It is the largest country in the world and occupies about 5% of the planet's land area or 7.69 million km². It is washed by the waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans. Australia has many natural resources, but the most economically important minerals are those that are exported to other countries of the world and bring significant economic benefits.
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Water resources
Australia is the driest inhabited continent on Earth, with one of the highest levels of water consumption in the world. mainly surface water in the form of rivers, lakes, reservoirs, dams and rainwater reservoirs, as well as underground aquifers. As an island continent, Australia is completely dependent on precipitation (rain and snow) for its water supply. Artificial reservoirs are critical to maintaining the mainland's water supply.
Among OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries, Australia ranks fourth in per capita water consumption. The total annual water flow is about 243 billion m³ and the total groundwater recharge is 49 billion m³, giving a total water inflow of 292 billion m³. Only 6% of Australia's water flow is in the Murray-Darling Basin, where water use is 50%. The total storage capacity of Australia's large dams is about 84 billion m³.
It is common in Australia to use reclaimed water (treated wastewater that is not potable and intended for industrial reuse) for irrigating green spaces, golf courses, crops or industrial use.
forest resources
Australia is diverse and is one of the continent's most important natural resources.
Australia has a lot of forests despite being considered one of the driest continents. There are about 149.3 million hectares of natural forests on the mainland, which is about 19.3% of Australia's land area. Most of Australia's trees are deciduous, usually eucalyptus. Of these, 3.4% (5.07 million ha) are classified as primary forest, the most biologically diverse and carbon rich.
Australia's natural forests are found in a wide range of geographic landscapes and climates, and contain a wide range of predominantly endemic species (i.e. species found nowhere else) that form unique and complex forests. Forests represent a range of woody and non-woody products that Australians use in their daily lives. They also provide clean water, protect soils, provide opportunities for recreation, tourism, and scientific and educational activities, and support cultural, historical, and aesthetic values.
The continent's timber industry has benefited from the development of tree plantations, which produce 14 times more timber per hectare than natural forests. Currently, plantations provide more than two-thirds of Australia's timber. These areas are dominated by fast growing tree species such as eucalyptus and radiata pine. The main types of forest products are sawn timber, wood-based panels, paper and wood chips.
Mineral resources
Australia is one of the world's largest producers of minerals. The most important continent are bauxite, gold and iron ore. Other mainland minerals include copper, lead, zinc, diamonds and mineral sands. Most mineral resources are mined in Western Australia and Queensland. Many minerals mined in Australia are exported overseas.
Australia has extensive coal deposits. It is mainly found in the eastern part of the country. 2/3 of Australian coal is exported mainly to Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Western Europe. The rest of the coal mined in Australia is burned to generate electricity.
Natural gas is also common in the country. Its reserves are mainly found in Western and Central Australia. Because most of these deposits are far from urban centers, natural gas pipelines have been built to transport natural gas to cities such as Sydney and Melbourne. Part of the natural gas is exported. For example, natural gas produced in Western Australia is exported directly to Japan in liquid form.
Australia also contains a third of the world's uranium reserves. Uranium is used to produce nuclear energy. However, nuclear power and uranium mining are highly controversial as people are concerned about the detrimental environmental impact due to its radioactive properties.
Land resources
Land use has a significant impact on Australia's natural resources through impacts on water, soil, nutrients, plants and animals. There is also a strong link between changing land use patterns and economic and social conditions, especially in regional Australia. Land use information shows how , including the production of products (such as crops,
timber, etc.) and measures to protect land, protect biodiversity, and natural resources.
The total area of agricultural land is 53.4%, of which: arable land - 6.2%, permanent crops - 0.1%, permanent pastures - 47.1%.
About 7% of Australia's land resources are reserved for nature protection. Other protected areas, including native lands, cover more than 13% of the country.
Forestry tends to be limited to higher rainfall regions of Australia and covers nearly 19.3% of the continent. The lands of settlements (mostly urban) occupy about 0.2% of the country's area. Other types of land use account for 7.1%.
biological resources
animal husbandry
Animal husbandry is one of the leading branches of agriculture in Australia. In terms of the number of sheep, the country ranks first in the world, and in some years it provides more than 1/4 of the world's wool production. On the territory of the country, cattle are also raised, and by-products include meat, milk, butter, cheese, etc. exported to other countries and generates a total income of more than 700 million US dollars per year, while Indonesia is the largest consumer of meat.
crop production
Australia is one of the world's largest producers and exporters of crops. Wheat is the most important cultivated crop, with a sown area of more than 11 million hectares. Other Australian crops include barley, corn, sorghum, triticale, peanuts, sunflowers, safflower, rapeseed, canola, soybeans, and more.
Sugarcane, bananas, pineapples (mainly Queensland), citrus fruits (South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales) and others are also grown on the territory of the country.
Flora and fauna
The flora and fauna of Australia are the plants and animals that live on its territory. The fauna and flora of Australia is unique and differs significantly from the wildlife of other continents.
About 80% of Australian plant species are found only on this continent. Native plants include: eucalyptus, casuarina, acacia, spinfex grass and flowering plants including banksia and anigozanthos etc.
Australia has many unique animals. Of native Australian animal species: 71% of mammals and birds, 88% of reptile species and 94% of amphibian species are endemic. About 10% of the biodiversity of our planet is located here.
The area is 7.7 million km2. Population - 20.3 million people
State in the composition. Commonwealth - six states and two territories. Capital -. Canberra
EGP
. Australia (Australia) It is the only country in the world that occupies an entire continent. Australia is located southeast of. Eurasia. She is bathed in water. Quiet and. Indian Oceans. The main feature of the economic and geographical position of nia. Australia - isolation, remoteness from other continents. Technological progress in transport and communications has brought it closer to other continents. Relative proximity acquires a positive value. Australia to countries. Southeast and. Eastern. Asia and. Oceania. In terms of area, the country ranks sixth in the world after. Russia,. Canada,. China,. USA and. Brazil. From the west to the east is the territory. Australia stretches for 4.4 thousand km, and from north to south - for 3.1 thousand k1 yew. km.
Australia is an economically highly developed country. in absolute terms. GNP it is included in the group of the first 15 countries of the world while in the global division of labor it is agrarian and raw material specialization
Australia is a member. UN,. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and other world and regional organizations
Population
. modern population. Australia was shaped by immigrants. By the beginning of European colonization, about 300 thousand natives lived on the mainland, and now their number is more than 150 thousand people. They belong to the Australoid race and ethnically do not form a single whole. Aborigines are divided into many tribes speaking different languages.
After. World War II. Australia received many so-called "displaced persons", as well as people from the European south and east - Italians, Yugoslavs, Greeks, etc. Among them were more than 20 thousand Ukrainian rainsiv. Recently, the part of immigrants in the population growth is 40%. In recent decades, the country has been suffering from a growing rate of illegal immigration from countries. Southeast and. Eastern. AsiaAsia.
The population is distributed very unevenly throughout the country. The main areas of greatest density are concentrated in the east and southeast, southwest and south. Here the population density is 25 - -50 people per 1 km2, and the rest of the territory is very poorly populated (the density does not even reach one person per 1 km2). In some inland desert areas. The Australian population is missing. In recent decades, there have been shifts in the distribution of the country's population, thanks to the discovery of new mineral deposits in the north and south. The Australian government encourages the movement of the population to the center of the mainland, to the underdeveloped regions.
By level of urbanization. Australia occupies one of the first places in the world - 90%. Among urban areas. There are three groups of cities in Australia: firstly, these are small mountainous cities that are scattered throughout the continent and are its integral feature, and secondly, these are state capitals that perform not only administrative and political functions, but also economic, commercial, scientific, cultural, thirdly, these are medium-sized centers that have arisen near the capitals, assuming the functions of centers of various industries.
employment structure. Australia is typical of post-industrial countries. Thus, 3.6% is employed in agriculture, 26.4% in industry, and 70% in the service sector. In 2005, unemployment was about 55%.
Natural conditions and resources
At 0.3% of the world population. Australia 5.8% of the earth's surface. Therefore, its provision with natural resource potential is 20 times higher than the average in the world, primarily mineral resources.
resources. The discovery of new deposits brought the country to a leading position in the world in terms of reserves and production of iron and lead-zinc ores, bauxites
The largest deposits of coal, oil and gas are located in the eastern part. Australia. In the western and northern parts of the country there are deposits of ore raw materials: iron, nickel, polymetals, gold, silver and copper, manganese. Bauxite deposits are concentrated on the peninsula. Cape York and the northeast. Northern Territory. With the exception of oil, the country fully provides its needs with the main types of raw materials for industry.
60% of the territory. Australia is occupied by drainless regions. The river network is the densest on about. Tasmania is a full-flowing river country -. Murray with tributaries. Darling and. Murrumbidgee. Rivers flowing down the eastern slopes. Big. Dividing Range, short and fairly full-flowing rivers of the central. Australia does not have a permanent flow. Most of the country's lakes, like rivers, are almost exclusively rain fed. In they have neither a constant level nor a drain. In summer, the lakes dry up and are shallow saline depressions.
Forest resources. Australia are minor. Forested areas, including scrapers, make up about 18% of the country's total area. Under the influence of economic activity, the vegetation has changed tremendously.
The country in relief is a vast plateau, concave in the central part and elevated at the edges. Mountains occupy 5% of the territory. There is a large depression in the center. The central lowland is an arid region. And Australia.
The northern and northeastern parts of the country are located in the tropical climate zone. The largest part. Australia occupies the subtropical climate zone. Only the extreme south is included in the temperate climate zone. Australia is known as an arid continent, but areas with sufficient rainfall make up 1/3 of the total area. In arid regions, there are significant reserves of groundwater.
Unique natural landscapes. Australia and the magnificent beaches of its east coast is the basis for the rapid development of ecological, tourist and sports (diving, yachting, windsurfing) tourism
The area of Australia occupies 7.7 million km2, and it is located on the mainland of the same name, the Tasmanian and many small islands. For a long period of time, the state developed exclusively in an agrarian direction, until alluvial gold (gold deposits brought by rivers and streams) was discovered there in the middle of the 19th century, which caused several gold rushes and laid the foundation for modern demographic models of Australia.
In the post-war period, geology rendered an invaluable service to the country by the continuous launch of mineral deposits, including gold, bauxite, iron and manganese, as well as opals, sapphires and other precious stones, which became an impetus for the development of the state's industry.
Coal
Australia has an estimated 24 billion tons of coal reserves, more than a quarter of which (7 billion tons) is anthracite or black coal, located in the Sydney Basin of New South Wales and in Queensland. Brown coal is suitable for power generation in Victoria. Coal reserves fully meet the needs of the Australian domestic market, and allow the export of surplus mined raw materials.
Natural gas
Natural gas deposits are widespread throughout the country and currently provide most of Australia's domestic needs. There are commercial gas fields in every state and pipelines connecting these fields to major cities. Within three years, Australian natural gas production increased almost 14 times from 258 million m3 in 1969, the first year of production, to 3.3 billion m3 in 1972. Overall, Australia has trillions of tons of estimated natural gas reserves spread across the continent.
Oil
Most of Australia's oil production is aimed at meeting its own needs. Oil was first discovered in south Queensland near Muni. Australian oil production is currently around 25 million barrels per year and is based on fields in northwestern Australia near Barrow Island, Mereene and subsoil in the Bass Strait. The deposits of Balrow, Mereeni and Bas Strait in parallel are the objects of natural gas production.
uranium ore
Australia has rich deposits of uranium ore, which are enriched for use as fuel for nuclear power. West Queensland, near Mount Isa and Cloncurry, contains three billion tons of uranium ore reserves. There are also deposits in Arnhem Land, in far northern Australia, as well as in Queensland and Victoria.
Iron ore
Most significant iron ore reserves in Australia are located in the western part of the Hammersley region and its environs. The state has billions of tons of iron ore reserves, exporting magnetite-iron from mines to Tasmania and Japan, while extracting ore from older sources on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia and the Kulanyabing region in southern Western Australia.
The Western Australian Shield is rich in nickel deposits, which were first discovered at Kambalda near Kalgoorlie in southwestern Australia in 1964. Other nickel deposits have been found in older gold mining areas in Western Australia. Nearby, small deposits of platinum and palladium were discovered.
Zinc
The state is also extremely rich in zinc, the main sources of which are the mountains of Isa, Mat and Morgan in Queensland. Large reserves of bauxite (aluminum ore), lead and zinc are concentrated in the northern part.
Gold
Australia's gold production, which had been substantial at the beginning of the century, declined from a peak production of four million ounces in 1904 to several hundred thousand. Most of the gold is mined from the Kalgoorlie Norseman region in Western Australia.
The continent is also known for its gemstones, especially the white and black opals from South Australia and western New South Wales. In Queensland and in the New England region of northeastern New South Wales, sapphire and topaz deposits have been developed.
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.
Ready-made works on a similar topic
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.
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 pushed 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 with an admixture of 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 (Wape Field) and Arnhem Land (Gow Field) and to 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 rivers South and East Alligator, 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 depths 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 the Darling, the longest river in Australia (2450 km), during summer droughts, getting lost in the sands, does not always reach the 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 for a 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 tree leaves and falls on 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.