What natural resources does Australia have in brief? Natural resources of Australia

Australia's vast expanses are covered by desert, but rich mineral resources and efficient agriculture have turned it into a prosperous country.

Square: 7,862,300 km2

Population: 19 485 000

Capital: Canberra (353,000 people)

Main religions: Catholicism, Protestantism (Church of England, United Church)

Main export items: meat and dairy products, grains, metal ores, coal, oil and petroleum products, heavy industry products

State tuning: state led by the Queen of Great Britain, member of the Commonwealth

Australia, in addition to the mainland washed by the waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans, includes the large island of Tasmania, as well as many small islands scattered along its 25,760 km long coastline. Over the past 30 million years, Australia has not experienced any serious tectonic movements. During this time, water and wind turned its surface into a flat and monotonous space. More than 93% of the country's territory is located at elevations below 600 m. The climate in Australia is predominantly dry, and about ¾ of its area is occupied by deserts and semi-deserts. Stretching along the shores of the Pacific Ocean, the Great Dividing Range separates the uninhabited areas of the west from the densely populated areas of the east coast. The country's most multilingual city, Sydney, is located here. The separation of the Australian continent from Pangea and the subsequent 65 million years of isolation from the rest of the world led to the appearance in Australia of animals that cannot be found anywhere else on the planet - the platypus and wombat, not to mention koalas, kangaroos, emus and the huge number of parrots. The fauna of Australia is so amazing that even for their coat of arms, Australians chose images of emus and kangaroos. It is believed that people appeared in Australia about 40,000 years ago. Having settled most of the continent, the aborigines led a nomadic lifestyle and created a unique culture. Currently, the indigenous people of Australia make up only 2% of the population, the majority of which are represented by the descendants of Europeans who arrived here in the 18th century. The urban population is concentrated in large urban areas - Melbourne, Victoria, Brisbane, Queensland, Perth in Western Australia and Adelaide in South Australia, as well as in the capital Canberra.

EASTERN AUSTRALIA

Rich in natural resources, Eastern Australia is the most economically developed and urbanized region of the Commonwealth of Australia.

Australia consists of four states and two territories. Eastern Australia includes the states of Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales, as well as the capital territory with the capital of the country, Canberra. Canberra became the seat of government in 1927, after the creation of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901 and its acquisition of dominion status. Canberra is the only major city located away from the coast. Despite the fact that Eastern Australia accounts for 30% of the entire coastline of the state, fish catches here are small and do not exceed 215 thousand tons per year. More than half of the income comes from seafood such as lobster, shrimp and oysters. A strip of plains stretches along the eastern coast - the main agricultural region of the country. The region's topography is dominated by the Great Dividing Range, a steep mountain range stretching almost along the entire Pacific coast from north to south from Queens Land to Victoria. The average height of the range is about 1200 m, and its highest peaks are in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, where the continent's highest peak, Mount Kosciuszko (2228 m), is located. Large coal deposits are also concentrated here, allowing Australia to join the ranks of the world's largest exporters of this energy source. West of the Great Dividing Range, the relief gradually declines, forming a vast flat surface, the main element of which is the Great Artesian Basin - a huge reservoir of groundwater widely used for irrigation. The largest river system in the region is the Murray-Darling system with a total length of 3,750 km and a drainage basin area of ​​more than 1 million square meters. km. Eastern Australia became the first region of the continent to be explored by Europeans.

GREAT BARRIER REEF

One of the wonders of nature - the Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef in the world - stretches for almost 2 thousand km along the coast of Queensland. This is the largest coral formation on the planet, represented by more than 350 species of polyps, includes over 3 thousand reefs and covers an area of ​​more than 350 thousand square meters. km. Coral reefs can exist in water whose temperature ranges between 22-28 °C throughout the year, creating habitat for the most diverse community of animals known on Earth. The Great Barrier Reef is home to more than 1,500 species of fish - a kaleidoscope of colors and patterns. The humpback whale breeds here, as do six of the world's seven species of sea turtles. Dugongs, a critically endangered species of mammal, lurk in the kelp beds in the shallow waters off the reef islands. More than 200 species of birds find food in the coral thickets. Every year up to 2 million tourists come here to admire the beauty of nature. But this poses a threat to the existence of the reef. Fragile corals are easily destroyed by divers and pleasure boats. Gu-byat corals are also polluting and increasing seawater temperatures. Another threat comes from starfish, which rapidly eat coral.

IMPORTED ANIMALS

Some animal species were brought to Australia by people. However, some of the “settlers” had a detrimental effect on the environment. Introduced dingoes, and later foxes and rats, pushed aside or exterminated local representatives of the fauna. The cane toad and rabbit, having multiplied incredibly, have become major agricultural pests that destroy fragile natural ecosystems. Other imported animals, on the contrary, became the basis of Australian agriculture. There are more than 110 million sheep and 29 million heads of cattle in the country. In agricultural areas, over 90% of used land is allocated to pastures. More than 1/3 of the total cattle population is concentrated in Queensland, and in New South Wales there are up to 40 million sheep. The herds are kept on large farms, called here “stations,” or sheep pastures with an area of ​​up to 12 thousand square meters. km. To cross the land of just one farm, you need a light aircraft. With such a base, Australia is the world's largest exporter of meat and meat and dairy products, as well as a leader in wool production.

POPULATION OF AUSTRALIA

The exploration of Australia began in the 17th century. Dutchman Abel Janszoon Tasman and Englishman William Dampier. In 1768, the English government organized an expedition to conduct geographical research in the Pacific Ocean. This expedition, led by Captain James Cook, reached the eastern coast of Australia in 1770. Cook named this land New South Wales and declared it a possession of the British crown. In 1788, English ships delivered the first convicts to Sydney Harbor. After the arrival of the British, the native population was subjected to persecution and violence. In the 1850s the transportation of exiles was stopped and free residents of the British Isles began to arrive on the mainland. The discovery of gold in Victoria in 1851 and the subsequent “gold rush” attracted thousands of fortune seekers from Europe and Asia. After the Second World War, the government passed a number of laws encouraging resettlement in Australia, and a stream of 5.5 million immigrants poured into the country. More than half of the immigrants came from Great Britain, but there were also many from Germany, Italy, Greece and Yugoslavia (now it does not exist, but in the twentieth century it included Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro). Until 1973, only whites were allowed to enter the country, so there are no more than 6% of people from Asian countries and their descendants in Australia. In 1974, racist immigration policies were

canceled, and residents of Southeast Asia came to the country. The country's population is represented by 150 nationalities. About 68% of residents profess Christianity and more than 13% consider themselves atheists. The country speaks English, but with a special pronunciation and many local expressions and phrases. The standard of living of Australians is generally high, but the income gap between rich and poor remains very large. While maintaining the same ties with its traditional partner, Great Britain, Australia is expanding trade with the United States and Asian countries. Although the 1999 referendum showed that the majority of the population preferred to have a British monarch at the head of state, many Australians, especially young people, want to live in a state with a republican system.

CITIES OF EASTERN AUSTRALIA

On the east coast of Australia there are three largest cities - state capitals: Melbourne - the capital of Victoria, Brisbane - the capital of Queensland and Sydney - the capital of New South Wales. Sydney, located in a picturesque bay, is the most populated city and financial center of the country. Sydney welcomes more than 4.9 million foreign tourists annually - more than any other Australian city.

ABORIGINAL RIGHTS

Before the appearance of the first Europeans, up to 1 million aborigines lived on the mainland, who were engaged in hunting, fishing and barter. Immigrants brought with them new diseases for which the natives had no immunity. They died by the thousands from sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis and the common cold virus. Many more were killed in battles with settlers, many of whom treated the Aborigines as bloodthirsty savages. They were discriminated against, deprived of their land and forced into reservations, forcing them to change their lifestyle. Aboriginal children, called the Stolen Generation, were taken from their parents and placed in orphanages or with white families. Until the mid-1960s. Adult Aboriginal people did not even have the right to vote. Since then, obvious progress has been made in this direction. In 1967, Aboriginal people gained the right to vote, and then a series of laws were passed recognizing their rights to own land. The next step towards improving the lives of the indigenous population was measures aimed at increasing their level of well-being and education. Recently, there has been an increased interest in Aboriginal culture and art in Australia and around the world. However, despite all this, Aboriginal people remain the poorest and most disadvantaged of all Australians, and their average life expectancy is 15 years less than the rest of the population.

TASMANIA

Tasmania, the smallest of the Australian states with a population of 473 thousand people, occupies the island of the same name, which is separated from the mainland by Bass Strait.

The area of ​​the state of Tasmania, including the Flinders, King, Cape Barren and others islands, is about 68 thousand square meters. km is less than 1% of the area of ​​the entire Australia. Even 9,000 years ago, the island was connected to the mainland and, geologically, is a continuation of the Great Dividing Range. Most of Tasmania is occupied by a low plateau, framed by a chain of mountain peaks. The island is crossed by many fast-moving watercourses, which are used to generate hydroelectric power. The central, eastern and northern parts of Tasmania are occupied by arable land, meadows and vineyards. In the western, less economically developed areas, vast areas are covered with rain forest, dominated by trees of typical Australian species, among which the blue eucalyptus is the symbol of the island. The long isolation of Tasmania led to the emergence of unusual species of animals not found anywhere on Earth - the Tasmanian devil, the ground parrot and the Tasmanian wolf, or thylacine. The forestry and mining industries play an important role in Tasmania's economy, but the state authorities strive to preserve natural landscapes whenever possible. Most of the population is engaged in agriculture and livestock raising. A few industrial enterprises are concentrated in the south of the island near Hobart, the main port of the state and the oldest city in the country after Sydney. The settlement of Tasmania by Aborigines began more than 35 thousand years ago, when it was still part of the mainland. However, after the arrival of Europeans, disease and war sharply reduced the number of indigenous people, whose share now amounts to less than 3%.

CENTRAL AUSTRALIA

Central Australia, which includes the states of the Northern Territory and South Australia, is a vast low-lying region with an arid climate.

Most of Central Australia is occupied by deserts (Tanami, Simpson and Great Victoria Desert), framed by a belt of scrabblelands - semi-deserts with thorny bushes. Several mountain ranges rise in the center of the region: the MacDonnell Range, stretching 200 km west of the city of Alice Springs, and the Musgrave Range, rising south of Uluru (Ayers Rock). To the north, semi-deserts turn into saunas, which give way to rainforests and vast coastal swamps. The southern regions are dominated by lowlands, the monotony of which is broken by the Flinders Ranges, covered with dense tropical vegetation. To the east and west of the mountain range there are large lakes - depressions, covered with a salt crust for a significant part of the year and only from time to time filling with water. The largest, Lake Eyre, is located 16 m below sea level. Its catchment area exceeds 1 million square meters. km, and it happens that it spills over an area of ​​9 thousand square meters. km. Australia's main river, the Moray, ends here, flowing into the ocean east of Adelaide.

CLIMATE AND AGRICULTURE

South Australia is considered the driest state in the country. On the coast the climate is subtropical with high rainfall, while in the interior the climate is arid and the annual precipitation does not exceed 300 mm. A hot and dry climate also prevails in much of the Northern Territory. However, near the coast of this state, a tropical climate prevails with rainfall up to 1800 mm per year, the bulk of which occurs during the monsoon season - from November to April. In the dry areas of both states, cattle and sheep are raised where conditions permit. In the south of South Australia, more fertile soils allow for larger harvests of wheat, barley, oats, fruits and vegetables. Thanks to a developed irrigation system, the Barossa Valley (South Australia) produces the most grapes in the country. The Australian wine industry has developed very rapidly over the past 20 years, and the country produces excellent wines that are exported to many countries around the world. Tropical vegetables and fruits grow along the coast of the Northern Territory, including citrus fruits and bananas. Australia's highly efficient agriculture allows it not only to fully meet its food needs, but also to take a leading position among the world's suppliers of meat, milk, cheese, wool, as well as wheat, wine, and fruit.

Sparsely populated region

Central Australia is a region with a small population, the bulk of which is concentrated in large population centers. Huge spaces are, as a rule, uninhabited. Although the Northern Territory covers an area of ​​more than 1.34 million square meters. km, there are only about 200 thousand people here - just over 1% of the total population of Australia. Some people live in mining towns, agricultural communities and Aboriginal villages, but the majority of the population lives in either Alice Springs or Darwin, the Northern Territory's main port and capital. After devastating tropical cyclones, Darwin had to be rebuilt five times. But with the help of the government, the developing mining and tourism industries have turned present-day Darwin into a thriving city with a population of 109 thousand people. The area of ​​South Australia is although smaller - 984 thousand square meters. km, but there are seven times more residents than its northern neighbor. Almost 95% of the population lives in the 45 km wide coastal strip, with the vast majority concentrated in large cities such as the state capital Adelaide, the fifth most populous city in the country, surrounded by forests and an extensive network of roads. The gas and mining industries located in and around Adelaide, together with farming and the tourism industry, are the main source of revenue for the city treasury.

WILDLIFE OF AUSTRALIA

Australia was once part of the single supercontinent Pangea, but during the process of continental drift about 50 million years ago, the Australian block of the earth's crust broke away from the main landmass and began to gradually shift to its current position. Isolation from the rest of the world led to the fact that the evolution of animals in Australia took a different path, contributing to the emergence of many different species. Among the inhabitants of Central Australia there are many of these unique animals that have adapted to the difficult conditions of the deserts - the long powerful legs of the kangaroo help them overcome long distances in search of meager food, the wombat can go without water for months. The second largest bird in the world, the emu, also lives here. In the 19th century Camels were brought to the mainland and used as pack animals when traveling across the Australian deserts. Now there are about 60 thousand wild camels in Australia, living mainly in the Northern Territory state. There are no large predators in Australia, but there are poisonous insects and reptiles, including the tiger snake and taipan, which have the deadliest poison in the world.

ABORIGINAL CULTURE

Aborigines can be found in any corner of Australia, but most of them live in the state of the Northern Territory. During the time that has passed since the appearance of the first people on the continent, many different tribal groups with their own unique languages ​​and cultures have formed on the territory of Australia. There are more than 200 languages ​​and dialects spoken by Australian Aborigines. All of them led a nomadic and semi-nomadic lifestyle in complete harmony with the nature around them, engaging in gathering, hunting and fishing. The Aboriginal culture, specific and diverse, is reflected in their visual arts, folklore, music and dance. Their rock paintings and oral traditions mainly concern the origin of the world around us and the people living in it. Aboriginal culture is based on the idea of ​​a “dream time” when the Earth and all living things were created. The first ancestors appeared to them in the form of creatures sleeping in the primordial world; having awakened, they created people and nature. According to the beliefs of the indigenous people of Australia, the creators of nature endowed each tribe with their own land, which, considered sacred, can neither be given nor sold.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Western Australia, the country's largest state, is rich in mineral resources. The climate and soils in the southwest are conducive to agricultural development.

Western Australia is a huge arid region, washed in the west and south by the waters of the Indian Ocean, and in the north by the Timor Sea. The state area is about 2.5 million square meters. km and most of its territory is a medium-high plateau with sparse vegetation. More than half of Western Australia's interior is occupied by deserts: the Great Sandy, Gibson and Great Victoria Deserts. And although all three deserts contain areas of wooded savannah, swamps and salt lakes, the climate here is desert with an average annual precipitation of less than 200 mm and temperatures above 30 ° C.

The state's mountainous regions are isolated from each other, with the peaks of the Hamersley Range rising to the northeast and the flat peaks of the mineral-rich Kimberley Plateau rising to the north. In the very north of the state is the largest body of water in the region - Lake Argyle. In the southeast of the state lies the Nullarbor Plain, a low-lying limestone plateau. Its perfectly flat surface made it possible to lay an absolutely straight section of the Trans-Australian Railway here.

CLIMATE AND AGRICULTURE

Although Western Australia as a whole is an arid region, there are climatic differences over such a vast area. In the far north the climate is tropical with periodic cyclones, and in the far south it is Mediterranean. In both these areas, the average annual precipitation reaches 1600 mm. As you move deeper into the motherland, the amount of precipitation decreases, the average daily temperature exceeds 30°C in summer, and in winter it often drops below zero. The only place where snow falls is a low mountain range north of Albany. In the southwest of the region there are fertile lands where the production of major agricultural crops is concentrated. On an area of ​​about 28 thousand square meters. km they grow oats, vegetables, oilseeds, fruits, as well as wheat, in the production of which the state ranks first in the country. Livestock raising is also an important branch of the region's economy. State government-controlled timber harvesting and coastal fishing also contribute to the state's economic development.

HUGE DEPOSITS AND THEIR DEVELOPMENT

Australia is exceptionally rich in mineral resources, and its mining industry is one of the most developed in the world. Large mineral deposits located in various parts of the country contribute to the development of the mining industry in all regions of Australia. For example, almost 70% of the country's copper production comes from the huge mines of Queensland, and the main uranium production occurs in the mines of the Northern Territory and South Australia. Western Australia leads in gross production of minerals and in the production of metal ores, accounting for 38 and 67% of the total production in the country, respectively. The state contains the richest reserves of bauxite and nickel. Western Australia also accounts for about 97% of the iron ore and 67% of the gold mined in the country. Opened in the 1970s. diamond deposits in the north-east of Western Australia allowed Australia to enter the top five world leaders in the production of this valuable mineral. Gold deposits located in Western Australia provide about 75% of the precious metal mined in the country. In the second half of the 20th century. Rich oil deposits were discovered on the continental shelf of Western Australia.

ECONOMIC STRUCTURE

Since the 1960s. Western Australia's economy is growing at the fastest pace in the country. The basis for its growth was intensive agriculture and mining, bringing about 25% of revenue to the state treasury. Tourism, which has been booming in recent years, also makes a significant contribution to the prosperity of the state. Rapidly growing industries centered around Perth process raw materials mined in the region. Perth, which has become a major business and financial center, is located much closer to Singapore than Sydney, and there is reason to believe that the city will strengthen its trade ties with Asian countries.

POPULATION AND CITIES

In Western Australia, the population density does not exceed 1 person per 1 sq. km. Despite the leading role of agriculture in the regional economy, no more than 15% of the population lives in rural areas. The first permanent settlement on the southwest coast appeared in the 1820s. The settlers gradually developed nearby lands and built farms. In the 1850s Parties of convicts began to arrive here. The discovery of gold deposits caused a “gold rush” and a powerful wave of immigration, sharply increasing the population of the region. The wealth acquired from gold prompted ambitious citizens in 1899 to finance the construction of an artificial bay near the city of Fremantle. Fremantle is now absorbed by the expanding Perth. The city limits are home to 1,340,000 of the state's 1,920,000 residents. Ancient buildings, carefully preserved and restored, and beautiful views make Perth attractive to tourists. In contrast to the state capital - the country's fourth most populous city - no settlement in Western Australia has a population of more than 35 thousand people. Despite the small population, the mining centers in the interior of the state - Kalgoorlie and Boulder - are of economic importance.

«Large Illustrated Directory. Countries and continents", Moscow, "Swallowtail", 2005,

Since ancient times, people have flocked to Australia in search of gold and for the rich pastures where they raised huge numbers of livestock. Modern research has shown that the continent has a huge amount of reserves of different types of minerals.

Australia now ranks first in the world in the production of iron ores, bauxite, lead and zinc, 2nd in uranium mining (after Canada), and 6th in coal mining.

Relief features of Australia

In ancient times, Australia was an integral part of Gondwana, one of the two largest continents. Australia broke away around the end of the Mesozoic era, and now most of the continent rests on an ancient platform. Therefore, the relief of Australia is dominated by plains, where the richest deposits of sedimentary rocks are located. About 95% of the country's territory does not rise above 600 m above sea level.

A narrow strip of plateau stretches along the western coast. These are the Western Australian Plateau (average heights - 200 m) and the MacDonnell Range (with the highest peak of Zyl - 1511 m). There are deposits of oil, gas, iron ore, bauxite, titanium, and gold here.

The center of the continent is dominated by lowlands. The lowest point in Australia is recorded in the Lakes Eyre region - minus 16 m from sea level. Copper, manganese, and opals are mined in this area.

In the east of the continent there is the Great Dividing Range - these are high mountains with steep slopes, mainly of volcanic origin, made of limestone, granite and volcanic rocks. This mountain system stores considerable reserves of hard and brown coal, rich deposits of oil and gas, tin, gold, and copper. The highest peak of the continent is located here - Mount Kosciuszko (2228 m). The largest Australian rivers, the Murray and Darling, originate on the slopes of the Great Dividing Range.

Types of minerals

Iron ore- a mineral formation containing large amounts of iron. In terms of iron ore production, Australia, together with Brazil and China, provides 2/3 of world production. The largest deposits have been discovered in the north-west of the mainland - these are the Mount Newman and Mount Goldsworth basins. Ore is also mined in South Australia (the largest deposit is Iron Knob). The Australian company BHP Billiton is one of the world's three largest concerns for the production of iron ore raw materials. This concern alone provides the world with about 188 million tons of ore. Currently, Australia is also the world's largest exporter of ore. Each year, more than 30% of world exports come from this country.

Bauxite- a complex rock from which aluminum is mined. Australia ranks second in the world in terms of bauxite deposits, second only to Guinea. According to experts, more than 7 billion tons of valuable ore are stored on the southern continent, which amounts to almost 26% of the world reserve. In Australia, bauxite is found in mountainous areas. The largest deposits: Weipa (Cape York), Gov (Arnhem Land), Jarrahdale (on the slopes of the Darling Range).

Polymetals- complex ore containing a whole set of chemical elements, of which the most important are zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold. Large deposits of polymetallic ores have been discovered in New South Wales (Broken Hill deposit), in Queensland (Mount Is deposit) and in the north of Australia (Tennant Creek deposit).

Gold- a valuable metal that has found application not only in jewelry, but also in electronics, the nuclear industry, and medicine. Australia ranks 4th in the world in gold production. More than 225 tons are mined here every year. The main gold deposits are concentrated in the southwest of the mainland - in the state of Western Australia. The largest mines are located near the cities of Kalgoorlie, Wiloon and in Queensland.

Coal- the most important type of fuel of organic origin. According to experts, almost 9% of the world's coal reserves are concentrated in Australia - that's more than 76.4 billion tons. The main coal basins are located in eastern Australia. The largest deposits are in the states of New South Wales and Queensland.

Oil and natural gas- valuable fuel resources, of which Australia does not have many (compared to other countries, and even more so continents). The main deposits of oil and gas were discovered on the shelf near the coast. The largest oil fields are: Mooney, Alton, Bennett (Queensland), Kingfish (Victoria) and on Barrow Island. The largest gas field is Ranken.

Chromium- a metal used in heavy industry. Rich deposits of chromium have been discovered in Australia. Large deposits: Gingin, Dongarra (Western Australia), Marlin (Victoria).

By production diamonds and opals Australia ranks first in the world. The largest diamond deposit is located in the area of ​​Lake Argyle. And most of the opals (2/3) are found in South Australia. The unusual underground city of Coober Pedy is also located here, which is often called the opal capital of the world. Most of the housing in the city is located in underground mines.

Resources and deposits

Mineral resources. Australia is one of the world's five largest suppliers of mineral raw materials. The mining industry provides a third of the country's total industrial output. Australia's mineral raw materials are exported to more than 100 countries.

Water and forest resources Australia is small. In terms of water supplies, it is the poorest continent on earth. There are few rivers, and 90% of rivers dry up during the dry season. Only the Murray and its tributary, the Murrumbidgee, maintain a constant flow throughout the year. The main forest areas are located in the east and west of the continent. Thickets of eucalyptus trees are especially valued.

Land resources Australia is vast, but almost 44% of the continent is desert. However, semi-deserts and steppes are used for extensive pastures. Sheep breeding is very developed, which is often called the “business card” of the Australian economy. The country occupies a leading position in the world in the production of meat and butter.

Fertile soils are located in steppe regions. They grow mainly wheat. Rich harvests of sugar cane, tobacco, and cotton are also harvested. Recently, winemaking and viticulture have been increasingly developed.

A Australia , one of the highly developed countries in the world, attracts with its mild climate and equally lenient immigration laws. It opens its doors to experienced professionals and businessmen.

ANDmmigration to Australia - this is an opportunity not only to live in a highly developed country, but also, having passed the citizenship exam after 4 years of living in the country and having received citizenship, to move around the world without visas.

T well , being one of the economically developed and stable countries in the world, is open to free immigration. In other words, almost any person with education and work experience can choose it as their place of residence. The principles and laws of immigration are quite simple and understandable - everyone can understand them themselves.

E it's the only country in the world , occupying the territory of the entire continent of the same name, as well as about. Tasmania and surrounding islands. The country is located in the southern and eastern hemispheres, washed by the seas of the Pacific and Indian oceans. In the north it is washed by the Timor and Arafura Seas and the Torres Strait, in the east by the Coral and Tasman Seas, in the south by the Bass Strait and the Indian Ocean, in the west by the Indian Ocean. The coastline is slightly indented. The country has 3 time zones (ahead of Moscow by 6 - 8 hours). Time in Sydney is 7 hours ahead of Moscow in winter, and 8 hours in summer. In addition, time also varies from state to state, where sometimes half an hour is added to standard time.

AAustralia was open Billem Janszoon in 1606. The population of the country at that time was made up of Australian Aborigines, who settled there more than 42 thousand years ago. In 1770, the country was declared a colony of the English Empire, and in 1901, all Australian colonies united into the Commonwealth of Australia, fully subordinate to the Queen of England.

Australia flag Coat of arms of Australia National motto: No Anthem: "Move On Fair Australia" Independence date January 1, 1901 (from UK) Official language de facto English Capital Canberra The largest city Sydney Form of government A constitutional monarchy Queen Governor General Prime Minister Elizabeth II Michael Jeffery John Howard Territory . Total . % aq. surface 6th in the world 7,686,850 km? 1 % Population . Total (2001) . Density 52nd in the world 18 972 350 2 people/km? GDP . Total (2001) . Per capita 16th in the world 611 billion USD 29,893 Currency Internet domain .au Telephone code +61 Time Zones UTC +8 … +10

Australia is the sixth largest country in the world in terms of territory, and it is the only state that occupies an entire continent. The Commonwealth of Australia includes the Australian mainland and several islands, the largest of which is Tasmania. On the mainland, diverse nature coexists with modern, densely populated megacities. Although most of the continent is occupied by semi-deserts and deserts, Australia has a variety of landscapes: from alpine meadows to tropical jungles. Australia is home to unique species of flora and fauna, some of which are not found elsewhere on the planet. Many plants and animals, including giant marsupials, became extinct with the arrival of the aborigines; others (for example, the Tasmanian tiger) - with the advent of Europeans. The Australian continent is an ideal place for practicing any water sports. Surfing, wind surfing, diving, water skiing, rowing and yachting - all this is available to vacationers on the coast. If this doesn’t appeal to you, go for a walk through one of the many nature reserves, ride a bike or ride a horse. You can also go on a safari or go rock climbing. The attractiveness of Australia lies not only in the nature of the continent. Well-appointed cities and centers of cultural and business life of the state also contribute here. In all megacities - be it Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne or any other large city - historical landmarks coexist with skyscrapers, cozy parks coexist with crowded streets, and various museums coexist with chic shops. When you leave Australia, you will, of course, want to take something with you as a souvenir, something that will remind you of your trip to this wonderful country. In souvenir shops you can buy various handicrafts created by the Aboriginal people, clothing made from the finest sheep's wool, and in jewelry stores you can buy jewelry made from famous Australian opals, exquisite pearls or pink diamonds. Availability of immigration Australia, being one of the economically developed and stable countries in the world, is open to free immigration. In other words, almost any person with education and work experience can choose it as their place of residence. The principles and laws of immigration are quite simple and understandable - everyone can understand them themselves. Climate of Australia The Australian continent is located within the three main warm climate zones of the southern hemisphere: subequatorial (in the north), tropical (in the central part) and subtropical (in the south). Only a small part of the island of Tasmania is within the temperate zone. In winter, which occurs in June, July and August, snow sometimes falls, but it does not last long. The subequatorial climate, characteristic of the northern and northeastern parts of the continent, is characterized by an even temperature range (during the year the average air temperature is 23 - 24 degrees) and a large amount of precipitation (from 1000 to 1500 mm, and in some places more than 2000 mm). The further you go south, the more noticeable the change of seasons. In the central and western parts of the continent in summer (December-February) average temperatures rise to 30 degrees, and sometimes higher, and in winter (June-August) they drop to an average of 10-15 degrees. In the center of the continent in the summer, the temperature during the day rises to 45 degrees, at night it drops to zero or lower (-4-6 degrees).

Museums of Australia

Sydney
Sydney has a large number of interesting cultural sites - the famous Sydney Museum of Australian History and Anthropology, the War Memorial Art Gallery, the National Maritime Museum (a really interesting place - everything about the sea and watercraft is collected here - from Aboriginal boats to battleships and surfboards), Art Gallery of New South Wales, Museum of Applied Arts and Science, one of the most “daring” museums in the world - the Museum of Modern Art, Nicholson Museum of Antiquity, Australian Wildlife Park and Hyde Park.

Melbourne
Melbourne is often called the "cultural capital of the Southern Hemisphere". These days, Melbourne's compact city center is filled with museums, galleries and fine shops, but much of the city is occupied by parks, public gardens and the Royal Botanic Garden. Also of interest are the National Gallery and Museum of Victoria, the Museum of Contemporary Australian Art, St. Patrick's Cathedral, the James Cook Memorial and the city's old Mint.

Perth
You can visit the Gallery of Fine Arts of Western Australia, where works by foreign and Australian masters are exhibited, including masterpieces of traditional Aboriginal art, striking in their technique. No less interesting is the Museum of Western Australia, which tells about the nature of the state, its history, the largest meteorite crater in the world in Wolf Creek, and, of course, about the indigenous people - the Aborigines.

Darwin
In the city itself, it is interesting to visit the country's only Military Museum at East Point, the original Gallery of Aboriginal Art and Culture, a saltwater crocodile farm and the Darwin Botanical Garden.

Attractions

	Ayers rock The Uluru rock monolith, unusual in its red color, has long become the emblem of central Australia. This is the oldest and largest monolithic rock on earth (its age is about 500 million years). It makes an amazing impression both because it rises in the middle of an absolutely flat surface, and because it changes its shades at sunset and sunrise. Many tourists and photographers come to admire this magical play of light. This rock was and remains a sacred place for the Aborigines. On it you can see rock paintings.
	Great Barrier Reef One of Australia's most famous landmarks is the Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral structure in the world. This is a huge system of reefs and islets, stretching for 2,010 km. along the eastern coast of the country, from Cape York almost to Brisbane. The Barrier Reef has been a national park for over 20 years.
	Blue Mountains The Blue Mountains are a unique nature reserve near Sydney. Here, as in many other parts of Australia, nature is carefully preserved as it was thousands of years ago. Covered with eucalyptus forests, the mountains from afar appear really blue - due to the evaporation of eucalyptus oils. The observation decks offer magnificent panoramas of forested mountains, steep cliffs, deep valleys and canyons.
	Harbor Bridge It is also called “coat hanger” because it looks like a giant coat hanger. This is one of the longest bridges in the world (503 meters). It was opened in 1932 and by the time construction was completed it cost $20 million. Today, motorists heading into southern Sydney pay a $2 toll to cover the cost of maintaining the bridge. The bridge pylon closest to the Opera House is open to the public. The observation deck offers a 360-degree panorama of Sydney and is a convenient place for photo and video filming.
	Sydney Tower Sydney Tower is the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere (height 304.8 m). There is an observation deck, rotating shops and restaurants.
	Sydney Opera House Of all the attractions in Australia, the Sydney Opera House attracts the most tourists. The famous sails of the Opera House are a symbol not only of Sydney, but of the whole of Australia. Some consider the Opera House to be a magnificent example of “frozen music”. The architect himself said that he created a sculpture inside which he placed theater rooms. “You will never get tired of it (the building), you will never get tired of it,” he predicted. And he was right - the opera building never ceases to amaze, no matter how much we admire it.
	Sydney Aquarium Sydney Aquarium - A magnificent marine park. Here you can observe strange fish and sea animals in picturesque aquariums or from underwater tunnels, where overhead

Australian economy: industry, foreign trade, agriculture

The Australian economy is a developed Western-style market system. The level of GDP per capita is close to the main Western European countries. The country was ranked third out of 170 in the Human Development Index (HDI) and sixth in quality of life by The Economist (2005). Economic growth continues despite the global economic crisis. One of the main reasons for the success is the economic reforms - privatization, deregulation and tax reform carried out by the Howard government.
Australia hasn't had a recession since the early 1990s. In April 2005, unemployment fell to 5.1%, its lowest level since the 1970s. Unemployment now stands at 4.3%. The services sector, which includes tourism, education and banking, accounts for 69% of GDP. Agriculture and natural resource extraction account for 3% and 5% of GDP, but still account for a significant share of exports. The main buyers of Australian products are South Korea and New Zealand. Many economists are concerned, however, about the large foreign trade deficit.

Energy Australia

Australia is relatively well endowed with energy mineral resources. The country accounts for 8% of the world's coal reserves and 15% of lignite reserves, and Australia's uranium reserves are probably the second largest in the world, behind only the former USSR. Australia's oil resources are limited, but gas resources are plentiful. The use of hydropower resources is possible only in the Snowy Mountains and Tasmania; this source provides 10% of all electricity generated in the country.

Transport Australia

Long distances are the main obstacle that the Australian economy has had to overcome. Sea freight has always been necessary for the movement of heavy bulk cargo, which was predominantly produced in Australia. In the 1995-1996 financial year, Australian ports handled almost 400 million tons of international bulk cargo (of which 70% were iron ore and coal) and 22 million tons of international non-bulk cargo. In terms of the scale of bulk cargo turnover, the leading positions were occupied by the ports of Dampier (iron ore), Port Hedland (iron ore), Newcastle (coal and iron ore) and Hay Point (hard coal). The capitals of all states are located on the coasts and are general cargo ports. Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Fremantle (Perth outport) are the largest ports in terms of total cargo turnover. The most significant carrier is the state-owned company Ostrelien National Line, which owned 10 ships in 1996.
The first Australian railway was built in Melbourne in 1854. The uncoordinated construction of different gauge roads by colonial authorities resulted in a system that was inconvenient, expensive and inefficient. The first priority was to convert the national railway system to a single standard gauge. The redevelopment of the Adelaide-Melbourne railway line in 1995 was significant in this regard.
The Australian government saw railways as a means of developing the country. The maximum length - 42,000 km - was reached in 1921. Subsequently, the length of the network was slightly reduced, and in 1996 traffic was supported on state railways with a total length of 33,370 km. In addition, there were also private lines operated mainly by iron ore mining companies, including the 425 km Mount Newman Line and the 390 km Hamersley Line (both in the Pilbara region of Western Australia). The state railway system, long managed separately by different states, was reassigned to the National Railway Corporation in 1991.
Roads are vital for transporting goods and passengers. In 1995, there was one registered vehicle for every 1.65 people. The total length of the road network in 1997 was 803,000 km, but it is unevenly distributed. Only the eastern, south-eastern and south-western regions of the country are sufficiently provided with roads. Only 40% of all roads have a hard surface - asphalt or concrete. Many roads are only roughly graded or little different from trails, while others have gravel or loose stone surfaces. In rural and remote areas, road connections are sometimes disrupted for weeks during the wet season. Currently there is a paved ring road encircling the mainland and a Darwin-Adelaide submeridional road. Australia has a national highway system funded by the federal government. It includes more than 1000 km of toll roads, and in the 1990s the construction of toll roads by private contractors began (especially in the Melbourne area).
The development of air transport in Australia has helped to establish connections with the outside world and within the country. On domestic routes, passenger transportation is provided mainly by Kuontas and Ansett airlines. For decades, the principle of operating two airlines was carried out by the federal government, with one of them (Ansett) being private and the other (Transostrelien Airlines or Ostrelien Airlines) being public. In addition, the state company Kuontas was engaged in international transportation. In the 1990s, Cuontas and Ostrelien Airlines merged and the combined company, Cuontas, was privatized and now operates both domestic and international flights. In addition, Ansett also began to serve international flights. Domestic lines are now open to competition, but none of the smaller companies can compete with Quontas and Ansett.
There are a total of 428 licensed aircraft arrival and departure sites in Australia, ranging from major international airports to airstrips serving sheep ranches. Thanks to air transport, mail, fresh fruits and vegetables are regularly delivered even to vast, sparsely populated areas of the country, and emergency medical care is also available. Airplanes are also used for planting seeds, fertilizing pastures, and transporting a wide variety of cargo.

Agriculture Australia

From 1795, when the first white settlers became partially self-sufficient in basic foodstuffs, until the end of the Second World War, agriculture, and especially sheep farming, formed the basis of the Australian economy. Although agriculture has lost its leading position as industry has developed, this industry still underlies the country's prosperity. In 1996-1997 it contributed almost 3% of the gross national product and 22% of export earnings.
The expression “Australia rides on the back of a sheep” justified itself for a hundred years - from 1820 to approximately 1920. Using several Spanish Merinos imported from the Cape of Good Hope in 1797, as well as others brought a little later from England, John MacArthur and his wife Elizabeth by Through careful crossbreeding, a new breed was developed - the Australian Merino. The mechanization of the English textile industry created a demand for fine-fiber wool, which Australia was able to satisfy from 1820. In 1850 there were 17.5 million sheep in this country. After 1860, money from Victoria's gold mines was used to expand sheep farming. In 1894, the sheep population exceeded 100 million. In 1970, the sheep population in Australia reached a record high level of 180 million. However, as a result of a sharp drop in wool prices on the world market in 1997, it dropped to 123 million.
In 1974, a proposal was adopted to introduce a lower level of auction prices for wool, and it was successfully in effect until 1991, when the sale of a huge supply of accumulated wool on the “free market” began. As a result, wool prices fell sharply. By that time, more than 4.6 million bales of unsold wool had accumulated in the country. Marketing these stocks, as well as the newly produced wool, has become a challenge for modern Australia. In 1996, 730 thousand tons of wool were produced, but prices dropped by 57% compared to the level of 1988-1989.
While Australian wool has had a market since the early 19th century, there has been no such market for meat for many years. Therefore, old and surplus sheep were slaughtered for skins and lard. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and the invention of meat freezing technology in 1879 made it possible to export Australian lamb to England. The successful development of trade stimulated the breeding of new breeds of sheep, which produced meat of better quality than Merino sheep, but somewhat inferior wool. In 1996-1997, Australia produced 583 thousand tons of lamb, of which 205 thousand tons were exported. Over the last decade, the export of live sheep, which were slaughtered after delivery to the destination country, has been established. This product was mainly purchased by Muslim countries of the Middle East. In total, over 5.2 million sheep were exported from Australia in 1996-1997.
Since Australia has no large predators other than dingoes, cattle farming reached a significant scale during the colonial period, especially in drier and more remote areas where it outpaced sheep farming. However, the development of this industry was hampered by the inability to export products and the limited domestic market. The Victoria Gold Rush in the 1850s attracted thousands of people. A significant beef market arose there, which marked the beginning of the development of commercial beef cattle breeding. However, it was not until after 1890, when frozen Australian beef began to enter the English market, that further development of the industry was guaranteed. By that time, most of the continent, which is now used for cattle grazing, had been developed, and the total livestock population had reached approximately 10 million.
In 1997, there were 23.5 million head of beef cattle. Beef and veal production amounted to 1.8 million tons, of which 42% was exported. The opening of the Japanese market was of great importance for the expansion of Australian beef exports. As in sheep farming, the export of live cattle increased significantly during these years - more than 860 thousand heads in 1996-1997.
Australia's dairy farms are concentrated on the southeast coast, where there is sufficient rainfall or irrigation; The most important areas for the development of this industry are the south coast of Victoria, the Murray Valley near Echuca and the border area between Queensland and New South Wales. In 1997, there were 3.1 million head of dairy cattle. The size of this herd has declined since the early 1960s, but thanks to improvements in the composition and quality of pastures, as well as improved farming methods, the volume of dairy production has not decreased. In the 1990s, the number of dairy cattle increased again. This trend is partly due to the industry's successful adaptation to global market conditions following the decision in the mid-1980s that dairy prices should be in line with global prices. Currently, approximately half of Australian dairy products are exported (mainly to the Middle East and Asia) in the form of cheese, milk powder, butter and casein. In the past, dairy production was dependent on government subsidies, but now the industry is becoming increasingly self-sufficient.
Other livestock sectors, such as pig farming, poultry farming and beekeeping, are mainly oriented towards the domestic market, with only a few products being exported.
The cultivation of cereal crops is limited mainly to the eastern and south-eastern peripheral regions of Australia, and to a lesser extent developed in the south-west of Western Australia and Tasmania. After 1950, when 8 million hectares were sown, there was a significant increase in sown areas up to a record level of 22 million hectares in 1984. Subsequently, unfavorable climatic and economic factors led to a reduction in cultivated areas to 17 million hectares in 1991, but then began to expand again - to 19.4 million hectares in 1994.
Fertilizers are necessary to grow grain crops and maintain the functioning of many pastures. In 1995-1996 they were used on an area of ​​28.4 million hectares. Irrigation is playing an increasingly important role for Australian farmers. In 1994, the total area of ​​irrigated land was 2.4 million hectares. Most of these lands were concentrated in the Murray-Darling basin. In 1995-1996, the total value of crop production was AUD 14.7 billion. dollars. The most important among grain crops is wheat, grown in areas with an average annual precipitation of 380-500 mm. It accounts for over half of all sown areas. It is predominantly a winter crop, which is very sensitive to drought. In particular, in 1994-1995, when drought hit New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, the wheat harvest fell to 9 million tons, and two years later in 1996-1997 it almost tripled and reached 23.7 million. T.
Barley and oats are important winter grain crops. They are used as feed for livestock, and are also sown on stubble - such areas often serve as pastures. Australia is one of the world's leading exporters of oats; its collection in 1995-1996 amounted to 1.9 million tons on an area of ​​1.1 million hectares. South Australia is the leader in barley production. Part of the harvest of this crop is used for malt, the rest is used as livestock feed or exported. In 1995-1996, 5.8 million tons of barley were harvested on an area of ​​3.1 million hectares. Among other grain crops, there are corn (used mainly for fodder), sorghum (grown for grain and forage), triticale (a hybrid of rye and wheat), and oilseeds - groundnuts, sunflowers, safflower, rapeseed and soybeans. Canola plantings expanded in the 1990s.
The majority (98%) of rice is grown on irrigated land along the Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers (lower valley) in southern New South Wales. Rice plantings are expanding in Queensland. In 1996-1997, the rice harvest amounted to 1.4 million tons on an area of ​​164 thousand hectares.
Sugarcane cultivation is limited to coastal areas in eastern Queensland and northern New South Wales. In 1995-1996, 4.9 million tons of sugar were produced, and most of it was exported. Cotton crops in Australia are confined mainly to irrigated lands. The main cotton-growing areas are the Namoy, Gwydir and Macintyre river valleys in New South Wales and the Burke district. In 1995-1996, 430 thousand tons of cotton fiber were produced (70% of which was exported). Australia meets its needs for short- and medium-staple cotton, but is forced to import long-staple cotton.
Vegetable farming meets Australia's needs and over the last decade the area under vegetables has increased and the range of these crops has expanded. In 1995-1996, vegetable crops occupied 130 thousand hectares. Although most of them for fresh consumption are still grown in small, intensively cultivated suburban farms, the development of transportation has facilitated the establishment of vegetable farms in areas with the most suitable soils and low land costs. The bulk of vegetables for canning and freezing are produced in irrigated areas.
In Australia, the demand for fruits and grapes is abundantly satisfied, but nuts and olives have to be imported. In terms of productivity, the irrigated lands along the valleys of the Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers are most prominent, supplying grapes, citrus fruits and a variety of stone fruits, such as peaches, cherries and apricots. The main fruit exports are raisins, oranges, pears and apples. Tropical fruits such as pineapples, bananas, papayas, mangoes, macadamas and granadillas are grown in the belt between Coffs Harbor (New South Wales) and Cairns (Queensland) on the country's east coast.
Grapes are used in winemaking and for consumption in dried and fresh form. In 1995-1996, vineyards occupied an area of ​​80 thousand hectares. In recent years, wine production has increased and a significant part of it (more than 25%) has been exported. Australian wines are very diverse. In 1994, there were 780 wineries operating in the country. However, 80% of all production came from the four largest wine companies.
Forestry. Australia is poorly supplied with good timber. Only 20% of the country's area is covered by primary forests, with 72% of the forests located on public lands and the rest on private lands. Almost three-quarters of the forests are occupied by eucalyptus stands. Few species are suitable for wood pulp, the exceptions being rowan in Gippsland and curry in Western Australia. Local softwood species have particularly specific uses. To reduce the shortage, exotic softwood trees, predominantly the stately New Zealand pine, were planted on an area of ​​about 1 million hectares. However, Australia must import timber, mainly softwood, from Canada and the USA. In turn, Australia exports timber harvested in Tasmania and New South Wales.
Fisheries. Fishing is confined mainly to the southern and eastern parts of the shelf. It expanded greatly in the 1990s, with a significant portion of the catch being exported - mainly lobsters and shrimp to Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The total value of exported seafood in 1995-1996 exceeded 1 billion Australian dollars. dollars. In the same year, a total of 214 thousand tons of seafood were produced, of which the most important types of fish were bluefin tuna, Australian salmon, mullet and shark, and among crustaceans - shrimp and lobsters. Shrimp production amounted to 27.5 thousand tons, and lobster - 15.6 thousand tons. Prawn fishing is carried out by trawlers in the Gulf of Carpentaria, and lobsters are caught in many areas along the southern coast of Australia. The oyster and scallop fishery is focused primarily on the domestic market.
Since the early 1980s, aquaculture has begun to expand, and is now one of the fastest growing sectors of the fisheries industry. Currently, the main objects of this industry are oysters, tuna, salmon, shrimp and scallops. The cost of its production in 1995-1996 was 338 million Australian dollars. dollars, or twice as much as six years ago. The once prosperous pearl fishery has now almost ceased, but cultured pearl farms have been established in several (at least ten) places on the northern coast and provide considerable income. Rivers and streams in the mountains of Eastern Australia provide excellent trout fishing opportunities.

Manufacturing industry in Australia

The development of the manufacturing industry in Australia was greatly facilitated by the reduction in imports during the Second World War. The expansion of this industry continued in the 1950s and 1960s, and employment there increased by 70%. Manufacturing employment growth stalled in the 1970s, a trend that continues today. However, the manufacturing industry now accounts for approx. 14% of GDP, i.e. much less than 20 years ago, when this industry contributed 20% of GDP. At the end of the 1970s, approximately 1.2 million people were employed in the manufacturing industry, and in 1996 - approx. 925 thousand people, or 13% of the amateur population.

Mining industry in Australia

Mining in Australia has expanded over the past 40 years and the country is now a major supplier of minerals to the world market. Australia leads other countries in the production of bauxite, diamonds, lead and zircon and in the export of coal, iron ore, bauxite, lead, diamonds and zinc. Australia is the world's second largest exporter of bauxite and uranium and the third largest exporter of gold and aluminum. The largest mining industry is coal, with coal accounting for 10% of Australian exports. Overall, in 1995-1996, the mining industry contributed 4% of Australia's GDP, and its products accounted for 22% of exports. In addition to coal, iron ore, oil, copper, zinc ores and uranium were exported from Australia.
In the past, the most important mineral resource was gold. In 1851-1865, deposits in the states of Victoria and New South Wales, where gold was first discovered, annually produced an average of 70.8 tons of this noble metal. Gold deposits were later discovered in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Currently, gold is mined in many areas of the country, but mainly in Western Australia. In total, 264 tons of gold were mined in 1995-1996, with 78% in Western Australia, where the richest Kalgoorlie deposit stands out.
Since 1950, mineral exploration has expanded. The 1960s saw important discoveries, particularly in Western Australia's Precambrian shield and sedimentary basins. The result was the first huge mining boom since the gold rush of the 1850s. This campaign was financed from the capital of Japan, the USA, and Australia itself. The most active activity took place in Western Australia, especially in iron ore mining.
At one time, the export of iron ore was prohibited, as it was believed that its reserves in the country were limited. This policy was radically changed after huge deposits of this ore were discovered in 1964 in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. In 1995-1996, 137.3 million tons of iron ore were mined in Australia, 92% of which were exported. The main deposits are located in Western Australia - Mount Hamersley, Newman and Goldsworthy. Other deposits are Tallering Peak, Kulanuka and Kulyanobbing.
Australia has extensive reserves of bauxite, the main raw material for aluminum production, and since 1985 the country has produced at least 40% of the world's bauxite production. Bauxite was first discovered in 1952 on the Gove Peninsula (Northern Territory), and in 1955 in Weipa (Queensland). There are also deposits in Western Australia - in the Darling Range southeast of Perth and on the Mitchell Plateau in the Kimberley region; In all but the last one, development has begun. In 1995-1996, 50.7 million tons of bauxite were mined. Some bauxite is used to produce alumina, while the other part is processed into aluminum. Bauxite from the Weipa deposit is sent to Gladstone, where alumina is produced. Similar enrichment plants operate in Gove (Northern Territory); Queenan and Pinjarra (Western Australia) and Bell Bay (Tasmania). In 1995-1996, alumina production in Australia amounted to 13.3 million tons, most of it is exported. At the same time, Australian enterprises produced 1.3 million tons of aluminum through electrolysis.
The coalfields near Newcastle had been exploited since 1800, and coal was one of Australia's earliest exports. Anthracite and semi-anthracite coals are rare, but reserves of other types of coal are large. The main deposits of bituminous (coking and steam) coals are located in the Bowen basin (in Queensland) and Sydney (in New South Wales); some seams reach thicknesses of more than 18 m and can be mined by open-pit mining (especially in the Bowen Basin). It was such coals, particularly from the Queensland deposits located near Collinsville, Moura, Blair Athol and Bridgewater, that revived the Australian coal industry. Japan, the main importer of Australian coal, has invested heavily in coal mining in the Bowen Basin, where several new mines have been opened. In 1995-1996, 194 million tons of coal were mined in Australia (about half in Queensland and the same in New South Wales), 140 million tons of coal were exported (43% to Japan, 13% to Korea and 7% to Taiwan) . Currently, Australia is the leading supplier of coal to the world market.
Coking coal for the iron and steel industry is mined from deposits near Newcastle and Wollongong. Sub-bituminous coals are mined in the Ipswich and Cullaid areas of Queensland, Leigh Creek in South Australia and Fingal in Tasmania. Western Australia's main deposit is located at Collie, 320 km south of Perth. The Latrobe Valley in Victoria is home to large brown coal deposits: three main seams there are mined by highly mechanized open pit mining; Most coal is used in local thermal power stations to power southern Victoria. Other brown coal deposits are located west of Melbourne - in Anglesey and Bacchus Marsh. Large deposits of brown coal have been discovered: Kingston in the south-east of South Australia, Esperance in Western Australia and Rosevale in Tasmania.
Because the coal industry is so important economically, including for power generation, exports and employment issues, Australia long resisted implementing the UN resolution adopted at the Kyoto Climate Change Conference in December 1997. It eventually agreed to significantly reduce 2010 emissions of carbon-containing gases.
A government-sponsored petroleum exploration program that began in the 1950s has led to the clear identification of at least 20 sedimentary basins; Of these, nine are currently producing oil. The most important deposits are in the regions of Gippsland (Victoria), Carnarvon (Western Australia), Bonaparte (Northern Territory and Western Australia) and Cooper-Eromanga (South Australia and Queensland). In 1995-1996, 30 billion liters of oil were produced, incl. nearly half are from the Gippsland Basin. Australia has almost reached the level of self-sufficiency in petroleum products; exports of crude oil and condensate in 1994-1995 amounted to 35 million liters, and imports - 77 million liters, which is much less than the level of local production.
Natural gas, first discovered in the Roma region of Queensland in 1904, was of only local importance until 1961. In 1995-1996, almost 30 billion cubic meters were produced in Australia. m of gas, mainly from fields in the Gippsland region and the shelf off the north-west coast, with the latter region accounting for over half and being exported. All state capitals and many other cities are connected by pipelines to gas fields. Brisbane receives gas from the Roma-Surat fields; Sydney, Canberra and Adelaide from the Cooper-Eromanga Basin; Melbourne - from the Gippsland shelf; Perth - from the Dongara-Mandara fields and the shelf off the north-west coast; Darwin - from the Amadius Basin deposits.
Australia is gradually expanding its production of liquefied petroleum gas. In 1995-1996, 3.6 billion liters of this gas was produced, including 62% from fields in Bass Strait and 25% from the Cooper Basin.
Australia is a major producer of lead, which is often found together with. The most important mining area for these metals is Mount Isa - Cloncurry in western Queensland, from where the ore is supplied to processing plants in Mount Isa and Townsville. Older but still significant mining areas for these metals are Zean Dundas in Tasmania (since 1882) and Broken Hill in western New South Wales (since 1883). In terms of metal content, 774 thousand tons of lead ore were mined in 1995-1996. In the same year, 1.3 million tons of zinc were mined. The Mount Isa-Cloncurry area is also a major hotspot. The metal was first mined in the Kapanda-Barra region of South Australia in the 1840s. In 1991, Australia produced 1.3 million tons of copper in terms of copper concentrate.
Australia became a major producer after the metal was discovered in 1966 at Kambalda, south of the Kalgoorlie gold district in Western Australia. In 1991, 65.4 thousand tons of nickel were mined. After the discovery of diamond deposits in the north-east of Western Australia in 1979, Australia became the main producer. Diamond mining at the Argyle mine began in 1983, and it is now considered one of the largest in the world. Most of the diamonds mined are of industrial importance. In 1995-1996 Australia exported almost 7200 kg of diamonds. Significant quantities of opals and sapphires are also mined. The Coober Pedy, Andamooka and Mintabe mines in South Australia produce the majority of the world's precious opals; in New South Wales there are the Lightning Ridge and White Cliffs deposits. Sapphires are mined near Glen Innes and Inverell in New South Wales and Anakie in Queensland.
Australia has most of the world's reserves of rutile, zircon and thorium, contained in sands along the country's east coast between Stradbroke Island (Queensland) and Byron Bay (New South Wales) and on the Western Australian coast at Capel. In 1995-1996, 2.5 million tons of sands containing these minerals were mined. Manganese ore production far exceeds the country's needs, and most of the total production is exported. All manganese comes from Groot Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Australia has been a major supplier of tungsten in the past, and much of its production is still exported. Tungsten mines are located in north-east Tasmania and on King Island.
Australia owns 30% of the world's reserves of cheap uranium raw materials. The Labor government in power, guided by safety concerns, limited uranium production to two mines. Development of the Ranger-Nabarlek deposits near Jabiru in the Northern Territory began in 1979, and the Olympic Dam deposits in South Australia in 1988. In 1995-1996, 3.2 thousand tons were produced in the first area, and 1.85 thousand in the second. t. The coalition government that came to power in 1996 lifted restrictions on uranium mining. The Jabiluka mine in the Northern Territory has received government approval and the Beverley mine in South Australia is planned, although both projects face opposition from environmental groups.
Salt is produced by evaporation of sea water, as well as the waters of salt lakes. Four large plants of this kind, located in Western Australia (Dampier, Lake McLeod, Port Hedland and Shark Bay), produce almost 80% of the country's salt. Most of it is exported to Japan, where it is used in the chemical industry. For the domestic market, salt is produced in small factories located primarily in South Australia, Victoria and Queensland.

Australia's foreign trade

Australia has always depended on overseas markets for the produce of its ranches, farms, mines and, more recently, manufacturing plants. In 1996-1997, the value of exports amounted to almost AUD 79 billion. dollars, including finished products - 61.4%, mineral raw materials - 22.7% and agricultural products - 13.6%. In the same year, 75% of Australia's exports went to countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The main buyer of Australian goods was Japan (19% of export value), followed by South Korea (9%), New Zealand (8%), USA (7%), Taiwan (4.6%), China (4.5%) , Singapore (4.3%), Indonesia (4.2%) and Hong Kong (3.9%), while the UK accounted for only 3%.
Australia's trade balance in 1995-1996 was generally characterized by a slight deficit: exports - 78.885 billion Australian dollars. dollars, imports - 78.997 billion Australian dollars. dollars. The main imports were computers, airplanes, cars, chemical products (including oil), telecommunications equipment, medicines, clothing, shoes and paper. Australia's trade balance with different countries has developed differently. For example, there was a surplus with Japan (exports AUD 15.3 billion and imports AUD 10.2 billion), and a large deficit with the United States (exports AUD 5.5 billion). , and imports - 17.6 billion Australian dollars). In addition, there were surpluses with South Korea, New Zealand, Hong Kong (Hong Kong), Indonesia, Iran and South Africa and significant trade deficits with the UK, etc.
Economic ties between Australia and the United States have attracted particular attention. Australia is considered an active ally of the United States, but in terms of foreign trade the balance is not in favor of Australia - just as in trade between the United States and Japan, the latter wins (which in turn is inferior to Australia). Australia and the US are competitors in the export of some goods, such as grain. Government subsidies provided to American farmers who produce export products are seen in Australia as unfair competition.
Despite its relatively balanced foreign trade performance, Australia has a chronic deficit problem in its overall international balance sheet. This can be explained by successive deficits arising from non-trade factors such as interest payments on foreign loans, dividends to foreign investors, insurance costs and ship charter costs. In the 1996-1997 financial year, Australia's "current account deficit" reached AUD 17.5 billion. dollars, or 3.4% of GDP, which is much less than the level of 1994-1995, when it was 27.5 billion Australian dollars. dollars, or 6% of GDP.
In the 1996-1997 financial year, Australia's entire external debt was estimated at AUD 288 billion. dollars. Taking into account the value of Australian investments abroad (excluding shares), Australia's net external debt was AUD 204 billion. dollars. A country's overall international investment position can be determined by adding this external debt to its net investment in equities. In 1996-1997, Australia's gross liabilities in foreign shares amounted to AUD 217 billion. dollars, and the net liability for foreign shares is AUD 105 billion. Overall, Australia's international investment position, taking into account debt and equities, was characterized by a deficit of AUD 309 billion. Doll.
Australia's economy has always been heavily dependent on foreign investment. With the government's continued market orientation, a healthy economy and large-scale development projects, the influx of foreign capital continued. In the 1996-1997 financial year, total foreign investment amounted to AUD 217 billion. dollars, and the volume of Australian capital investments abroad is 173 billion Australian dollars. dollars Overall approx. 29% of the shares of Australian companies were owned by foreigners, and in private trading companies this figure reached 44%. The participation of foreign capital in the mining industry is especially high.
Throughout the 20th century. Australia tried to protect its industry by imposing tariffs on imported goods, while at the same time trying to establish free exports of goods. Since the early 1970s, customs duties have been sharply reduced, which has significantly affected production and employment in a number of sectors of the economy, for example, in the manufacturing industry - in the production of cars, clothing and footwear. As a result of these policies, Australia's economy has become more competitive and the share of manufactured goods in exports has increased significantly. Thanks to a more stable economic structure, Australia was able to overcome the severe shocks that erupted in the Asia-Pacific region by the end of 1998 without much loss. Australia has strengthened its position in the so-called. Cairns Group of Trading Partners and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, championing the principle of free trade. In the late 1990s, the Australian government, concerned about high unemployment and the reluctance of other Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation partners to continue the policy of reducing customs duties, itself introduced a moratorium on further reductions in duties until 2004.
Money circulation and banking. Australia has adopted a decimal monetary system since 1966. The Australian dollar is issued by the Reserve Bank of Australia, which regulates interest rates and controls the financial system. In recent years, regulation of the banking sector has gradually weakened. For example, since 1983 foreign banks have been allowed to operate in Australia, and fundamental differences between different types of banks and between banks and other financial institutions such as life insurance companies, building societies and superannuation funds have gradually been reduced or eliminated. As of June 1996, there were 50 Australian and foreign banks operating in the country, with more than 6.5 thousand branches. The four largest Australian banks - National Australia Bank, Union Bank of Australia, Westpac Banking Corporation and the Australian and New Zealand Banking Group - control more than half of all banking assets. The merger of these four large banks is prohibited by the government, which seeks to ensure the competitiveness of the banking sector.

Australian public finance

Despite the federal principle of government, which initially gave states significant financial autonomy, the dominant factor in Australia's public finance system is the federal government. In the 1995-1996 fiscal year, for example, the national government increased its share of public sector revenue by 73%, and its own expenditures (excluding subsidies to other government agencies) amounted to ca. 55% of total public sector expenditure. The draft federal budget for the 1998-1999 financial year provides for revenues of AUD 144.3 billion. dollars, of which 2.5% comes from tax revenues, and expenses in the amount of AUD 141.6 billion. dollars, which will amount to a budget surplus of AUD 2.7 billion. dollars. The main areas of budget expenditures are social insurance and social assistance (38% of total expenditures), healthcare (16%), defense (7%) and education (4%).
The surplus envisaged in the draft budget should end the 7-year period of budget deficit, which came after the Labor government managed to achieve a budget surplus for 4 years in a row (from 1987-1988 to 1990-1991). It is assumed that the country will have a deficit-free budget for the foreseeable future. As a result, within four years, the size of domestic public debt (statistics of which do not include indicators of state-owned business enterprises) should be reduced to zero. For comparison: in the 1995-1996 financial year, the amount of public debt reached its peak and amounted to 95.8 billion Australian dollars. dollars, or 19.5% of GDP. Total state and territory government revenues in 1995-1996 were AUD 74.4 billion. About 46% of this amount was received in the form of subsidies from the federal government, the rest was received in the form of payroll taxes, property taxes, financial transaction taxes and sales taxes. The main items of expenditure for state and territory governments are education (31% of expenditure), health care (20%), debt repayment (15%), police and security services (9%).
Tax system. In the taxation system, the most important place is occupied by income tax. Although overall tax levels in Australia are significantly lower than in other advanced industrial countries, income tax rates are quite high. In 1995-1996, income tax accounted for over 60% of taxes collected at all levels (with personal income tax accounting for 40%, and legal entities 13%). Individual income is calculated on a progressive scale, starting with a minimum rate of 20% levied on income that exceeds the tax-free annual income of AUD 5,400. dollars, and up to a maximum rate of 47% on income exceeding 50 thousand Australian dollars. dollars (data as of 1997-1998). Over the past decades, there has been a gradual reduction in the maximum income tax rate, which was previously 60%.
Property and estate taxes are relatively small, totaling 5% of total tax revenue, and there is no inheritance tax (inheritance tax was abolished in the 1970s). GST in 1995-1996 was approx. 23% of total tax revenues, which is slightly less compared to other industrialized countries, but the taxation mechanism in this area is quite complex. The federal government collects wholesale sales tax at varying rates (12% on some goods, 22% on others, and 32% on “luxury goods”). There is also a 37% wholesale sales tax on beer and spirits, a 41% tax on wine and a 45% tax on luxury cars. Food, clothing, building materials, books, magazines and newspapers, and medicines are not taxed. In addition, there is a federal excise tax on oil and some agricultural products. Until 1997, taxes and excise taxes were also levied on gasoline, alcoholic beverages and tobacco products, which were legally interpreted as taxes on franchises and working capital. In August 1997, the High Court ruled that these taxes were unconstitutional and violated the state monopoly on excise taxes, so measures were quickly taken to transfer these taxes to the category of state taxes that go to state budgets.
In 1985, the then Labor government supported the idea of ​​a simple and comprehensive consumption tax, but then had to withdraw the proposal under pressure from welfare advocates and trade unions who feared the regressive effects of the new tax mechanism. The proposal to introduce a flat goods and services tax (GST) was included in the radical platform of the Liberal National opposition in the 1993 elections, but the obvious unpopularity of this proposal was widely recognized as the reason for the defeat of the opposition coalition. However, in 1996, the same opposition coalition led by John Howard defeated Labor even though its program included the same unpopular thesis about the introduction of GST. At the same time, the Howard government promised that if it was re-elected in 1998, it would not only reduce the income tax rate (which was supposed to form the basis of the budget surplus planned by the government), but at the same time introduce a 10% GST on all goods and services (except for institutions health, education and kindergartens). With this tax reform program the Howard government won the election. However, the fate of the project to introduce GST remains unclear, since the government does not have a majority in the Senate. It is likely that if food is also excluded from the tax base, the GST will be supported by senators from minor parties and come into force in 2000.

Australian tax revenue distribution

The states that formed the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901 became not only self-financing, but also self-governing entities. As the federal government strengthened and expanded its participation in the development and implementation of public financial policy (for example, a national pension program was adopted in 1908), it began to collect taxes that had previously been the prerogative of state governments (land tax, funeral duty, income tax and etc.), and compete with states in the field of capital construction lending.
At the dawn of the Union, a number of once most important revenue items in state budgets - taxes on public utilities, public transport and sold-off lands of the British crown - gradually lost their economic importance. On the other hand, the constitutional transfer of "customs and excise duties" to the federal government limited the ability of states to levy taxes in these areas. Although the transfer of these payments to the federal level was intended to stimulate domestic trade between states and establish uniform tariffs on imports, it gave impetus to the emergence of “vertical budget imbalances”, in which the amount of federal government revenue invariably exceeds the amount of its real expenditures and, accordingly, the states actually spend significantly more money than they are able to receive in taxes. As for “excise taxes,” the High Court insisted on a fairly broad interpretation of them, which deprived state budgets of many potential sources of revenue in the form of sales tax, consumption tax, and penalties and left states with a rather narrow tax base.
Throughout the 1920s, states had difficulty meeting their obligations to repay debts and pay interest on previous loans, causing them to run budget deficits. In 1927, a special mechanism was developed to coordinate government borrowing programs and eliminate competition between the federal center and states in the field of borrowing within the framework of a financial agreement between the states and the federal government, according to which a borrowing council was formed. All government borrowing (except for defense) now had to be made in agreement with a borrowing board, which included one representative from each state and central government. The federal government received two advisory votes and one casting vote on the council, so the government needed to enlist the support of two more states to make favorable decisions. But even without these additional votes, the federal government's financial superiority in other areas of the economy allowed it to consistently exert a decisive influence on the borrowing council's decisions. In 1928, the financial agreement received constitutional justification in a referendum that approved the inclusion of Article 105A in the constitution.
Finally, when the federal government managed to monopolize income tax collection in the 1940s, its financial power was firmly established. In the early 1940s, income taxes became a major source of government revenue, with income tax rates varying widely among states. During World War II, the federal government, ostensibly in an effort to find efficient and fair ways to raise budget revenues, proposed that states waive direct taxes for the duration of the war (in exchange for federal compensation payments) so that uniform tax rates could be established throughout the country. . But the state premiers did not agree with this proposal, and then in 1941 the federal parliament passed a law obliging the states to adopt the new scheme. As a result, states gained the right to compensatory transfers for lost revenues, but only on the condition that they did not impose their own income taxes. A number of states challenged the flat tax law, but in 1942 the High Court upheld it. In 1946, the federal parliament again passed the same law to maintain a single tax in peacetime (in 1957 this law was also upheld by the High Court). However, the federal government had no legal grounds to prevent states from imposing local income taxes. However, the practical effect of the new legislation was that the federal government secured a monopoly on the collection of income taxes, since imposing an income tax on a state would automatically deprive it of federal transfers and could result in “double taxation” in that state.
This tax system finally strengthened the financial basis of Australian federalism. Currently, income taxes are levied by the central government. The federal budget for 1998-1999 provides for the collection of income taxes in the amount of AUD 99 billion. dollars - of which 76% falls on individuals, 23% on legal entities. Another 15 billion AUD. dollars should come to the budget from the tax on wholesale sales and 14 billion Australian dollars. dollars - from excise taxes on petroleum products, etc.
In 1971, the vertical fiscal imbalance was partially corrected when the federal government gave states the right to levy a payroll tax (in exchange for a reduction in the general purpose transfer, although the states immediately legislated tax rates to increase and benefited from this reform). . The payroll tax has become the most important source of revenue for state budgets, being directly linked to the rate of economic growth. However, this tax is considered too burdensome for businesses, as it inhibits investment and employment.
In practice, the vertical budget imbalance is determined by the federal center, which returns budget funds to the states in the form of transfers (subsidies). The Union government makes proposals for next year's draft budget at the annual conference of state premiers. Heads of state governments participate in this partly ritual, partly competitive forum, making amendments and entering into special agreements with the government. At different stages of the country's modern history, the federal center was viewed by the states as either a generous or a tight-fisted creditor, although it must be recognized that the degree of generosity of the Union government invariably depended on the general guidelines of its economic strategy. Thus, in the first years after the war, budget revenues due to increased tax collection served as powerful financial support for strengthening the federal government. At the same time, the size of compensatory transfers to states was constantly decreasing.
The system of vertical budget imbalance also has its supporters. The country has a centralized and generally effective system for collecting income taxes, and the federal center's authority to determine the amount of government spending and borrowing, in turn, provides it with the ability to effectively manage the country's economy as a whole. On the other hand, it is argued that budget imbalances significantly disrupt the interdependence between government spending programs and the execution of budget revenues. According to opponents of the existing system, not only does this imbalance not contribute to the direct linking of decisions on public spending with responsibility for the execution of the budget revenues, but the social and financial responsibility of government structures is blurred.
State governments are, in principle, able to increase their budget revenues through local taxes. In the past, the central government has given states the option - notably in 1952 and 1977 - to take over some income tax collection functions. However, the states did not want to use the powers they received. When some local payments and taxes are increased, other taxes are simultaneously reduced or even eliminated. Thus, in most states the inheritance tax was abolished, land tax breaks were introduced, and in 1977 none of the states took advantage of the opportunity to introduce an income tax surcharge.
The Howard government promised that all income generated by the introduction of GST would be redistributed to the states. This measure should provide states with more accurately projected budget revenues, although it is unlikely to reduce vertical budget imbalances.
In the past, most federal grants to states were distributed as “untied” general purpose payments (called financial aid grants in the 1990s), allowing states to use the funds as they saw fit. Article 96 of the constitution states that the federal government “may provide financial assistance to any state on such terms and conditions as the federal parliament may deem acceptable.” And according to the decision of the High Court, the federal center, when allocating financial assistance to the states under certain conditions, has the right to determine among these conditions those that may relate to powers not transferred to the federal center under the constitution.
The first tax-sharing legislation of the 1940s required that federal reimbursement of income taxes collected from the states be made in the form of "decoupled" payments so that the states could dispose of them as freely as they had previously handled tax revenues. local income taxes. Since the late 1940s, however, the federal government has repeatedly increased the share of “tied” (i.e., targeted) payments, which now account for about half of all federal transfers.
Ten years after the formation of the Commonwealth of Australia, the federal government became a reliable source of financial assistance to states that had previously experienced severe financial difficulties. In 1933, when the practice of issuing government grants was firmly established, the central government created a permanent special body - the grant commission - to determine the amount and form of financial assistance to the states

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Hello! My name is Natasha, and for 5 years now I have been living in a country where everyone walks on their heads, or rather in Australia, in the city of Sydney. Here I work as a marketer, I run my blog in Instagram and a radio column, and I also organize picnics for Russian immigrants like my husband and me. Life on the Green Continent is full of interesting discoveries, and even now I continue to be amazed by some of them.

Especially for readers website I will tell you the whole truth about the features of this distant and beautiful country.

The question I get asked most often is: how to move to Australia? We moved here thanks to my husband, who received a work permit. We decided to try to live in this country, and then we stayed and never regretted our decision. Like any other country, there are many pros and cons to living in Australia. If you are interested in relocating, I advise you to check the Immigration Department website, as the rules are constantly changing. And also check whether your profession is on the list of in-demand professions for migrants.

Well, to make it easier for you to make a decision, I suggest that you first learn more about the life of Australians.

1. There is no eternal summer in Australia

I used to think that in Australia it was always warm, sunny and you could swim in the warm ocean all year round. This is indeed a very sunny continent (about 250 sunny days a year), but the weather can be different and even unpredictable. In Sydney, even in summer, the ocean rarely warms up to a comfortable temperature, and Australians themselves prefer to go for a beach holiday to Bali, Fiji or Thailand.

The country is large; several climate zones pass through it: from the tropics in the north to a cooler climate with rainy winters in the south. If you wish, you can even go skiing in Australia: there are several ski resorts where real snow falls (although the prices there are steep!).

Australia is also often called the Green Continent, but this is not entirely true: most of the continent is desert, and tropical forests are found only along one coast.

2. In winter, it can be warmer outside than at home.

Here’s a paradox: despite the fact that the winters here are not harsh, the lack of central heating and “cardboard walls” make me feel colder than in Russia. That's why sheepskin slippers were my first purchase.

Usually in winter it’s even warmer outside than at home: once in my friend’s apartment the thermometer rose to a maximum of +9, while the temperature outside the window was about +13. This is roughly how I spent three summer months. Australians are saving themselves as best they can: using heaters and simply dressing warmer. Ugg boots, which are worn on the streets all over the world, are worn here at home.

3. Australians love the ocean and nature.

Typical road in a residential area: Along with their cars, many families park boats, sometimes two at once. There are more than a hundred beaches in Sydney (just imagine, you can choose a new one every weekend!), and people try to spend their free time usefully. Many people enjoy surfing, riding small boards, while others simply swim or relax in the shade.

4. Relaxed, unhurried and unbearable accent

It’s not for nothing that there are so many legends about the Australian accent: it really baffles the untrained ear! Locals speak quickly, swallow sounds, and even use many abbreviations: arvo = afternoon, brekky = breakfast, etc. Add here Indians and Asians with their own accents: at first, out of habit, my head is spinning from this language mixture.

Here are some interesting observations about the mentality of local residents:

• Australians don't give their all at work, but think it's better to do 80% and go surfing. And it doesn’t matter that you expect 100% results from them. At work, sometimes it even turns out to be convenient: firstly, something can be done faster and handed over, and then slowly finished. And secondly, in the end the alterations may be different than you originally expected. Users will test and perhaps find errors that can be corrected along with improvements. “I work for life, but I don’t live for work” - that’s their motto.
• Nobody is tense. And why, when you have a glass of coffee in one hand and an endless ocean stretches before your eyes? You can go outside in pajamas, sweatpants, or even barefoot! Nobody cares. It may seem that people here are a little childish, and this is usually the case until they reach 30-35 years old: at this age Australians start families and give birth to children (usually 2-3, no less).
• It's strange, but despite his relaxed approach to life, Australians love to plan everything in advance.. Air tickets are purchased 8-9 months before the trip, vacations are planned a year in advance, meetings with friends are planned a month in advance.
• Australians will not get into their souls, and in general when communicating, they will behave politely and keep their distance, avoiding topics that may be unpleasant. Of course, there is racism in Australian society, but in general immigrants like us are treated well here.

Fun fact: According to statistics, 50% of Australians never iron anything. No one will look at you askance if you come to work in wrinkled trousers and shirt: if it’s so comfortable for you, then why not?

Moreover, I want to go to the store in pajamas to buy bread - please! Do you want to walk down the street barefoot and walk to the nearest store? In my area every second person walks like this: Once at the checkout at the supermarket I met a guy who was wearing only a towel. How do you like this?

By the way, Australians have another habit - they like to drive barefoot. I used to be disdainful and wrinkle my nose when friends told me how much they loved driving barefoot, but a couple of years ago I started doing it myself and got involved - and it’s really very convenient.

6. Australia is a topsy-turvy country

The seasons here are “turned” upside down: when it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere, winter reigns in Australia. It turns out that June, July and August are the winter months. Accordingly, New Year and Christmas fall at the height of summer, and this was difficult to get used to at first. The traditional Australian celebration of these two holidays is a barbecue on the beach. And we carry with us a Christmas tree, a bowl of Olivier salad and make “snowmen” out of sand.

Each Australian spends on average $400–550 on gifts, because it is customary to buy gifts for all of your relatives and even their children, and Australians have large families. So one day my colleague had to stock up on almost 40 gifts.

There is also holiday Christmas in July - the so-called July Christmas. It is celebrated arbitrarily in July, that is, in the middle of winter, when it gets cold outside: it is customary to sit by the fireplace with New Year's attributes and give gifts to loved ones.

By the way, The school year in Australia is also “upside down”": starts at the end of January and ends before Christmas, in mid-December. The financial year also differs from the usual calendar year and begins on July 1.

7. In Australia, everything is trying to kill you - is it true?

If things were so bad, it is unlikely that Australians would be among the ten happiest nations in the world. There are sharks, poisonous snakes, matchbox-sized cockroaches and palm-sized spiders here, but people have somehow adapted to live peacefully with the surrounding flora and fauna. Each animal has its own habitat. Basic rules help reduce fears and protect yourself: you should shake out your shoes before putting them on (in case someone crawled into your shoes), carefully monitor your belongings while relaxing in nature, and swim carefully in the ocean. Caution never hurt anyone!

One day a large spider climbed into our house, which we heroically caught. After discussing the situation with friends, I found out that many Australian houses even have a special glass for catching spiders: they are not killed, but caught and taken outside.

I am also often asked: is it true that in Australia sharks eat people off the coast? This can really happen here, but according to statistics, many more people in Australia die from falling out of their own bed than from shark bites.

Once I myself found myself close to a shark, but, to be honest, I didn’t even see a fin. We were on one of the southern beaches of Sydney: swimming and boarding in the coastal waves. Suddenly the siren turned on, the rescuers began to fuss and began to drive everyone out of the water: 2-3 sharks swam from the ocean, which were larger in size than boats.

I asked the woman lifeguard if they often see sharks. It turned out that she sees them almost every day, but these are all species that are not dangerous to humans. Large sharks rarely swim from the ocean (they were seen on this beach only 3 times during the season): when this happens, the beach is closed.

8. Kangaroos outnumber the human population

Australia's national treasure is subject to mandatory census: as of 2011, there were 34 million kangaroos in Australia. Let’s compare with the population in 2011: 23 million people, which means There are indeed more kangaroos in Australia than people. Here are some interesting statistics.

Of course, you won't see kangaroos on the streets of Sydney., but as soon as you move a little further inland, to national parks, the likelihood of meeting these animals increases sharply. True, they are a little stupid: they regularly run out onto the road and throw themselves under the wheels of cars.

Nature. As a person who grew up in the concrete jungle, I am endlessly pleased by the Australian nature and amazing wildlife - you don’t even need to leave the city for this. For example, the national parks and nature reserves located in the Sydney metropolitan area cover an area of ​​188 hectares, and are most often pieces of untouched wilderness. And all this is within the city! And, of course, the ocean is a separate love.

Weather. Whatever you say, the weather in Australia is great. So, in Sydney the temperature never drops below zero, snow does not fall, on a good winter day you can even walk in a jacket, and my complaints about Sydney winters are more likely from being spoiled.

Comfort. Australian cities are perfectly suited for a comfortable and quiet life. There are ramps and elevators designed here for those who have to use a wheelchair, special places are equipped - this, it seems to me, is an important indicator. Driving on the roads here is a pleasure, and most of the signs have a picture and an explanation: if you don’t remember the sign, you can at least read it. Markings on the road help you turn into the right lane. And on the Great Ocean Road (a place where there are 5 tourists for every 1 local) there are signs “In Australia they drive on the left side of the road.”

People. I like Australians: they are kind, open and cheerful, always ready to help and will not pass by a person in trouble. They don't worry about little things, which means there is a lot less stress and pressure. People know how to enjoy life, spend a lot of time with friends and family, and I really like all this.

Would you like to travel to Australia or have you already been to this country? Share your opinion with us in the comments.

It is the largest country in the world and occupies about 5% of the planet’s land area or 7.69 million km². It is washed by the waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans. Australia has many natural resources, but the most economically important are minerals, which are exported to other countries around the world and provide significant economic benefits.

Water resources

Australia is the driest inhabited continent on Earth, with one of the world's highest levels of water consumption. mainly represented by surface water in the form of rivers, lakes, reservoirs, dams and rainwater reservoirs, as well as underground aquifers. As an island continent, Australia is entirely dependent on precipitation (rain and snow) for its water supply. Artificial reservoirs are critical to maintaining water supplies on the mainland.

Among OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries, Australia ranks fourth in terms of water consumption per capita. The total annual water flow is about 243 billion m³ and the total groundwater recharge is 49 billion m³, giving a total water resource inflow of 292 billion m³. Only 6% of Australia's water flow is in the Murray-Darling Basin, where water use is 50%. The total capacity of Australia's major dams is approximately 84 billion m³.

In Australia, it is common to use reclaimed water (treated wastewater that is not potable and intended for industrial reuse) for irrigation of green spaces, golf courses, crops or industrial use.

Forest resources

Australia is diverse and contains some of the continent's most important natural resources.

Australia has many forests, despite being considered one of the driest continents. The mainland contains approximately 149.3 million hectares of natural forest, representing approximately 19.3% of Australia's land area. Most trees in Australia are deciduous trees, usually eucalyptus. Of these, 3.4% (5.07 million hectares) are classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse and carbon-rich.

Australia's natural forests occur across a wide range of geographical landscapes and climates, and contain a wide range of predominantly endemic species (ie species that are found nowhere else) that form unique and complex forests. Forests provide a range of timber and non-timber products that Australians use in their daily lives. They also ensure clean water, protect soils, provide opportunities for recreation, tourism, as well as scientific and educational activities, and maintain cultural, historical, and aesthetic values.

The continent's timber industry has benefited from the development of tree plantations, which produce 14 times more timber per hectare of land than natural forests. Currently, plantations provide more than two-thirds of Australia's timber. These areas are dominated by fast-growing tree species such as eucalyptus and radiata pine. The main types of forest products are lumber, wood-based panels, paper and wood chips.

Mineral resources

Australia is among the world's largest mineral producers. The most important of the continent are bauxite, gold and iron ore. Other mineral resources on the mainland include copper, lead, zinc, diamonds and mineral sands. Most mineral resources are mined in Western Australia and Queensland. Many minerals mined in Australia are exported overseas.

Australia has extensive coal deposits. It is mainly found in the eastern part of the country. 2/3 of Australian coal is exported mainly to Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Western Europe. The rest of the coal mined in Australia is burned to produce electricity.

Natural gas is also common in the country. Its reserves are mainly found in Western and Central Australia. Because most of these deposits are located away from urban centers, pipelines have been built to transport natural gas to cities such as Sydney and Melbourne. Part of the natural gas is exported. For example, natural gas produced in Western Australia is exported directly to Japan in liquid form.

Australia also contains a third of the world's uranium reserves. Uranium is used to produce nuclear energy. However, nuclear power and uranium mining are highly controversial as people are concerned about the harmful effects on the environment due to its radioactive properties.

Land resources

Land use has a significant impact on Australia's natural resources through its effects on water, soil, nutrients, plants and animals. There is also a strong link between changing land use patterns and economic and social conditions, particularly in regional Australia. Land use information shows how land is used, including production of products (such as crops,
timber, etc.) and measures to protect land, protect biodiversity, and natural resources.

The total area of ​​agricultural land is 53.4%, of which: arable land - 6.2%, permanent crops - 0.1%, permanent pastures - 47.1%.

About 7% of Australia's land resources are dedicated to nature conservation. Other protected areas, including indigenous lands, cover more than 13% of the country.

Forestry tends to be limited to higher rainfall regions of Australia, covering almost 19.3% of the continent. The lands of settlements (mostly urban) occupy about 0.2% of the country's area. Other land uses account for 7.1%.

Biological resources

Livestock

Livestock farming is one of Australia's leading agricultural sectors. In terms of sheep population, the country ranks first in the world, and in some years it produces more than 1/4 of the world's wool production. Cattle are also raised throughout the country, and by-products include meat, milk, butter, cheese, etc. exported to other countries and generates a total income of more than 700 million US dollars per year, with Indonesia being the largest consumer of meat.

Crop production

Australia is one of the world's largest producers and exporters of grain crops. The most important crop grown is wheat, the sown area of ​​which exceeds 11 million hectares. Other Australian crops include barley, corn, sorghum, triticale, peanuts, sunflowers, safflower, canola, canola, soybeans and others.

Sugar cane, bananas, pineapples (mainly the state of Queensland), citrus fruits (the states of South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales), etc. are also grown in the country.

Flora and fauna

The flora and fauna of Australia are the plants and animals that live on its territory. The flora and fauna of Australia is unique and significantly different from the wildlife of other continents.

About 80% of Australian plant species are found only on this continent. Native plants include: eucalyptus, casuarina, acacia, spinfex grass and flowering plants including banksia and anigozanthos, etc.

Australia has many unique animals. Of Australia's native animal species: 71% of mammals and birds, 88% of reptile species and 94% of amphibian species are endemic. About 10% of our planet's biodiversity is found here.