Hladíková Dita Veithová Monika AUSTRALIA Hladíková Dita Veithová Monika

Geographic information The smallest continent in the world Located in southern hemisphere Washed by the Indian ocean in the west, by the Pacific ocean in the east Main rivers: the Murray river, the Darling river Main lakes: lake Eyre, lake Gairdner, lake Torrens National parks: Royal National Park, Kakadu National Park, Willandra National Park

Mountains The highest range is the Great Dividing Range (in the east) Because of it Australia is dry because rain falls can't go over it The highest range of G. D. R. are the Australian Alps The highest peak is Mt. Kosciusko (2 229 m; named after the Polish scientist Mr. Kosciusko)

Mountains Monolith Ayers rock The highest monolith in the world Over 300 m high In their language it is called Uluru Because of that the colour of deserts is red, orange or brown The main symbol of Aborigines

Deserts Main: Great Sandy desert, Gibson desert, Great Victoria desert

Climate There are a lot of different climate Very hot and dry because of deserts In the east: humid, wet In the north: tropical In the interior: continental The rest of the continent: subtropical

Population A. was discovered by the Dutch (Abel Tasman, James Cook) The settlement began at the end of the 18th century The first inhabitants were British colonists who were mostly convicts When the first people came to A. they met there Australian aborigines who lived as hunters and they were using boomerangs The British wanted to have a land They started farming 19 million inhabitants (most of them live in the eastern part of Australia)

Animals The kangaroo: symbol of Australia, there are a lot of kinds of kangaroo, females have pouches in their stomach + they carry their babies there (3 cm long), they can be 2 m high, they can be 12-15 years old The koala bear: a tree-climbing mammal; females have pouches, most of the day they sleep, they eat eucalyptus leaves The platypus: furred egg-lying mammal, it can swim under the water, but it can't breath there The dingo: looks like a domestic dog, but it can't bark, it can only howl

FARMS The first farmers were squatters They hired workers (they were going from farm to farm, carrying a blanket called Waltzing Matilda) Farms are very far away from each other → These farmers live isolated, they have to communicate by walkie-talkie (children are also taught by it) These farmers have to travel by planes (doctors are called “flying” doctors) Farms are called “stations” Australia is known for breeding sheep (in average each person has 5 sheep) For hunting they used a bumerang

RELIGION Roman Catholic: 25 % Anglican: 17 % Other Christian: 19 % No religion: 22 %

AUSTRALIAN ENGLISH Australia = Oz Football = Footy Barbecue = Barbie Thank you = Ta Postman = Postie

POLITICAL SYSTEM An independent country consisting of 6 states Each state has own government and capitol city → Capital cities: Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart, Perth The official name: The Commonwealth of Australia The capital city is Canberra Belongs to the British Commonwealth of Nations (with Canada, New Zealand, next states in Africa) The head is the British monarch Represented by Governor General (her deputy in all countries) The leading person is a prime minister

AUSTRALIAN FLAG AND ANTHEM Blue with British Union Jack in the left upper corner Below Union Jack there is a big white star= Federal star To the right there are five smaller white stars in the constellation of Southern cross ANTHEM “Advance Australian fair“

ECONOMY Very rich country Rich in: iron ore, oil, natural gas, coal Rich in: gold, silver and other precious metals The greatest producer of wool The greatest exporter of wheat and mutton meat