Australia, New Zealand and Oceania

Vocabulary to Know Clan: tribal community or large group of people related to one another Boomerang: curved throwing stick used by Aborigines for hunting in Australia Strine: colloquial English spoken in Australia Dominion: a partially self-governing country with close ties to another country Horticulture: the science and art of growing fruits, vegetables, and plants trust territory: region placed by United Nations under temporary political and economic control of another country after World War II

Important Geographical Features Australia & New Zealand A. Tasmania B. Sydney C. Melbourne D. Auckland E. Christchurch F. Wellington

Important Geographical Features Oceania A. Melanesia B. Papua New Guinea C. Micronesia D. Kiribati E. Guam F. Mariana Islands G. Polynesia

Australia & New Zealand Population Patterns: Australia & New Zealand Indigenous peoples and British settlers influenced the look of modern-day Australia and New Zealand. The people: Aborigines—Australia’s earliest people Maori Europeans Asians Density and distribution: Most people in Australia and New Zealand live in cities or towns along the temperate coasts.

Population Patterns: Oceania Migration of people among the islands in Oceania has shaped life on the islands today. Three major groups of people: Melanesians Micronesians Polynesians (Asian communities also live in this area)

Population Patterns Oceania (cont.) Density and distribution: A high percentage of the islands are unsuited for human habitation. Papua New Guinea has the most people. Nauru—the world’s smallest republic—has only 10,000 people.

History and Government: Australia & New Zealand Together, but not always in agreement, indigenous people and British settlers shaped the course of history in Australia and New Zealand. Early peoples: Aborigines Maori

History and Government Australia & New Zealand (cont.) European exploration and settlement: From the 1500s to the 1700s, Europeans of various nationalities explored this area. 1788–1850s—Great Britain used Australia as a colony for convicts. The arrival of the Europeans had a disastrous impact on the Aborigines and Maori. Early 1900s—both countries gain independence from Great Britain. Government type: a dominion

History and Government Oceania Outside influences on indigenous cultures have shaped Oceania’s societies. Early Migrations Asian migrants settled Oceania in family groups along island coasts.

History and Government Oceania (cont.) European colonization: European’s developed commercial plantations for growing tropical products. Late 1800s/early 1900s—Britain, France, Germany, Spain, and the U.S. struggled for control of various islands. The two world wars also changed the course of Oceania’s history. Since the 1970s most of these islands have been independent.

Figure 4

Culture Indigenous cultures and European traditions shaped the present-day cultures of Australia and New Zealand. Today’s Oceanic societies have been shaped by European cultural traditions as well as indigenous practices. Education—free, compulsory education; high literacy rates Health care—quality health care and medical services Indigenous peoples do not receive many of these benefits though. Language—English, 1,200 spoken in Oceania alone; French, pidgin English

Culture Religion—Christianity The arts—early peoples used art, music, dance, and storytelling to pass on knowledge; canoe making, basketry, tattooing and woodcarving Sports and leisure—surfing, outrigger canoe racing, spear fishing