The Guinness Encyclopedia

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ The Guinness Encyclopedia / The Guinness Encyclopedia - Wayzata Technology (3221-1B) (Disc 2) (1995).iso / countrie / countrie.s / card_6032.xml < prev next >

Wrap

Extensible Markup Language | 1995-06-15 | 9KB | 19 lines

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> <!DOCTYPE card PUBLIC "-//Apple, Inc.//DTD card V 2.0//EN" "" > <card> <id>6032</id> <filler1>0</filler1> <cantDelete> <false /> </cantDelete> <showPict> <true /> </showPict> <dontSearch> <false /> </dontSearch> <owner>5472</owner> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="stylesheet_3106.css" /> <content> <layer>background</layer> <id>31</id> <text>AUSTRALIAOfficial name: The Commonwealth of AustraliaMember of: UN, Commonwealth, ANZUS, OECD, ApecArea: 7682300 km2 (2966136 sq mi)Population: 17729000 (1993 est)Capital: Canberra 310000 (including suburbs; 1991 census)Other major cities: Sydney 3699000, Melbourne 3154000, Brisbane 1327000, Perth 1193000, Adelaide 1050000, Newcastle 433000, Gold Coast 274000, Wollongong 240000, Hobart 184000, Geelong 151000, Townsville 114000, Launceston 89000 (all including suburbs; 1991 census)Language: English (official)Religions: Anglican (26%), Roman Catholic (26%), Uniting Church in Australia (8%), OrthodoxStates and Territories (with areas, populations and capitals):New South Wales ΓÇô 801600 km2 (309500 sq mi), 6000000 (1993 est), Sydney.Queensland ΓÇô 1727200 km2 (666875 sq mi), 3095000 (1993 est), Brisbane.South Australia ΓÇô 984000 km2 (379925 sq mi), 1460000 (1993 est), Adelaide.Tasmania ΓÇô 67800 km2 (26175 sq mi), 472000 (1993 est), Hobart.Victoria ΓÇô 227600 km2 (87875 sq mi), 4461000 (1993 est), Melbourne.Western Australia ΓÇô 2525500 km2 (975100 sq mi), 1673000 (1993 est), Perth.Australian Capital Territory ΓÇô 2400 km2 (925 sq mi), 298000 (1993 est), Canberra.Northern Territory ΓÇô 1346200 km2 (519750 sq mi), 168000 (1993 est), Darwin.External Territories (with areas, populations and capitals):Ashmore and Cartier Islands ΓÇô 5 km2 (2 sq mi), uninhabited.Australian Antarctic Territory ΓÇô 6120000 km2 (2320000 sq mi), no permanent population.Christmas Island ΓÇô 135 km2 (52 sq mi), 1275 (1991 census), Flying Fish Cove.Cocos (Keeling) Islands ΓÇô 14 km2 (5.5 sq mi), 650 (1991 census), Bantam Village on Home Island.Coral Sea Islands Territory ΓÇô 8 km2 (5 sq mi), no permanent population.Heard and MacDonald Islands ΓÇô 417 km2 (161 sq mi), no permanent population.Norfolk Island ΓÇô 34.5 km2 (13.3 sq mi), 1980 (1990 est), Kingston.GOVERNMENT The Federal Parliament consists of two chambers elected by compulsory universal adult suffrage. The Senate has 76 members elected by proportional representation ΓÇô 12 senators elected from each state for six years, 2 from both territories elected for three years. The House of Representatives has 148 members elected for three years. A Prime Minister, who commands a majority in the House of Representatives, is appointed by the Governor General, who is the representative of the British Queen as sovereign of Australia. The Prime Minister chairs the Federal Executive Council (or Cabinet), which is responsible to Parliament. Each state has its own government.GEOGRAPHYVast areas of desert cover most of central and western Australia, a region of plateau between 400 and 600 m (1300ΓÇô2000 ft) with occasional higher regions, such as the Kimberley Plateau. In contrast to this scarcely populated area ΓÇô which covers more than 50% of the country ΓÇô are the narrow coastal plains of the fertile, well-watered east coast, where the majority of Australians live. Behind the plains (which range from temperate forest in the south, through subtropical woodland to tropical rain forest in the north) rise the Eastern Uplands, or Great Dividing Range, a line of ridges and plateau, stretching from Cape York Peninsula in the north to the island of Tasmania. The Australian Alps rise to Mt Kosciusko (2230 m / 7316 ft). The Great Artesian Basin extends from the Gulf of Carpentaria to the Murray River and Eyre Basins. Landforms in the basin include rolling plains, plateau, salt lakes and river valleys, while the natural vegetation ranges from savannah and mixed forest to arid steppe and desert. Between the Murray River and Eyre Basins are the Flinders and Mount Lofty Ranges. Many of AustraliaΓÇÖs rivers flow intermittently. Principal rivers: Murray 2589 km (1609 mi) with Darling 2700 km (1700 mi), Lachlan 2388 km (1484 mi), Flinders 837 km (520 mi). Climate: The north is tropical with wet summers (January to March) and dry winters. The Timor Sea coast is subject to summer monsoons. The Queensland coast experiences tropical cyclones and has the heaviest rainfall, over 2500 mm (100 in) near Cairns. The interior is extremely hot and dry ΓÇô over 30% of Australia has less than 255 mm (10 in) of rain a year. The coastal fringes in the south are either temperate or subtropical, with winter rainfall, hot or warm summers and mild winters. Winter snowfall occurs in the southeast and Tasmanian highlands.ECONOMYSince World War II, AustraliaΓÇÖs economy has been dominated by mining. Minerals now account for over 30% of the countryΓÇÖs exports. Australia has major reserves of coal, petroleum, natural gas, uranium, iron ore, copper, nickel, bauxite, gold and diamonds. Manufacturing and processing based upon these resources include iron and steel, construction, oil refining and petrochemicals, vehicle manufacturing and engineering. Food-processing and textile industries are also prominent. AustraliaΓÇÖs reliance on agriculture has decreased, although the country is still the worldΓÇÖs leading producer of wool. Major interests include sheep, cattle, cereals (in particular wheat), sugar (in Queensland) and fruit. Severe drought affected large areas in the early 1990s. A strong commercial sector, with banks and finance houses, adds to the diversity of the economy. Currency: Australian dollar.HISTORYThe Aborigines came to Australia around 50 000 years ago. They lived mainly along the north and east coasts and in the Murray Basin until British settlers drove them into the inhospitable interior. The Dutch are credited with the discovery of Australia. Willem de Janesz sighted Cape York Peninsula (1606), Hartog made the first landing in 1616 (in Western Australia), and Tasman explored the coasts (1642ΓÇô44). However, the hospitable regions most suitable for colonization were not known to Europeans until Captain Cook landed at Botany Bay (1770), and claimed New South Wales for Britain.In 1788, the first settlement was made at Port Jackson (Sydney), with over 700 British convicts and 250 free settlers. Penal settlements at Hobart and Launceston in Tasmania, and Newcastle (NSW) followed (1803ΓÇô04). Moreton Bay (Brisbane) was established in 1824, Port Phillip (Melbourne) in 1826, and Albany (Western Australia) in 1827. Adelaide (South Australia), a settlement without convicts, was founded in 1837. Free migration was encouraged. The spread of sheep farming, and the discovery of copper (1840s) and gold (1851), attracted large numbers of migrants. The colonists campaigned to end transportation ΓÇô the last convicts arrived in 1867 ΓÇô and agitated for participation in government. In 1854, gold miners at Eureka Stockade (Ballarat) rebelled over the lack of representative government. This celebrated incident hastened reform. Between 1855 and 1870, all six colonies gained self-government. By 1900, 3700000 people, almost entirely of British and Irish ancestry, were living in Australia. Fear of invasion from Asia or German New Guinea, and the desire to achieve free trade between the colonies, encouraged federation. In 1901, the Commonwealth of Australia was founded.Australia made an important contribution in World War I ΓÇô one fifth of its servicemen were killed in action. The heroic landing at Gallipoli in the Dardanelles is a national day of remembrance in Australia. The Depression hit the country badly, but the interwar years did see international recognition of AustraliaΓÇÖs independence. World War II, during which the north was threatened by Japan, strengthened links with America. Australian troops fought in Vietnam and important trading partnerships have been formed with Asian countries. Since 1945, migrants from all over Europe and many parts of Asia have gained assisted passage to Australia, further diluting the British connection and encouraging the growth of republicanism.</text> </content> <name>Australia</name> <script></script> </card>