, and their water content varies greatly at different times of the year.

Rivers whose flow is directed to the interior regions of the mainland, such as Coopers Creek (Barkoo), Diamant-ina, and others, are deprived not only of a constant flow, but also of a permanent, distinctly expressed channel. In Australia, such temporary rivers are called screams. They fill with water only during short showers. Soon after the rain, the riverbed again turns into a dry sandy hollow, often not even having a definite shape.

Most lakes in Australia, like rivers, are fed by rainwater. They have neither a constant level nor a runoff. In summer, the lakes dry up and are shallow saline depressions. The layer of salt at the bottom sometimes reaches 1.5 m.

In the seas surrounding Australia, sea animals are mined and fish are caught. Edible oysters are bred in sea waters. Sea trepang, crocodiles and pearl clams are fished in warm coastal waters in the north and northeast. The main center of artificial breeding of the latter is located in the region of the Koberg peninsula (Arnhemland). It was here, in the warm waters of the Arafura Sea and Van Diemen Bay, that the first experiments were carried out to create special sediments. These experiments were carried out by one of the Australian companies with the participation of Japanese specialists. It has been found that pearl clams grown in warm waters off the northern coast of Australia produce larger pearls than those off the coast of Japan, and in a much shorter time. At present, the cultivation of pearl mollusks has spread widely along the northern and partly northeastern coasts.

Since the Australian mainland long time, starting from the middle of the Cretaceous period, was in conditions of isolation from other parts of the globe, its flora is very peculiar. Of the 12 thousand species of higher plants, more than 9 thousand are endemic, i.e. grow only on the Australian continent. Among the endemics are many species of eucalyptus and acacia, the most typical plant families in Australia. At the same time, there are also such plants that are inherent in South America (for example, the southern beech), South Africa (representatives of the Proteaceae family) and the islands of the Malay Archipelago (ficus, pandanus, etc.). This indicates that many millions of years ago there were land connections between the continents.

Since the climate of most of Australia is characterized by severe aridity, dry-loving plants dominate in its flora: special cereals, eucalyptus trees, umbrella acacias, succulent trees (bottle tree, etc.). The trees belonging to these communities have a powerful root system, which goes 10-20, and sometimes 30 m into the ground, due to which they, like a pump, suck out moisture from great depths. The narrow and dry leaves of these trees are painted mostly in a dull gray-greenish color. In some of them, the leaves are turned to the sun with an edge, which helps to reduce the evaporation of water from their surface.

In the far north and northwest of the country, where it is hot and warm northwest monsoons bring moisture, tropical rainforests grow. Giant eucalyptus trees, ficuses, palm trees, pandanuses with narrow long leaves, etc. predominate in their woody composition. The dense foliage of the trees forms an almost continuous cover, shading the ground. In some places along the coast there are thickets of bamboo. Where the shores are flat and muddy, mangrove vegetation develops.

Rainforests in the form of narrow galleries stretch for relatively short distances inland along the river valleys.

The farther to the south, the drier the climate becomes and the hotter breath of the deserts is felt more strongly. The forest cover is gradually thinning. Eucalyptus and umbrella acacias are arranged in groups. This is a zone of humid savannas, stretching in a latitudinal direction south of the tropical forest zone. In appearance, savannahs with rare groups of trees resemble parks. There is no undergrowth in them. sunlight freely penetrates through a sieve of small leaves of trees and falls to the ground covered with tall dense grass. Forested savannahs are excellent pastures for sheep and cattle.

Conclusion: Australia is rich in a variety of minerals. Australia is located on a large mainland and this shows the diversity of resources. Australia is mostly a desert continent.

Population

The majority of Australia's population are descendants of 19th and 20th century immigrants, with most of these immigrants coming from Britain and Ireland. The settlement of Australia by immigrants from the British Isles began in 1788, when the first batch of exiles was landed on the eastern coast of Australia and the first English settlement of Port Jackson (future Sydney) was founded. Voluntary immigration from England took on significant proportions only in the 1820s, when sheep breeding began to develop rapidly in Australia. After the discovery of gold in Australia, a lot of immigrants arrived here from England and partly from other countries. For 10 years (1851-61), the population of Australia almost tripled, exceeding 1 million people.

In the period from 1839 to 1900, more than 18 thousand Germans arrived in Australia, who settled mainly in the south of the country; by 1890 the Germans were the second largest ethnic group on the continent. Among them were persecuted Lutherans, economic and political refugees - for example, those who left Germany after the revolutionary events of 1848.

In 1900, the Australian colonies united into a federation. The consolidation of the Australian nation accelerated in the first decades of the 20th century, when the national economy of Australia finally strengthened.

During the period after the Second World War, the population of Australia more than doubled (four times after the First World War) thanks to the implementation of an ambitious program to stimulate immigration. In 2001, 27.4% of the Australian population was foreign-born. The largest groups among them were the British and Irish, New Zealanders, Italians, Greeks, Dutch, Germans, Yugoslavs, Vietnamese and Chinese.

Australia's largest city is Sydney, the capital of the most populous state of New South Wales.

If you leave the coast and proceed inland for about 200 kilometers, the sparsely populated areas of the continent will begin. Exuberant rainforests and rich agricultural land give way to hot, dry, open country where only shrubs and grasses can be found. However, these areas also have life. For hundreds of kilometers stretch large sheep and cow pastures, or ranches. Further, in the depths of the mainland, the scorching heat of the desert begins.

The official language is English (a dialect known as Australian English).

Conclusion: The population for such a large area is small. If it were not for the aridity of the mainland and the large number of deserts, and the great distance from developed countries, then the population would be much larger.

Economy of the country

Agriculture in Australia is one of the main occupations for the local population. Thanks to agriculture, many of the goals that have now been achieved have been achieved. It provided both food for the inhabitants, and places for workers, and much more. The most promising and widespread in Australia is the breeding of sheep and rabbits. Rabbits arrived in Australia with its first visitors from Europe, or rather on the ship of Cook and his team. Since then, they have spread significantly throughout the habitable territory, and in some places even cause significant damage by eating fresh crops. Sheep breeding also began to develop from the very dawn of the discovery of the mainland. Sheep fur - very warm and fluffy, served to fill featherbeds, for sewing clothes, it is still being used to the fullest extent. The only enemy of sheep's wool is the Australian moth. Sheep farming also produces a lot of meat, which abounds in Australian markets. Of great importance in agriculture, as before, in Australia is the cultivation of cereals and the cultivation of sugar cane. Also of great importance is the export and sale of fruits and nuts, which are very abundant in sunny Australia. More and more different farms are being created in the territory. For example, the breeding of ostriches has recently been developed. Ostrich eggs are large, sometimes weighing up to one and a half kilograms, and the contents are somewhat thinner than the contents of a chicken egg. This makes the ostrich egg perfect for an omelette and is in high demand.

In Australia, the problem of migrant animals has existed for a long time, since the discovery of the continent. Rabbits are the main culprits in this problem. From the moment of their settlement in this territory, their number has become indomitable and inevitably increase, which led to the death of large areas of plantations. In some states, it is even customary to exterminate these furry pests.

Despite its economic leap, Australia's main industry is still agriculture.

Conclusion: Agriculture in Australia is one of the main occupations for the local population.

Foreign policy

Australia has an active foreign policy with other countries. Basically, these are neighboring countries. Australia is closely tied to America for its political interests. This is evidenced by their close cooperation with each other in terms of economics and politics. Australia is a member of the UN. Australia, maintains communication with many countries including Russia.

Diplomatic relations between Russia and Australia were officially concluded and formalized in 1942.

In the past, all of Australia's foreign policy maneuvers were carried out only with the consent or direct order of Great Britain. So, during the First World War, Australia fought on the side of Great Britain in 1914-1918.

Later, Australia banned the movement of people with "colored" skin from other countries for a number of reasons: maintaining the working integrity of the population, preventing the penetration of other views into people's minds. Australia has also tightened the purchase of real estate for such segments of the population.

Later, Australia, along with a number of other countries, received the right to conduct foreign policy independently. But still the old habit of asking the UK for advice remained.

The Australian maritime communication made it possible for this country to communicate with other distant countries, to trade, and to exchange experience.

Australia participated in the Second World War, as before on the side of Great Britain and the United States of America. During this war, some islands, the former owner of which was Japan, went under the possession of Australia. In 1954, diplomatic relations with the USSR were interrupted. Australia, Moscow - two friendly state units.

Conclusion

Australia participated in many wars, including the bloody wars in Vietnam, Korea, Malaysia, the Persian Gulf. Australia voluntarily renounced chemical, bacteriological and nuclear weapons, being a nuclear-free zone.

Australia has come a long way towards independence, and is largely grateful to the neighboring countries that helped her in all her endeavors.

Natural conditions of Australia

Australia is based on the old Precambrian platform. Previously, it was part of the Gondwana supercontinent. The relief of Australia is dominated by plains. Only in the east, young mountains stretch parallel to the coastline - the Great Dividing Range. The southern part is the highest. It's called the Australian Alps. In the process of geological development, the territory of the mainland has repeatedly experienced uplift and lowering of the foundation. These processes were accompanied by breaks in the earth's crust and the deposition of marine sediments. The relief of Australia is characterized by great diversity. But in general, the relief favors the development of human economic activity.

The geographical position of the mainland determines the main features of its climate. The tropical belt occupies most of the area of ​​the continent. The north of Australia lies in the subequatorial, and the south - in the subtropical zones. In general, the climate is characterized by high temperatures and low rainfall. Only a third of the continent receives enough moisture. The most comfortable conditions for life and economic activity were formed in the southeast of Australia.

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Minerals of Australia

Remark 1

Since the mainland is based on the old Precambrian platform, deposits of igneous minerals lie close to the surface. Australia is rich in deposits of gold, iron and uranium ores, non-ferrous metal ores. Unique deposits of iron ore are located in the states of Western and South Australia. The Cape York Peninsula is famous for its rich deposits of aluminum ores. In the center of the mainland copper and polymetallic ores occur, in the north - manganese and uranium, in the west - nickel ores and gold.

The southeastern part of the platform is covered by a thick sedimentary cover. These areas are associated with deposits of coal, oil and gas.

The abundance of ores predetermined the country's specialization in the world market. Australia provides with ores not only itself, but also the developed countries of the world, for example, Japan.

Water resources are distributed extremely unevenly. Australia is characterized by limited surface water and rich groundwater resources. Artesian wells are used for the needs of the population. Desalination plants are being built on the coasts.

Land resources in most of the mainland are poor. These are desert areas. Fertile red-brown and brown soils are located in the southeast and southwest of the country and along the east coast.

Biological resources of Australia

Remark 2

An important feature of Australia's biological resources is their uniqueness. Due to early isolation from the rest of the continents, most of Australia's plant and animal species are found nowhere else.

Australia's forest resources are very limited. Due to the peculiarities of the climate, conditions favorable for the development of forests have formed only in the east of the country. A zone of humid equatorial forests stretches along the entire eastern coast. Forests occupy only $5\%$ of the total territory of the continent.

Eucalyptus is not only a valuable wood, but also an important pharmacological raw material. Many plants are rich in essential oils, tannins.

Australia's food resources are unique. Most of the country has become a natural fodder base for sheep breeding. Animals are on free pasture for a long time.

The fauna of Australia, like the flora, is very peculiar. Only in Australia live "first animals" - primitive egg-laying mammals platypus and echidna. There are a lot of marsupials in Australia. The most famous of them are kangaroo, koala. Of the birds, parrots, birds of paradise, lyrebird, emu are most famous. The latter is actively bred on agricultural farms.

Long ago, rabbits were brought from Europe to Australia. Having no natural enemies, rabbits quickly multiplied and turned into a real disaster. They harm agricultural enterprises, destroying crops and orchards.

Plants and animals of Australia are very popular in the world. Every year, a lot of tourists arrive on the "green continent". Therefore, the biological resources of the mainland can be considered as part of the recreational resources that contribute to the development of international tourism.

BUT Australia , one of the highly developed countries in the world, attracts with its mild climate and equally mild immigration laws. It opens its doors to experienced professionals and businessmen.

Andimmigration to Australia - this is an opportunity not only to live in a highly developed country, but also, having passed the citizenship exam after 4 years of residence in the country and having received citizenship, travel around the world without visas.

T well , being one of the economically developed and stable countries in the world, is open to free immigration. In other words, almost anyone with education and work experience can choose it as their place of residence. The principles and laws of immigration are quite simple and understandable - everyone can figure them out on their own.

E the only country in the world , occupying the territory of the whole mainland of the same name, as well as about. Tasmania and adjacent islands. The country is located in the southern and eastern hemispheres, washed by the seas of the Pacific and Indian oceans. In the north it is washed by the Timor, Arafura Seas and the Torres Strait, in the east - by the Coral and Tasman Seas, in the south - by the Bass Strait and the Indian Ocean, in the west - by the Indian Ocean. The coastline is slightly indented. The country has 3 time zones (ahead of Moscow by 6 - 8 hours). Time in Sydney is ahead of Moscow by 7 hours in winter, by 8 hours in summer. In addition, time also varies from state to state, where half an hour is sometimes added to standard time.

BUTAustralia was opened Billem Janszon in 1606. The population of the country at that time was made up of Australian Aborigines who settled there more than 42 thousand years ago. In 1770, the country was declared a colony of the English Empire, and in 1901, all the Australian colonies united in the Australian Union, completely subordinate to the English Queen.

Australian flag Coat of arms of Australia National motto: No Anthem: "Advance Beautiful Australia" date of independence January 1, 1901 (from UK) Official language de facto English Capital Canberra The largest city Sydney Form of government A constitutional monarchy Queen Governor General Prime Minister Elizabeth II Michael Jeffery John Howard Territory . Total . % aq. surface 6th in the world 7,686,850 km? 1 % Population . Total (2001) . Density 52nd in the world 18 972 350 2 people/km? GDP . Total (2001) . Per capita 16th in the world $611 billion $29,893 Currency Internet domain .au Telephone code +61 Time Zones UTC +8 … +10

Australia- the sixth country in the world in terms of territory, and this is the only state that occupies an entire continent. The Australian Union includes the Australian mainland and several islands, the largest of which is Tasmania. On the territory of the mainland, diverse nature coexists with modern densely populated megacities. Although most of the continent is occupied by semi-deserts and deserts, Australia has a variety of landscapes: - from alpine meadows to tropical jungles. Australia has become home to unique species of flora and fauna, some of which are not found in other parts of the world. Many plants and animals, including giant marsupials, became extinct with the advent of the natives; others (for example, the Tasmanian tiger) - with the advent of Europeans. The Australian continent is the perfect place to practice any water sport. Surfing, windsurfing, diving, water skiing, rowing and yachting - all this is at the service of vacationers on the coast. If this does not appeal to you, go for a walk in one of the many reserves, ride a bike or horseback. In addition, you can go on a safari or go rock climbing. The attractiveness of Australia lies not only in the nature of the mainland. Well-appointed cities, centers of cultural and business life of the state also contribute here. In all metropolitan areas - be it Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne or any other major city - historical sights coexist with skyscrapers, cozy parks - with crowded streets, and various museums - with chic shops. When you leave Australia, of course, you will want to take something with you as a keepsake, something that will remind you of your trip to this wonderful country. In souvenir shops you can buy various handicrafts created by natives, clothes made from the finest sheep's wool, and in jewelry stores you can buy jewelry made from famous Australian opals, fine pearls or pink diamonds. Availability of immigration Australia, being one of the economically developed and stable countries in the world, is open to free immigration. In other words, almost anyone with education and work experience can choose it as their place of residence. The principles and laws of immigration are quite simple and understandable - everyone can figure them out on their own. Climate of Australia The Australian continent is located within three main warm climatic zones southern hemisphere: subequatorial (in the north), tropical (in the central part) and subtropical (in the south). Only a small part of Tasmania lies within the temperate zone. In winter, which falls in June, July and August, snow sometimes falls, but it does not last long. The subequatorial climate, characteristic of the northern and northeastern parts of the continent, is characterized by an even temperature course (during the year, the average air temperature is 23 - 24 degrees) and a large amount of precipitation (from 1000 to 1500 mm., and in some places more than 2000 mm.). The further south you go, the more noticeable the change of seasons. In the central and western parts of the mainland in summer (December-February), average temperatures rise to 30 degrees, and sometimes even higher, and in winter (June-August) they drop to an average of 10-15 degrees. In the center of the continent in the summer, the temperature during the day rises to 45 degrees, at night it drops to zero and below (-4-6 degrees).

Museums in Australia

Sydney
Sydney has a large number of interesting cultural sites - the famous Sydney Museum of the History and Anthropology of Australia, the War Memorial Art Gallery, the National Maritime Museum (a really interesting place - everything about the sea and watercraft is collected here - from aboriginal boats to battleships and surfboards), Art gallery of New South Wales, the Museum of Applied Arts and Science, one of the most "daring" museums in the world - the Museum of Modern Art, the Nicholson Museum of Antiquities, Wild Animal Park Australia and Hyde Park.

Melbourne
Melbourne is often referred to as the "Cultural Capital of the Southern Hemisphere". These days, Melbourne's compact city center is filled with museums, galleries and great shopping, but most of the city is occupied by parks, squares and the Royal Botanic Gardens. Also of interest are the National Gallery and Museum of Victoria, the Museum of Modern Australian Art, St. Patrick's Cathedral, the James Cook Memorial and the city's old Mint.

Perth
You can visit the Western Australia Fine Arts Gallery, which exhibits works by foreign and Australian masters, including masterpieces of traditional Aboriginal art, striking in their technique. No less interesting is the Museum of Western Australia, which tells about the nature of the state, its history, about the largest meteorite crater in the world in Wolf Creek, and, of course, about the indigenous people - the aborigines.

Darwin
In the city itself, it is interesting to visit the country's only Military Museum on East Point, the original Aboriginal Art and Culture Gallery, the saltwater crocodile farm and the Darwin Botanical Garden.

Attractions

	ayers rock Unusual in its red color, the rocky monolith of Uluru has long been the emblem of central Australia. This is the oldest and largest monolithic rock on earth (its age is about 500 million years). It makes an amazing impression both because it rises in the middle of a completely flat surface, and because it changes its shades at sunset and sunrise. Many tourists and photographers come to admire this magical play of light. This rock was and remains a sacred place of the Aborigines. On it you can see rock paintings.
	Great Barrier Reef One of Australia's most famous attractions is the Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral structure in the world. This is a huge system of reefs and islets, stretching for 2,010 km. along the east coast of the country, from Cape York almost to Brisbane. For over 20 years, the Barrier Reef has been a national park.
	Blue Mountains The Blue Mountains is a unique nature reserve near Sydney. Here, as in many other parts of Australia, nature is carefully preserved as it was thousands of years ago. Covered with eucalyptus forests, the mountains seem really blue from afar - due to the evaporation of eucalyptus oils. Viewing platforms offer magnificent panoramas of mountains covered with forests, sheer cliffs, deep valleys and canyons.
	Harbor Bridge It is also called "coat hanger" - due to the fact that it looks like a giant hanger. This is one of the longest bridges in the world (503 meters). It was opened in 1932 and cost $20 million by the time it was completed. And today motorists, moving to the South side of Sydney, pay $ 2 toll, covering the cost of maintaining the bridge. The bridge pylon closest to the Opera House is open to the public. From the observation deck, a circular panorama of Sydney opens, this is a convenient place for photo and video filming.
	sydney tower The Sydney Tower is the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere (304.8 m high). There is an observation deck, revolving shops and restaurants.
	sydney opera Of all the attractions in Australia, the Sydney Opera House attracts the largest number of tourists. The famous sails of the Opera House is a symbol not only of Sydney, but of the whole of Australia. Some consider the Opera House a magnificent example of "frozen music". The architect himself said that he created a sculpture, inside which he placed the theater premises. "You will never get tired of it (the building), you will never get tired of it," he predicted. And he was right - the opera building never ceases to amaze, no matter how much we admire it.
	Sydney Aquarium Sydney Aquarium - Magnificent marine park. Here you can observe outlandish fish and marine animals in picturesque aquariums or from underwater tunnels, where overhead

Australian economy: industry, foreign trade, agriculture

The Australian economy is a developed Western-style market system. The level of GDP per capita is close to the main Western European countries. The country was ranked third out of 170 in the Human Development Index (Human Development Index) and sixth in quality of life by The Economist (2005). Economic growth continues despite the global economic crisis. One of the main reasons for the success is the economic reforms - privatization, deregulation and reform of the tax system - carried out by the Howard government.
Australia has not had a recession since the early 1990s. In April 2005, unemployment fell to 5.1%, reaching its lowest level since the 1970s. Now unemployment is 4.3%. The service sector, which includes tourism, education and banks, accounts for 69% of GDP. Agriculture and extraction of natural resources - 3% and 5% of GDP, but at the same time make up a significant share of exports. The main buyers of Australian products are South Korea and New Zealand. Many economists are concerned, however, with a large foreign trade deficit.

Energy industry in Australia

Australia is relatively well endowed with energy mineral resources. This country accounts for 8% of the world's hard coal reserves and 15% of lignite reserves, and in terms of uranium reserves, Australia probably ranks second in the world, second only to the former USSR. Australia's oil resources are limited, while gas resources are plentiful. The use of hydropower is possible only in the Snowy Mountains and Tasmania, due to this source 10% of all electricity generated in the country is provided.

Transport Australia

Long distances are the main obstacle that the Australian economy had to overcome. Sea shipping has always been essential for the movement of heavy bulk goods, which were predominantly produced in Australia. In fiscal year 1995-1996, Australian ports handled almost 400 million tons of international bulk cargo (70% of which was iron ore and coal) and 22 million tons of international non-bulk cargo. The ports of Dampier (iron ore), Port Hedland (iron ore), Newcastle (coal and iron ore) and Hay Point (coal) occupied the leading positions in terms of bulk cargo turnover. All state capitals are located on the coasts and are general cargo ports. Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Fremantle (outport of Perth) are the largest ports in terms of total cargo turnover. The most significant carrier is the state-owned Australian National Line, which in 1996 owned 10 ships.
The first Australian railway was built in Melbourne in 1854. The uncoordinated construction of roads with different gauges by the colonial authorities led to the creation of a system that was inconvenient, expensive and slow. The first priority was to convert the national railway system to a single standard gauge. In this regard, the rebuilding of the Adelaide-Melbourne railway line in 1995 was of great importance.
The Australian government viewed the railways as a means of developing the country. The maximum length - 42,000 km - was reached in 1921. Subsequently, the length of the network was somewhat reduced, and in 1996 traffic was maintained on state railways with a total length of 33,370 km. In addition, there were private lines operated mainly by iron ore companies, including the 425 km Mount Newman line and the 390 km Hamersley line (both in the Pilbara region of Western Australia). The state railroad system, which had long been separately managed by different states, was reassigned to the National Railroad Corporation in 1991.
Highways are vital for the transport of goods and passengers. In 1995, there was one registered vehicle for every 1.65 people. The total length of the road network in 1997 was 803,000 km, but it is unevenly distributed. Only the eastern, southeastern and southwestern regions of the country are adequately provided with roads. Only 40% of all roads have a hard surface - asphalt or concrete. Many roads are only rough or slightly different from trails, others are gravel or loose stone. In rural and remote areas, traffic is sometimes interrupted for weeks during the wet season. Currently, there is a paved ring road encircling the mainland, and a submeridional road Darwin - Adelaide. Australia has a national highway system funded by the federal government. It includes more than 1,000 km of toll roads, and in the 1990s the construction of toll roads by private contractors began (especially in the Melbourne area).
The development of air transport in Australia has helped to establish communication with the outside world and within the country. On domestic routes, passenger transportation is provided mainly by Quontas and Ansett airlines. For decades, the two-airline principle was carried out by the federal government, with one of them (Ansett) being privately owned and the other (Transåstrelien Airlines or Aústrelien Airlines) being state-owned. In addition, the state-owned company Kuontas was engaged in international transportation. In the 1990s, Quontas and Australien Airlines merged, the combined company Quontas was privatized and now serves both domestic and international flights. In addition, Ansett also began to serve international flights. Domestic lines are currently open to competition, but none of the smaller companies can compete with Quontas and Ansett.
There are a total of 428 licensed aircraft arrival and departure locations in Australia, ranging from major international airports to airstrips serving sheep ranches. Thanks to air transport, even in vast sparsely populated areas of the country, mail, fresh fruits and vegetables are regularly delivered, and an ambulance has been established. health care. Aircraft are also used for planting seeds, fertilizing pastures and transporting a wide variety of goods.

Agriculture in Australia

From 1795, when the first white settlers became partially self-sufficient in basic food, until the end of the Second World War, agriculture, and especially sheep farming, formed the basis of the Australian economy. Although agriculture has lost its leading position with the development of industry, this industry still underlies the well-being of the country. In 1996-1997, it provided almost 3% of the gross national product and 22% of export earnings.
The expression "Australia rides a sheep" justified itself for a hundred years - from 1820 to about 1920. Using several Spanish merinos imported in 1797 from the Cape of Good Hope, as well as others brought a little later from England, John MacArthur and his wife Elizabeth by Careful crossbreeding brought out a new breed - the Australian Merino. The mechanization of the English textile industry determined the demand for fine-stapled wool, which Australia was able to satisfy from 1820. In 1850 there were 17.5 million sheep in this country. After 1860, the money raised from the gold mines of Victoria was used to expand sheep farming. In 1894, the number of sheep exceeded 100 million. In 1970, the number of sheep in Australia reached a record high of 180 million. However, as a result of a sharp drop in the price of wool on the world market in 1997, it was reduced to 123 million.
In 1974, a proposal was made to introduce a lower level of auction prices for wool, and it worked successfully until 1991, when the sale of a huge stock of accumulated wool on the "free market" began. As a result, wool prices plummeted. By that time, more than 4.6 million bales of unsold wool had accumulated in the country. The marketing of these stocks, as well as newly produced wool, has become a problem for modern Australia. In 1996, 730 thousand tons of wool were produced, but prices for it fell by 57% compared with the level of 1988-1989.
While Australian wool had a market since the early 19th century, there was no such market for meat for many years. Therefore, old and extra sheep were slaughtered for skins and fat. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and the invention of meat freezing technology in 1879 made it possible to export Australian mutton to England. The successful development of trade stimulated the breeding of new breeds of sheep, which gave meat of better quality than merino, but somewhat worse wool. In 1996-1997, 583 thousand tons of mutton were produced in Australia, of which 205 thousand tons were exported. Over the past decade, live sheep have been exported, which were slaughtered after delivery to the country of destination. Basically, this product was purchased by the Muslim countries of the Middle East. In total, over 5.2 million sheep were exported from Australia in 1996-1997.
Since there are no large predators in Australia other than the dingo, cattle ranching during the colonial period reached a significant scale, especially in drier and more remote areas, where it outpaced sheep farming. However, the development of this industry was held back due to the inability to export products and the limited domestic market. The "Gold Rush" in Victoria in the 1850s attracted thousands of people. A significant beef market arose there, which marked the beginning of the development of commercial beef cattle breeding. However, it was only after 1890, when frozen Australian beef began to enter the English market, that the further development of this industry was guaranteed. By that time, most of the mainland, which is now used for grazing cattle, had been mastered, and the total number of livestock reached about 10 million heads.
In 1997, there were 23.5 million heads of beef cattle. The production of beef and veal amounted to 1.8 million tons, of which 42% was exported. The opening of the Japanese market was of great importance for the expansion of Australian beef exports. As in sheep breeding, during these years, the export of live cattle increased significantly - more than 860 thousand heads in 1996-1997.
Dairy farms in Australia are concentrated on the southeast coast, where there is a lot of rainfall or irrigation; the most important areas for the development of this industry are the south coast of Victoria, the Murray Valley near Echuka and the border area between Queensland and New South Wales. In 1997 there were 3.1 million head of dairy cattle. The number of these herds has declined since the early 1960s, but thanks to improved composition and quality of pastures, as well as improved farming methods, the volume of dairy production has not decreased. In the 1990s, the number of dairy cattle increased again. This trend is partly due to the successful adaptation of the industry to world market conditions after the decision was made in the mid-1980s that dairy products should be priced in line with world prices. Currently, about half of Australian dairy products are exported (mainly to the Middle East and Asia) in the form of cheese, milk powder, butter and casein. In the past, the production of dairy products depended on government subsidies, now this industry is becoming more and more independent.
Other livestock sectors, such as pig, poultry and beekeeping, are mainly oriented to the domestic market, and only a few products are exported.
Cultivation of grain crops is limited mainly to the eastern and southeastern peripheral regions of Australia, to a lesser extent developed in the southwest of Western Australia and in Tasmania. After 1950, when 8 million hectares were sown, there was a significant increase in sown area until a record level of 22 million hectares in 1984. Subsequently, unfavorable climatic and economic factors led to a reduction in sown areas to 17 million hectares in 1991, but then they began to expand again - to 19.4 million hectares in 1994.
Fertilization is necessary for the cultivation of crops and the functioning of many pastures. In 1995-1996 they were used on an area of ​​28.4 million hectares. Irrigation plays an increasingly important role for Australian farms. In 1994, the total area of ​​irrigated land was 2.4 million hectares. Most of these lands were concentrated in the Murray-Darling basin. In 1995-1996, the total value of crop production was AUD 14.7 billion. dollars. The most important among grain crops is wheat grown in areas with an average annual rainfall of 380-500 mm. It accounts for more than half of all cultivated areas. It is predominantly a winter crop, which is very sensitive to droughts. In particular, in 1994-1995, when the drought hit New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, the wheat harvest fell to 9 million tons, and two years later in 1996-1997 it almost tripled and reached 23.7 million tons. t.
Barley and oats are important winter crops. They are used as fodder for livestock, and are also sown in stubble fields - such areas often serve as pastures. Australia is one of the world's leading exporters of oats; its collection in 1995-1996 amounted to 1.9 million tons on an area of ​​1.1 million hectares. South Australia is the leader in barley production. Part of the harvest of this crop is used for malt, the rest is for livestock feed or exported. In 1995-1996, 5.8 million tons of barley were harvested on an area of ​​3.1 million hectares. Among other grain crops, corn (used mainly for fodder), sorghum (grown for grain and fodder), triticale (a hybrid of rye and wheat), and oilseeds - peanut, sunflower, safflower, rapeseed and soybeans stand out. Canola cultivation expanded in the 1990s.
The majority (98%) of rice is grown on irrigated land along the Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers (lower valley) in southern New South Wales. Rice crops are expanding in Queensland. In 1996-1997 rice harvest amounted to 1.4 million tons on an area of ​​164 thousand hectares.
Sugar cane cultivation is limited to coastal areas in eastern Queensland and northern New South Wales. In 1995-1996, 4.9 million tons of sugar were produced, and most of it was exported. Cotton crops in Australia are confined mainly to irrigated lands. The main cotton-growing areas are the Namoi, Guidir and McIntyre river valleys in New South Wales and Burke County. In 1995-1996, 430 thousand tons of cotton fiber were produced (of which 70% was exported). Australia meets its needs for short and medium staple cotton, but has to import long staple cotton.
Vegetable production provides Australia's needs, and over the past decade, the area under vegetables has increased and the range of these crops has expanded. In 1995-1996 vegetable crops occupied 130 thousand hectares. Although much of it for fresh consumption is still grown on small intensively cultivated suburban farms, the development of transport has facilitated the establishment of vegetable farms in areas with the most suitable soils and low land costs. Most vegetables for canning and freezing are produced in irrigated areas.
In Australia, the demand for fruits and grapes is met in excess, but nuts and olives have to be imported. The most distinguished in terms of productivity irrigated land along the Murray and Murrumbidgee River valleys, supplying grapes, citrus fruits and a variety of stone fruits such as peaches, cherries and apricots. The main horticultural exports are raisins, oranges, pears and apples. Tropical fruits such as pineapple, banana, papaya, mango, macadamia and granadilla are grown in the strip between Coffs Harbor (New South Wales) and Cairns (Queensland) on the country's east coast.
Grapes are used in winemaking and for dried and fresh consumption. In 1995-1996 vineyards covered an area of ​​80 thousand hectares. In recent years, wine production has increased and a significant part of it (more than 25%) was exported. Australian wines are very diverse. In 1994, there were 780 wineries operating in the country. However, 80% of all production came from the four largest wineries.
Forestry. Australia is poorly endowed with good timber. Only 20% of the country's area is covered by primary forests, with 72% of the forests located on public lands, the rest on private lands. Almost three quarters of the forests are occupied by eucalyptus stands. Few species are suitable for making wood pulp, with the exceptions being mountain ash in Gippsland and curry in Western Australia. Local types of softwood have a particularly limited use. To reduce shortages, exotic softwood trees, predominantly stately New Zealand pine, have been planted on about 1 million hectares. However, Australia has to import wood, mainly softwood, from Canada and the US. In turn, Australia exports timber harvested in Tasmania and New South Wales.
Fish farm. Fishing is confined mainly to the southern and eastern parts of the shelf. In the 1990s, it expanded greatly, and a significant part of the catch was exported - mainly spiny lobsters and shrimp to Japan, Xianggang (Hong Kong) and Taiwan. The total value of exported seafood in 1995-1996 exceeded 1 billion Australians. In the same year, a total of 214 thousand tons of seafood were harvested, of which the most important fish species were bluefin tuna, Australian salmon, mullet and shark, and of crustaceans - shrimp and spiny lobsters. Shrimp production was 27.5 thousand tons, and lobsters - 15.6 thousand tons. Shrimp are caught by trawlers in the Gulf of Carpentaria, and lobsters are caught in many areas along the southern coast of Australia. The oyster and scallop fishery is mainly oriented to the domestic market.
Since the early 1980s, aquaculture has expanded and is now one of the fastest growing sectors of fisheries. Currently, the main objects of this industry are oysters, tuna, salmon, shrimp and scallops. The value of its production in 1995-1996 amounted to 338 million Australians. dollars, or twice as much as six years ago. The once prosperous pearl industry has now almost ceased, but artificial pearl farms have been established in several (at least ten) places on the northern coast and provide a considerable income. Rivers and streams in the mountains of Eastern Australia provide favorable opportunities for trout fishing.

Manufacturing industry in Australia

The development of the manufacturing industry in Australia was greatly facilitated by the reduction in imports during the Second World War. The expansion of this industry continued in the 1950s and 1960s, and employment there increased by 70%. In the 1970s, the growth of employment in the manufacturing industry slowed down, and this trend continues today. However, the manufacturing industry now accounts for approx. 14% of GDP, i.e. much less than 20 years ago, when this industry provided 20% of GDP. At the end of the 1970s, approximately 1.2 million people were employed in the manufacturing industry, and in 1996 - approx. 925 thousand people, or 13% of the active population.

Mining industry in Australia

Over the past 40 years, mining in Australia has expanded, and now this country is a major supplier of minerals to the world market. Australia is ahead of other countries in the production of bauxite, diamonds, lead and zircon and in the export of coal, iron ore, bauxite, lead, diamonds and zinc. Australia is the world's second largest exporter of bauxite and uranium, and the third largest exporter of gold and aluminium. The largest extractive industry is coal, hard coal accounts for 10% of Australian exports. In general, in 1995-1996, the extractive industry provided 4% of Australia's GDP, and the products of this industry accounted for 22% of exports. In addition to coal, iron ore, oil, copper, zinc ores and uranium were exported from Australia.
In the past, the most important mineral resource was gold. In 1851-1865, deposits in the states of Victoria and New South Wales, where gold was first found, annually produced an average of 70.8 tons of this noble metal. Later gold deposits were discovered in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Currently, gold is mined in many parts of the country, but mainly in Western Australia. In total, 264 tons of gold were mined in 1995-1996, with 78% in Western Australia, where the richest Kalgoorlie deposit stands out.
Since 1950, mineral exploration has expanded. Important discoveries were made in the 1960s, especially in the Precambrian shield of Western Australia and in sedimentary basins. As a result, for the first time since the gold rush of the 1850s, there was a gigantic boom in the mining industry. This campaign was financed by the capital of Japan, the United States and, as well as Australia itself. The most active activity unfolded in Western Australia, especially in the extraction of iron ore.
At one time, the export of iron ore was banned, as it was believed that its reserves in the country were limited. This policy was radically changed after huge deposits of this ore were discovered in 1964 in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. In 1995-1996, 137.3 million tons of iron ore were mined in Australia, of which 92% was for export. The main deposits are located in Western Australia - the Hamersley, Newman and Goldsworthy mountains. Other deposits are Tallering Peak, Kulanuka and Kulyanobbing.
Australia has extensive reserves of bauxite, the main raw material for aluminum production, and since 1985 this country has produced at least 40% of the world's bauxite production. Bauxites were first discovered in 1952 on the Gove Peninsula (Northern Territory), and in 1955 in Weipa (Queensland). There are also deposits in Western Australia - in the Darling Range southeast of Perth and on the Mitchell Plateau in the Kimberley region; in all but the last, development has begun. In 1995-1996, 50.7 million tons of bauxite were mined. Part of the bauxite goes to the production of alumina, and the other part is processed into aluminum. The bauxites from the Weipa deposit are sent to Gladstone, where alumina is produced. Similar enrichment plants operate in Gove (Northern Territory); Quinan and Pinjarre (Western Australia) and Bell Bay (Tasmania). In 1995-1996, alumina production in Australia amounted to 13.3 million tons, most of it is exported. At the same time, Australian enterprises produced 1.3 million tons of aluminum by electrolysis.
The coalfields near Newcastle have been exploited since 1800 and coal was one of the first Australian exports. Anthracite and semi-anthracite coals are rare, but the reserves of other types of coal are large. The main deposits of bituminous (coking and steam) coals are located in the Bowen (in Queensland) and Sydney (in New South Wales) basins; some seams are over 18 m thick and may be mined (particularly in the Bowen Basin). It was these coals, in particular from the Queensland deposits located near Collinsville, Moura, Blair Atol and Bridgwater, that revived the Australian coal industry. Japan, the main importer of Australian coal, has been heavily investing in coal mining in the Bowen Basin, where several new mines have been opened. In 1995-1996, 194 million tons of hard coal were mined in Australia (about half in Queensland and the same in New South Wales), 140 million tons of coal were exported (43% to Japan, 13% to Korea and 7% to Taiwan) . Australia is currently the leading supplier of coal to the world market.
Coking coal for iron and steel industry is mined from deposits near Newcastle and Wollongong. Sub-bituminous coals are being developed in Ipswich and Cullaid in Queensland, Lee Creek in South Australia and Fingal in Tasmania. The main deposit of Western Australia is located in Collie, 320 km south of Perth. The Latrobe Valley in Victoria has large deposits of brown coal: three main seams are mined by highly mechanized open pit mining; most of the coal is used in local thermal power plants to power southern Victoria. Other brown coal deposits are located west of Melbourne - in Anglesey and Baccus Marsh. Large brown coal deposits have been discovered in Kingston in the southeast of South Australia, Esperance in Western Australia and Rosevale in Tasmania.
Because the coal industry is of critical economic importance, including for power generation, exports and employment, Australia has long resisted the implementation of the UN resolution adopted at the Kyoto climate change conference in December 1997. Ultimately, she agreed to significantly reduce 2010 carbon gas emissions.
The program of oil exploration, which began in the 1950s with state support, contributed to the clear identification of at least 20 sedimentary basins; of these, nine are now producing oil. The most important deposits are in Gippsland (Victoria), Carnarvon (Western Australia), Bonaparte (Northern Territory and Western Australia) and Cooper Eromanga (South Australia and Queensland). In 1995-1996, 30 billion liters of oil were produced, incl. almost half of the Gippsland Basin. Australia has almost reached the level of self-sufficiency in petroleum products, exports of crude oil and condensate in 1994-1995 amounted to 35 million liters, and imports - 77 million liters, which is much less than the level of local production.
Natural gas, first discovered in the Roma region of Queensland in 1904, until 1961 had only local significance. In 1995-1996, almost 30 billion cubic meters were produced in Australia. m of gas, mainly from the deposits of the Gippsland region and the shelf off the northwest coast, with the latter region accounting for more than half and being exported. All state capitals and many other cities are connected by pipelines to gas fields. Brisbane receives gas from the Roma-Surat fields; Sydney, Canberra and Adelaide - from the Cooper Eromanga Basin; Melbourne - from the Gipsland shelf; Perth - from the Dongar-Mandara fields and the shelf off the northwest coast; Darwin - from the deposits of the Amadius basin.
Australia is gradually expanding its LPG production. In 1995-1996, 3.6 billion liters of this gas were produced, including 62% from the Bass Strait fields and 25% from the Cooper Basin.
Australia is the main producer and lead, which are often found together with. The most important area for the extraction of these metals is Mount Isa - Cloncurry in western Queensland, from where the ore goes to the processing plants in Mount Isa and Townsville. Older but still significant mining areas for these metals are Zian Dundas in Tasmania (since 1882) and Broken Hill in western New South Wales (since 1883). In terms of metal content in 1995-1996, 774 thousand tons of lead ore were mined. In the same year, 1.3 million tons of zinc were mined. The Mount Isa-Cloncurry region is also a major hotspot. This metal was first mined in the Kapanda-Barra region of South Australia in the 1840s. In 1991, Australia produced 1.3 million tons of copper in terms of copper concentrate.
Australia became a major producer after the metal was discovered in 1966 at Cambalda, south of the Kalgoorlie gold region in Western Australia. In 1991, 65.4 thousand tons of nickel were mined. After the discovery of diamond deposits in the northeast of Western Australia in 1979, Australia became their main producer. Diamond mining at the Argyle mine began in 1983 and is now considered one of the largest in the world. Most of the mined diamonds are of industrial importance. In 1995-1996 Australia exported almost 7200 kg of diamonds. A significant amount of opals and sapphires is also mined. The Coober Pedy, Andamooka and Mintabe deposits in South Australia produce most of the world's precious opals; New South Wales has the Lightning Ridge and White Cliffs deposits. Sapphires are mined near Glen Innes and Inverell in New South Wales and at Anaki in Queensland.
Australia has most of the world's reserves of rutile, zircon and thorium contained in the sands along the country's east coast between Stradbroke (Queensland) and Byron Bay (NSW) and off the coast of Western Australia at Capel. In 1995-1996, 2.5 million tons of sands containing these minerals were mined. The extraction of manganese ore far exceeds the needs of the country, and most of the production is exported. All manganese comes from Groote Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Australia has been a major supplier of tungsten in the past and a significant portion of its production is still exported. Tungsten mines are located in the northeast of Tasmania and on King Island.
Australia owns 30% of the world's reserves of cheap uranium raw materials. The Labor government in power, out of security concerns, limited uranium mining to two mines. The development of the Ranger Nabarlek fields near Jabiru in the Northern Territory began in 1979, and the Olympic Dam fields in South Australia in 1988. In 1995-1996, 3.2 thousand tons were mined in the first area, and 1.85 thousand tons in the second. The coalition government that came to power in 1996 lifted restrictions on uranium mining. Government approval has been obtained for the Jabiluka mine in the Northern Territory and the Beverly mine in South Australia is planned, although both projects are facing opposition from environmental groups.
Salt is produced by evaporation sea ​​water, as well as the waters of salt lakes. Four large installations of this kind, located in Western Australia (Dhampier, Lake MacLeod, Port Hedland and Shark Bay), provide almost 80% of the salt produced in the country. Most of it is exported to Japan, where it is used in the chemical industry. For the domestic market, salt is produced in small factories located mainly in South Australia, Victoria and Queensland.

Australia's foreign trade

Australia has always depended on overseas markets for the products of its ranches, farms, mines and, more recently, manufacturing industries. In 1996-1997, the value of exports amounted to almost 79 billion Australian dollars. dollars, including finished products - 61.4%, mineral raw materials - 22.7% and agricultural products - 13.6%. In the same year, 75% of Australia's exports went to the Asia-Pacific region. The top buyer of Australian goods was Japan (19% of export value), followed by South Korea (9%), New Zealand (8%), US (7%), Taiwan (4.6%), China (4.5%) , Singapore (4.3%), Indonesia (4.2%) and Hong Kong (3.9%), while the UK accounted for only 3%.
Australia's trade balance in 1995-1996 was generally characterized by a slight deficit: exports - 78.885 billion Australians. dollars, imports - 78.997 billion austral. dollars. The main imports were computers, aircraft, vehicles, chemical products (including oil), telecommunications equipment, medicines, clothing, shoes and paper. Australia's trade balance with different countries evolved in different ways. For example, there was a surplus with Japan (exports A$15.3 billion and imports A$10.2 billion) and a large deficit with the United States (exports A$5.5 billion). , and imports - 17.6 billion Australian dollars). In addition, there was a surplus with South Korea, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran and South Africa and significant trade deficits with the UK, and .
The economic ties between Australia and the United States attract particular attention. Australia is considered an active ally of the US, but in terms of foreign trade, the balance is not in Australia's favor - just like in trade between the US and Japan, the latter (which in turn is inferior to Australia) wins. Australia and the United States are competitors in the export of some goods, such as grain. Government subsidies given to US export farmers are seen in Australia as unfair competition.
Despite relatively balanced foreign trade performance, Australia has a chronic deficit in its overall international financial balance. This can be explained by successive deficits generated by non-trade factors such as interest payments on foreign loans, dividend payments to foreign investors, insurance costs and ship charters. In fiscal year 1996-1997, Australia's "current account deficit" was 17.5 billion Australians. dollars, or 3.4% of GDP, which is much less than the level of 1994-1995, when it was 27.5 billion Australians. dollars, or 6% of GDP.
In fiscal year 1996-1997, Australia's entire external debt was estimated at AU$288 billion. dollars. Taking into account the value of Australian investments abroad (except for shares), Australia's net external debt was 204 billion Australians. dollars. A country's overall international investment position can be estimated by adding this external debt to its net equity investment. In 1996-1997, Australia's gross foreign share liabilities were AUD 217 billion. dollars, and a net liability on foreign shares - 105 billion austral.dollars. In general, the international investment position of Australia, taking into account debt and equities, was characterized by a deficit of 309 billion Australians. Doll.
The Australian economy has always been heavily dependent on foreign investment. With the continued market orientation of the government, a healthy economy, and large-scale development projects, there has been an influx of foreign capital. In fiscal year 1996-1997, total foreign investment was AUD 217 billion. dollars, and the volume of Australian investments abroad - 173 billion Australian. USD In general, approx. 29% of the shares of Australian companies were owned by foreigners, and in private trading companies this figure reached 44%. Particularly large is the participation of foreign capital in the mining industry.
Throughout the 20th century Australia tried to protect its industry by imposing duties on imported goods, while at the same time trying to establish free export of goods. Since the beginning of the 1970s, customs duties have been sharply reduced, which significantly affected the production and employment in a number of sectors of the economy, for example, in the manufacturing industry - in the production of cars, clothing and shoes. As a result of these policies, the Australian economy has become more competitive, and the share of manufactured goods in exports has increased significantly. Thanks to a more stable economic structure, by the end of 1998 Australia was able to overcome the strong shocks that erupted in the Asia-Pacific region without much loss. Australia has strengthened its position in the so-called. Cairns Group of Trading Partners and in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, upholding the principle of free trade. In the late 1990s, the Australian government, concerned about high unemployment and the unwillingness of other partners in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation to continue the policy of lowering customs duties, itself introduced a moratorium on further reductions in duties until 2004.
Money circulation and banking. Australia has adopted a decimal currency system since 1966. The Australian dollar is issued by the Reserve Bank of Australia, which regulates interest rates and controls the financial system. In recent years, regulation of the banking sector has been gradually loosened. For example, since 1983 foreign banks have been allowed to operate in Australia, and fundamental differences between different types of banks and between banks and other financial institutions, such as life insurance companies, construction companies and pension funds, are being gradually reduced or erased. As of June 1996, there were 50 Australian and foreign banks operating in the country, with more than 6.5 thousand branches. The four largest Australian banks - the National Bank of Australia, the Union Bank of Australia, Westpack Banking Corporation and the Australian and New Zealand Banking Group - control more than half of all banking assets. The merger of these four large banks is prohibited by the state, which seeks to ensure the competitiveness of the banking sector.

Australian public finance

Despite the federal principle state structure which gave the states substantial financial autonomy from the start, the federal government is the dominant factor in Australia's public finance system. In fiscal year 1995-1996, for example, the national government increased its share of public sector revenue by 73%, while its own expenditures (excluding subsidies to other government agencies) amounted to approx. 55% of total public sector spending. The draft federal budget for the 1998-1999 financial year provides for revenues of 144.3 billion Australians. dollars, of which 2.5% comes from tax revenues, and expenses in the amount of 141.6 billion austral. dollars, which will amount to a budget surplus of 2.7 billion Australians. dollars. The main areas of budget spending are social insurance and social assistance (38% of total spending), health care (16%), defense (7%) and education (4%).
The surplus envisaged by the draft budget should end the 7-year period of the budget deficit, which came after the Labor government managed to achieve a positive budget balance for 4 years in a row (from 1987-1988 to 1990-1991). It is assumed that in the foreseeable future the country will have a deficit-free budget. As a result, within four years, the amount of domestic public debt (the statistics of which do not include indicators of state-owned business enterprises) should be reduced to zero. For comparison: in the 1995-1996 financial year, the amount of public debt reached a peak and amounted to 95.8 billion Australians. dollars, or 19.5% of GDP. The total revenues of the governments of the states and territories in 1995-1996 amounted to 74.4 billion Australians. About 46% of this amount was received in the form of grants from the federal government, the rest was received in the form of taxes on payroll, property, financial transactions and sales tax. The main items of expenditure for state and territory governments are education (31% of spending), health care (20%), public debt repayment (15%), police and security services (9%).
Taxation system. In the system of taxation, the most important place is occupied by income tax. Although in general the level of taxes in Australia is much lower than in other developed industrial countries, income tax rates are quite high. In 1995-1996, income tax accounted for over 60% of taxes collected at all levels (while personal income tax accounted for 40%, and legal entities - 13%). Income from individuals is calculated on a progressive scale, starting with a minimum rate of 20% levied on income that exceeds the tax-exempt annual income of 5.4 thousand AUD. dollars, and up to a maximum rate of 47% on income in excess of 50 thousand Australians. dollars (data as of 1997-1998). Over the past decades, there has been a gradual decrease in the maximum income tax rate, which was previously 60%.
Wealth and real estate taxes are relatively low, totaling 5% of total tax deductions, and there is no inheritance tax (inheritance tax was abolished in the 1970s). Tax on goods and services in 1995-1996 amounted to approx. 23% of total tax revenues, which is somewhat less than in other industrialized countries, but the taxation mechanism in this area is rather complicated. The federal government collects a wholesale tax at various rates (12% on some goods, 22% on others, and 32% on "luxury goods"). There is also a 37% wholesale tax on beer and spirits, a 41% tax on wine and a 45% tax on expensive cars. Food, clothing, Construction Materials, books, magazines and newspapers, medicines. In addition, a federal excise tax is levied on oil and certain agricultural products. Until 1997, taxes and excises were also levied on gasoline, alcoholic beverages and tobacco products, which were legally treated as taxes on franchise and working capital. In August 1997, the High Court ruled that these taxes were unconstitutional and violated the government's monopoly on excises, so steps were hastily taken to transfer these taxes to the category of state taxes that go to state budgets.
In 1985, the then Labor government supported the idea of ​​introducing a simple and comprehensive consumption tax, but then he had to withdraw this project under pressure from supporters of the social security system and trade unions, who feared the regressive effect of the new tax mechanism. The proposal to introduce a single tax on goods and services (GST) was included in the radical platform of the liberal-national opposition in the elections of 1993, but the apparent unpopularity of this proposal, admittedly, was the reason for the defeat of the opposition coalition. However, in 1996 the same opposition coalition led by John Howard defeated the Labor Party even though its program included the same unpopular thesis about the introduction of NTU. At the same time, the Howard government promised that if he was re-elected in 1998, it would not only reduce the income tax rate (which was supposed to be the basis of the budget surplus planned by the government), but at the same time introduce a 10% GST on all goods and services (except institutions health care, education and kindergartens). With this tax reform program, the Howard government won the election. However, the fate of the NTU project remains unclear, as the government does not have a majority in the Senate. It is likely that if foodstuffs are also excluded from the tax base, the NTU will be supported by small party senators and come into force in 2000.

Distribution of Australian tax revenue

The states that formed the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901 became not only self-financing, but also self-governing entities. As the federal government strengthened and expanded its participation in the development and implementation of state financial policy (for example, in 1908 the national pension program was adopted), it began to collect taxes that had previously been the prerogative of state governments (land tax, funeral duty, income tax and etc.) and compete with the states in capital construction lending.
In the early days of the Union, a number of once-important revenue items for the state budgets - the tax on public utilities, public transport and the sold-off lands of the British crown - gradually lost economic importance. On the other hand, the constitutional transfer of "customs and excise" to the federal government has limited the ability of the states to levy taxes in these areas. Although the transfer of these payments to the federal level was intended to stimulate internal trade between the states and establish uniform tariffs on imports, this gave impetus to the emergence of a "vertical budget imbalance", in which the federal government's revenue invariably exceeds its real spending and, accordingly, the states really spend far more than they can collect in taxes. With regard to "excise payments", the High Court insisted on a fairly broad interpretation of them, which deprived the state budgets of many potential sources of revenue in the form of turnover tax, consumption tax, penalties and left the states with a rather narrow tax base.
Throughout the 1920s, states struggled to meet their debt repayment obligations and interest payments on previously taken loans, causing them to run budget deficits. In 1927, a special mechanism was developed for coordinating government loan programs and eliminating competition between the federal center and the states in the field of borrowing within the framework of a financial agreement between the states and the federal government, according to which a loan council was formed. All government loans (with the exception of defense loans) now had to be made in agreement with the Board of Loans, which included one representative from each state and central government. The federal government received two advisory votes and one casting vote in the council, so that the government needed to enlist the support of two more states to make favorable decisions. But even without these additional votes, the federal government's financial dominance in other areas of the economy allowed it to consistently exercise decisive influence on the decisions of the loan board. In 1928, the financial agreement received constitutional justification in a referendum that approved the inclusion of Article 105A in the constitution.
Finally, when the federal government succeeded in monopolizing the collection of income taxes in the 1940s, its financial power was on a firm footing. In the early 1940s, income tax became the most important source of replenishment of the state budget, while income tax rates varied significantly from state to state. During World War II, the federal government, ostensibly in an effort to find efficient and fair ways to increase budget revenues, proposed to the states that they waive direct taxes for the duration of the war (in exchange for federal compensation payments) so that uniform tax rates could be established throughout the country. . But the premiers of the states did not agree with this proposal, and then in 1941 the federal parliament passed a law obliging the states to adopt a new scheme. As a result, the states were entitled to compensatory transfers for lost revenues, but only on the condition that they did not impose their own income tax. A number of states challenged the single tax law, but in 1942 the High Court upheld it. In 1946, the federal parliament again passed the same law in order to maintain a single tax in peacetime (in 1957 this law was also upheld by the High Court). However, the federal government had no legal grounds to prevent the introduction of local income taxes in the states. However, the practical significance of the new legislation was that the federal government secured a monopoly on the collection of income tax, since the imposition of a state income tax would automatically deprive it of federal transfers and could lead to "double taxation" in that state.
This system of taxation finally strengthened the financial basis of Australian federalism. Currently, income taxes are collected by the central government. The federal budget for 1998-1999 provides for the collection of income taxes in the amount of 99 billion Australians. dollars - of which 76% are for individuals, 23% - for legal entities. Another 15 billion Australians. dollars should come to the budget from the tax on wholesale sales and 14 billion austral. dollars - from excise payments on petroleum products and so on.
In 1971, some of the vertical fiscal imbalance was corrected when the federal government gave the states the power to levy a payroll tax (in exchange for a reduction in the general spending transfer, although the states promptly legislated tax rates higher, benefiting from this reform as a result) . The payroll tax has become the most important source of state budget revenues, being directly related to the rate of economic growth. However, this tax is considered too burdensome for businesses, as it slows down the development of investment and employment.
In practice, the vertical budget imbalance is determined by the federal center, which returns budget funds to the states in the form of transfers (subsidies). The Union Government proposes a draft budget for the coming year at the annual conference of state premiers. The heads of state governments participate in this partly ritual and partly competitive forum, making their own amendments and entering into special agreements with the government. At different stages modern history of the country, the federal center was regarded by the states as a generous, then as a tight-fisted creditor, although it must be admitted that the degree of generosity of the government of the Union invariably depended on the general principles of its economic strategy. Thus, in the first years after the war, budget revenues from increased tax collection served as a powerful financial support for strengthening the federal government. At the same time, the size of compensatory transfers to the states was constantly decreasing.
The system of vertical budget imbalance has its supporters. The country has developed a centralized and in general efficient system collection of income tax, and the powers of the federal center to determine the amount of government spending and borrowing, in turn, provide it with the ability to effectively manage the country's economy as a whole. On the other hand, the opinion is expressed that the budget imbalance significantly disrupts the interdependence between public spending programs and the execution of the budget revenues. According to the opponents of the current system, not only does this imbalance prevent direct linking of decisions on public spending with responsibility for the execution of the revenue side of the budget, but also the social and financial responsibility of power structures is eroded.
State governments, in principle, are able to increase their budget revenues through local taxes. In the past, the central government has given the states the opportunity—particularly in 1952 and 1977—to take over some of the functions of collecting income taxes. However, the states did not want to use the powers they received. With the increase of some local payments and taxes, other taxes are simultaneously reduced, or even completely canceled. Thus, in most states the inheritance tax was abolished, land tax benefits were introduced, and in 1977 none of the states took advantage of the opportunity to introduce an income tax surcharge.
The Howard government promised that all revenue generated by the introduction of GST would be redistributed to the states. This measure should provide states with more accurate fiscal revenue projections, although it is unlikely to help reduce vertical fiscal imbalances.
In the past, most federal grants to the states were distributed as “untied” “general use” payments (in the 1990s they were called bailout grants), which allowed the states to use the allocated funds at their own discretion. Article 96 of the constitution states that the federal government "may grant financial assistance to any state on such terms as the federal parliament thinks acceptable." And according to the decision of the High Court, the federal center, when allocating financial assistance to the states under certain conditions, has the right to determine among these conditions those that may relate to powers that are not constitutionally transferred to the federal center.
The first legislation in the 1940s to allocate the power to collect taxes proposed that the federal government's reimbursement of income taxes collected in the states should be in the form of "untied" payments, so that the states could dispose of them as freely as they previously disposed of income from collection local income taxes. Beginning in the late 1940s, however, the federal government repeatedly increased the share of "tied" (i.e., targeted) payments, which now account for about half of all federal transfers.
Ten years after the formation of the Commonwealth of Australia, the federal government has become a reliable source of financial assistance to states that had previously experienced serious financial difficulties. In 1933, when the practice of issuing government subsidies was firmly rooted, the central government created a permanent special body - a commission on subsidies - to determine the amount and form of financial assistance to the states.

Economic and geographical position of Australia

Remark 1

The Commonwealth of Australia is the official name of the state. The country occupies the entire mainland of Australia. It has no land neighbors, only sea borders.

All neighbors are island countries - New Zealand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea. Australia is far from the developed countries of Europe and America, that is, from markets and raw materials.

It plays an important role in the Asia-Pacific region.

This continent-state is washed by the waters of two oceans - the east coast is washed by the Pacific Ocean, and the west coast is the Indian. The country lies entirely in the southern hemisphere relative to the equator and in the eastern hemisphere relative to the prime meridian.

This remote state is located at a distance of 20 thousand km from Europe and 3.5 thousand km from the countries of Southeast Asia.

Australia belongs to the highly developed countries of the world, and to the north of it are the new industrialized countries. The remoteness of the country from other territories is a favorable feature of the political and geographical position, because there are no hotbeds of military conflicts near its borders, and no one has territorial claims. The wars of the 20th century practically did not touch it.

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All types of transport are developing on the territory of the country. Internal communications in the country are carried out by rail and road transport.

The eastern and southeastern regions of Australia have a well-developed rail network. The interior and northwestern regions have almost no railways.

Foreign trade relations with other countries are carried out by sea transport. Australian goods are exported on huge ocean liners.

Air transport also plays an important role. For regular internal communications, small aircraft have been greatly developed.

I must say that roads and railways are located mainly on the east coast of the mainland, because here are the country's major cities and leading industries. On the east coast are the major ports of Australia - Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane.

The sparsely populated western part of the country is represented by deserts.

Pipeline transport is also developing. From the places of extraction of hydrocarbons - Mumba, Jackson, Roma, Muni, the pipelines go to the eastern ports of the country.

In the Australian economy, the role of foreign trade is quite large. The main source of obtaining foreign currency is the export of goods.

The main export item is, about half of it, agricultural products, ¼ part falls on mining products.

Export commodities are meat, wheat, iron ore, butter, cheese, wool, coal, some types of machinery and equipment.

Imports are dominated by machinery and capital equipment, consumer and food products, oil, oil products.

Its trading partners are Germany, USA, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia, Great Britain.

Trade relations are developing with the countries of Oceania and Southeast Asia. Active work is underway to establish a free trade regime with China.

After Japan, China is the second largest foreign trade partner.

Remark 2

Thus, the economic and geographical position of a highly developed country in the southern hemisphere is generally favorable, which, on the one hand, is explained by open access to two oceans, the absence of land neighbors, which means that there are no territorial claims and conflict situations, no hotbeds of tension. The wealth of natural resources makes it possible to develop their own economy and export both finished products and part of natural resources to other countries. On the other hand, Australia is located away from international sea trade routes, and this creates certain difficulties in its foreign trade relations.

Natural conditions of Australia

At the base of Australia lies the Australian platform, which was formed more than 1600 million years ago, so there are practically no mountain systems in the country, and weathering processes have turned the surface into plains during this time.

Only on the east coast of the country is the Great Dividing Range - this is the only mountain system in Australia. The Great Dividing Range is an old ruined mountains, the top of which is Kosciuszko, which has a height of 2228 m above sea level.

Volcanoes are completely absent here, and earthquakes are very rare, which is explained by the remoteness of the plate on which the country is located from the collision boundaries.

In the center of the country in the area of ​​Lake Eyre, there is the Central Lowland, the height of which is not more than 100 m. In the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe same lake lies the lowest point on the mainland - about 12 m below sea level.

In the west of Australia, the Western Australian Plateau was formed with elevated edges and a height of 400-450 m. The Hamersley Range with flat tops and a height of 1226 m is located in the same part of the country.

In the north is the Kimberley massif with a height of 936 m. The southwestern part is occupied by the Darling Range, with a height of 582 m above sea level.

Climatic conditions largely depend on the geographical location of the territory, which is located on both sides of the Southern Tropic.

The climate is greatly influenced by the terrain, atmospheric circulation, weak indentation of the coast, ocean currents and a large extent from west to east.

Most of the country is under the influence of the trade winds, but their influence is different in different parts.

1. subequatorial belt;
2. tropical zone;
3. subtropical zone;
4. temperate zone.

The north and northeast of the mainland lies in a subequatorial climate. Precipitation in large quantities falls mainly in the summer. Winter is dry, air temperature throughout the year is +23, +24 degrees.

The tropical zone occupies 40% of the country. The climate here is tropical hot and tropical humid. It covers the deserts and semi-deserts of the central and western parts of the mainland. This is the hottest part of Australia, the summer temperature is not lower than +35 degrees, and the winter temperature is +20…+25 degrees. Tropical rainforests stretch in a narrow strip in the east. Moisture is brought by southeast winds from the Pacific Ocean.

The subtropical climate is also divided into continental subtropical, it is arid and occupies the central and southern parts of the country, subtropical humid in the southeast, precipitation here falls evenly, in the east there is a Mediterranean climate.

The southern and central part of the island of Tasmania is located in the temperate zone. The summer here is cool with a temperature of +8…+10 degrees, and the winter is warm +14…+17 degrees. Sometimes it snows, but it melts quickly.

natural resources of australia

Nature has not deprived the mainland of its mineral resources, they are rich and varied.

New discoveries of mineral deposits have put the country in one of the first places in terms of their reserves and production.

The Hamersley Range contains the largest iron ore reserves. Zinc with an admixture of copper and silver in the Broken Hill deposit in the western desert.

There are deposits of polymetals and copper on the island of Tasmania. Gold associated with the Precambrian basement lies in the southwest of the mainland, and its small deposits are found throughout the territory.

In terms of uranium reserves, the country ranks 2nd in the world and 1st in zirconium and bauxite deposits.

In the east are the main deposits of coal.

There are large deposits of oil and gas in the bowels and on the shelf.

Platinum, silver, nickel, opal, antimony, and diamonds are mined in fairly large volumes.

The country fully provides its industry with mineral resources, with the exception of oil.

There are few surface waters in the country. In the dry season, both rivers and lakes dry up, even such a large river as the Darling becomes shallow.

Of the 774 thousand hectares of total land resources, more than half can be used for the needs of agriculture and construction. Cultivated areas occupy only 6% of the entire territory.

Forests occupy 2% of the country's area. There are subtropical forests and savannah forests.