CHAPTER 18 - AUSTRALIA

LESSON 1 THE LANDS DOWN UNDER Australia and New Zealand are called the “lands down under”.

OUTBACK Australia’s inland region It is dry and sparsely settled.

NEW ZEALAND New Zealand is made up of two larger islands and a handful of smaller islands. The two largest islands are North Island and South Island.

ANIMALS AND PLANTS Australia and New Zealand are home to many unique animals and plants. They were both separated from other continents for millions of years. Other animals and plants were never introduced to these countries.

MARSUPIAL An animal whose newly born young are carried by the female in a pouch on the front of her body

STATION The name for a sheep or cattle ranch in Australia

LESSON 2 OUTPOSTS IN THE PACIFIC

ABORIGINE The name given to the original inhabitant of an area, such as Australia Aborigines entered Australia as early as 40,000 to 60,000 years ago.

DREAMTIME An ancient time, Australian Aborigines believe, when spirits created that land and gave it to the people

NEW ZEALAND’S SETTLERS New Zealand’s first settlers called themselves Maori, also “local people”. They made tools and weapons from rocks and wood. They turned timber from forests into villages, canoes, and elaborate carvings.

PENAL COLONY A settlement for criminals

EUROPEANS ARRIVE In 1840, the British took control of New Zealand.

CULTURE TODAY Today, Australia and New Zealand are multicultural nations. There are still Aborigines and Maori. However, most of the people in both nations are of British descent.

LESSON 3 AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND TODAY

ECONOMY IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND Australia leads the world in wool production. Manufacturing has been growing rapidly since the 1980’s in Australia. About 75% of Australians work in service industries like tourism. New Zealand is the world’s largest producer of lamb.

GEOTHERMAL POWER A renewable energy source produced from heat within Earth’s surface However, New Zealand mainly relies on hydroelectric power.

AUSTRALIA’S GOVERNMENT Australia is a parliamentary democracy within the Commonwealth of Nations. Australia had a prime minister and cabinet that is named from the majority party in parliament just like Britain. Just as in the United States, the powers not given to the national government belong to the states. Just as in in the United States, Australia also has a constitution.

NEW ZEALAND’S GOVERNMENT New Zealand’s government follows a British pattern. New Zealand does not have a written constitution. The government is headed by the prime minister and cabinet named from the majority party in the parliament.

MAKING PROGRESS There have been struggles between the governments of Australia/ New Zealand and the Aborigines/Maori. These native groups have been concerned about land rights. Through negotiations, Australia had returned to Aborigines the guardianship of sacred territories. In New Zealand, some land has been returned to the Maori. However, most compensation is paid with money.