Australia, Pacific Islands, and Antarctica

Countries Indonesia Antarctica New Zealand Australia Papua New Guinea Philippines New Zealand Australia Papua New Guinea Antarctica Indonesia Papua New Guinea Australia New Zealand Antarctica

Cities Sydney Canberra Melbourne Sydney Canberra Melbourne

Great Australian Bight Physical Features Pacific Ocean Great Barrier Reef Great Dividing Range Timor Sea Gulf of Carpentaria Coral Sea Great Australian Bight Pacific Ocean Indian Ocean Southern Ocean Hawaiian archipelago Timor Sea Indian Ocean Coral Sea Great Barrier Reef Great Dividing Range Great Australian Bight Southern Ocean

Physical Characteristics Region has wide range of climates and types of vegetation Australia – consists of mostly desert, with very little vegetation New Zealand – the dominant climate is marine west coast with mixed forests Papua New Guinea – majority of the island experiences a tropical rainforest climate Hawaii – tropical wet (rainforest) climate and vegetation Antarctica – consists of ice cap climate, with no vegetation. It is the world’s coldest, driest, and windiest continent

Physical Characteristics Australia is isolated from the rest of the world There are many unique animal species found only there Examples include the kangaroo and the koala

Physical Characteristics Pacific Islands are either continental, coral, or volcanic islands Volcanic islands: these are numerous islands in the Pacific that still experience volcanoes and earthquakes, supporting the fact that this region is part of the Ring of Fire that surrounds the Pacific Ocean Examples: Fiji and Tahiti

Physical Characteristics Pacific Islands are either continental, coral, or volcanic islands Coral Islands: these ring-shaped islands (atolls) were formed by the buildup of coral reefs on the rim of submerged volcanoes They are low in elevation and have few resources They are sparsely populated Examples: Marshall Islands

Physical Characteristics Pacific Islands are either continental, coral, or volcanic islands Continental Islands: these are islands that were formed by the rising and folding of ancient rock from the ocean floor They were not formed by volcanic activity, many still have volcanoes on them Examples: large islands such as Papua New Guinea

Cultural Characteristics The Pacific islands are very sparsely populated The population in Australia is clustered along the coasts. The interior of Australia is sparsely populated because this region is primarily desert climate

Cultural Characteristics Both Australia and New Zealand are very developed (industrialized) countries Most of the people in both countries live in modern cities

Cultural Characteristics Many of the Pacific Islands are developing region Many of the people living in these countries are subsistence farmers living in rural areas Traditional culture dominates these islands The majority of the people continue to live in thatched roof dwellings

Cultural Characteristics Indigenous people of Australia are called Aborigines Australia was colonized by the English as a prison colony The culture of Australia reflects a Mix of both Europeans and Aborigine backgrounds

Cultural Characteristics The indigenous people of New Zealand are called the Maori The culture of New Zealand reflects a mix of both European and Maori backgrounds

Cultural Characteristics There are no permanent residents of Antarctica Countries may send teams of scientists to do research work for periods of time, but they do not permanently live there

Landmarks Sydney Opera House Sydney, Australia Iconic landmark for Australia Located in Sydney Harbor Took 16 years to build (1957-1973) Performing arts venue & concert hall http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/sydney-opera-house

Landmarks Cattle and sheep stations Found in Australia Also known as Outback Stations north and the central regions of the Australian Outback Some of the stations are larger than some European countries Anna Creek Station covers 6,000,000 acres (34,000 km2) [Belgium by comparison is just over 30,000 km2]

Landmarks Research stations in Antarctica Research primarily consists of environmental impacts on humans Projects are internationally coordinated No single country controls any part of Antarctica

Landmarks Thatched roof dwellings in the Pacific Islands Most inhabitants of the Pacific Islands live in houses like these

Economic Characteristics The Antarctica Treaty created in 1959 by 12 countries The treaty demilitarized Antarctica and established the continent as a haven for scientific study

Economic Characteristics The countries in this region are isolated from the rest of the world Air and water travel are essential to bring goods and services to the region The interior of Australia (The Outback) depends heavily on air travel

Economic Characteristics The dry and semi-arid (steppe) areas of Australia are well suited for cattle and sheep ranching Ranching and mining are very important economic activities in Australia and New Zealand – these are examples of primary economic activities

Economic Characteristics Both Australia and New Zealand have unique species found in these areas only The introduction of non-native species of plants and animals into the ecosystems has upset the environmental balance in both countries An example is the existence of the non-native rabbit in Australia

Economic Characteristics Australia is centered in the Asia-Pacific region and has developed strong financial and communication systems (tertiary activities) Communication systems have expanded to enable Australia, the Pacific Islands, and Antarctica to better communicate with the rest of the world