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Australia, often referred to as the "Land Down Under," is a diverse country and continent in the Southern Hemisphere. Home to the Great Barrier Reef, an extensive coral structure, as well as the vast outback regions dotted with mining camps and ranches, Australia boasts rich mineral resources and is the world’s leading wool producer. Its unique wildlife includes kangaroos and koalas, which are marsupials. With a history marked by the arrival of the Aborigines and later European colonization, Australia today operates as a parliamentary democracy, featuring major cities like Sydney and Melbourne.
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Chapter 20 Section 1 The land Down Under
The Land Down Under • Sometimes called the “Land Down Under,” Australia is a country and a continent located in the Southern Hemisphere.
Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef lies off Australia’s northeastern coast. A coral reef is a structure formed by the skeletons of small sea animals. Coral formations have piled up for millions of years to create a colorful chain that stretches 1,250 miles.
The Outback • The people of Australia use the name outback to refer to the inland regions of their country. • Mining camps and cattle and sheep ranches, called stations, dot the outback region.
The Weather Because of the country’s location in the southern Hemisphere, summer starts in December and winter starts in June.
Animals • Two famous Australian animals are kangaroos and koalas. • Both are marsupials, or mammals that carry their young in a pouch.
Their economy • It is a treasure chest overflowing with mineral resources. • These riches include iron ore, zinc, bauxite, gold, silver, opals, diamonds, and pearls. • Australia’s main agricultural activity is raising livestock, especially cattle and sheep. • It is the world’s top producer of wool.
Aborigines Australia’s Aborigines are the descendants of the first immigrants who came from Asia at least 40,000 years ago. One of their weapons for hunting was the boomerang.
Colinzation • The Dutch were the first Europeans to travel to Australia in the late 1600s. • The British claimed Australia in 1770, and at first used it as a colony for prisoners.
There’s gold in them hills! • After gold was discovered in 1851, many British settlers came and took land from the Aborigines. • In 1901 the independent Commonwealth of Australia was formed.
Today Australia has a British-style parliamentary democracy. A prime minister heads the government, and the British monarch is a ceremonial leader.
Today Sydney and Melbourne are Australia’s largest cities. About 10 percent of Australians live in rural areas known as the bush.
