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Australia and Oceania

Opera House View At Sydney

The continent of Australia includes the commonwealth of Australia and may include New Guinea and New Zealand. For cultural reasons it is often regarded as the continent of Oceania. This geographical region is often comprised of New Zealand, the small islands in the South Sea, the equatorial south pacific and even Hawaii. Beside the Antarctic, Australia is the only continent which is situated completely in the Southern Hemisphere. Some islands in Oceania are located north of the equator. The international dateline unfolds across Oceania.

The Dutch discovered Australia in 1606. At this time, Australia was called New Holland. Because the west coast of Australia was fruitless, Holland had no special interest in the country. In 1770, James Cook discovered the fruitful east coast and the first British colonies for convicts were founded. To this very day, Europeans still make-up the biggest population group in Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii. The other states and dependent areas are inhabited by indigenous groups. Their culture is steadily being accepted and integrated. The most familiar population groups are the Aborigines and the Maori.

There is less agriculture in Australia because the predominantly dry land requires heavy irrigation. However, there are some world famous vineyards in Australia. Another notable facets of Australia and New Zealand's economy include animal breeding—especially sheep framing. Over 25% of the wool worldwide is produced in Australia. Australia also has a lot of natural resources, like carbon. This organic compound can be used for the production of energy. After the USA, Australia produces the second highest per-capita-expulsion of global warming gases. Another environmental problem facing Australia is the ozone hole. Global warming is a remains a real danger for this dry country.

The Outback of Australia, with its incredible width, is very attractive for tourists. A popular travel destination is the Ayers Rock - especially at sundown. There are also a lot of famous sights in the cities of Australia, like the Sydney Opera House.