Australia Oceania Antarctica Population of the region only

Australia, Oceania, & Antarctica • Population of the region: only 32 million people (half in Australia, none in Antarctica!) • Culture is a mix of European, traditional Pacific, & Asian – Christianity is most common religion, but traditional beliefs are intermixed • A wide range of climates, ecosystems, & landforms

Chapter 24: Australia & New Zealand Pg. 729 -762

Australia • A continent AND a country • Under-populated

Physical Geography of Australia • Australia is divided into 3 regions: – Western Plateau – Central Lowlands – Eastern Highlands • Climate: – Tropical in the North, but subtropical in the rest – Desert in the central and west with bands of semiarid steppes to the north, east, & south

The Outback • Arid plains & plateaus in the central & western regions of Australia • Eastern mountains block moisture from interior – Ayers Rock (called “Uluru” by aborigines) is a monolith (single standing stone) in the Central Lowlands

The Great Barrier Reef • World’s largest coral reef – Along the northeast coast of Australia

New Zealand • 2 volcanic islands in the Ring of Fire – North Island: volcanoes, geysers, & hot springs – South Island: mountains • Climates range from subantarctic in the south to subtropical in the north.

Unique Wildlife in Australia • 150 species of marsupials (mammals with pouches): Kangaroos, koalas (in eucalyptus trees), & platypuses • Dangerous crocodiles, poisonous cobras & spiders • Dingoes – domesticated dogs (some run wild)

History of the “Aussies” • Aborigines – Nomadic hunter-gatherers that crossed a land bridge between Southeast Asia & Australia – They were isolated in Australia until 1770 when Captain James Cook arrived from Great Britain to start a settlement

History of the “Kiwis” • Maori people arrived in New Zealand by canoe in AD 900 – Tikanga – traditional Maori customs - Believe all life in the universe is connected (kapa haka performance) – Warring tribes fought over farmland & fishing territory • 1769 – British settled there

Australia as a British Colony • Served as a prison for 162, 000 British criminals • More settlers came later for cheap land & gold, pushing Aborigines off their land spreading disease to their populations – Only about 460, 000 left today (2% of Australia’s population)

Independence for Australia & New Zealand • Became self-governing dominions of the British Empire in the early 1900 s, but achieved full independence after World War II – Both set up federal republics with written constitutions

Aborigines & the Land • Believe their ancestors long ago created the Earth, so it’s their responsibility to protect it • Take only what they need so the delicate landscape is preserved • Boomerangs – Used to stun prey • Didgeridoo – Aboriginal instrument

Europeans & the Australia’s Land • Wanted to make money off the land – Mine for gold, coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, uranium, lead, bauxite, oil – Huge stations (ranches) in the “bush” (rural areas in the outback) • Sheep in the south • Cattle in the hotter north & center

Introduced Species • Page 756 -759 • What species exist in Australia that are nonnative species? • What damage has been caused by these invasive species?

Life in Australia & New Zealand • Australia & New Zealand are multicultural lands with diverse human populations. • Aboriginal & Maori cultures have experienced revivals in Australia and New Zealand • Most Australians & New Zealanders live in urban areas. • Religions: Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, & native religions

Population Distribution in Australia • 90% of the people live within 100 miles of the ocean – Why?

Australia’s Cities • Perth – 1, 400 miles from the nearest city • Sydney – Oldest & largest city – Excellent harbor – Sydney Opera House

Australia’s Cities • Melbourne – 2 nd largest city – Lots of factories • Canberra – Capital city that’s 100 miles inland • Darwin – Tropical climate, but close to deserts – Cyclones (hurricanes) – Bombed by Japan during WWII

Australia’s Economy • Resource extraction, agriculture, & tourism – Relies on exports of its natural resources, which include coal, iron ore, & gold • Periodic droughts threaten animals & crops • What is life like as a rancher in Australia?

New Zealand’s Economy • Agriculture, Dairy cattle & sheep (more sheep than people in New Zealand!) – Coal, iron ore, & gold – Geothermal energy – Kiwifruit • City of Auckland – main port

Current Issues • Aborigines and Maoris have been petitioning their governments for more rights • Australia & New Zealand have low birthrates and death rates, which has created a need for more workers to support the older population. – Increased immigration from Asia has been filling jobs

Chapter 25 – Oceania 10, 000 islands spread over 3. 3 million square miles Pg. 763 -786

3 Regions of the Pacific • Micronesia • Melanesia • Polynesia – Were all settled at different times

Pacific Islands • 3 types of islands: – “High islands” - Volcanic islands w/ mountains, waterfalls & fertile soil • Tahiti , Fiji, Hawaii, & Samoa – “Low islands” – flat, sandy islands with poor soil, some with atolls (a coral reef island surrounding a lagoon) • Marshall Islands & Kiribati – Continental islands – formed by tectonic movements – were once part of a continent • New Guinea & Solomon Islands • Most have tropical climates with wet/dry seasons

History of the Pacific Islands • Settled by SE Asians by wayfinding in the 1500 s BC – Navigation using sun, stars, or ocean currents

Easter Island (Rapa Nui) • 1, 200 miles from the nearest Polynesian island • Famous for huge stone head statues made between AD 1400 -1600

European colonization began in the AD 1500 s • Used as bases to restock ships or mine resources • Many islands were taken over by Japan during WWII and witnessed bloody battles – Some islands were used for atomic bomb testing (Bikini Atoll, Mururoa Atoll), but that is banned today

Independence for Pacific Islands • Many islands fought for or negotiated for freedom after WWII • Today – a variety of governments but often still connected to Western powers – Kingdoms, democracies, traditional tribal groups – Trust territories – The United Nations has given governing authority to another country to help them – Possessions – owned and ruled by another country (i. e. French Polynesia)

Papua New Guinea • Eastern half of New Guinea (the rest belongs to Indonesia) • Diverse – 860 languages! – Use pidgin to communicate • Economy – mostly subsistence farming – Recently discovered large natural gas deposits and is gradually modernizing – Raises cash crops (coffee, cacao, coconuts, rubber, tea) – Mining – gold, copper

Daily Life in Oceania • Many islands have “westernized (clothes, hairstyles, Internet), ” but still practice cultural traditions (luaus, coming-of-age ceremonies, tattooing, wood carving) – Samoa – live in fales – traditional homes with no walls • Religion – mostly Christianity, but with traditional religious influence • Music & Dancing: Kiribati, Tahiti, & Samoa

Food of the Pacific Islands • Fish & pork • Yams & Taro (a tuber that’s mashed into a paste called poi) • Breadfruit – baked like a potato, but sweeter • Fruit – coconut, passionfruit, guava, mango

Pacific Islands’ Economies • Small and spread-out land area, so limited natural resources – Subsistence farming & fishing – coconuts, pineapples, bananas, skipjack, yellowfin tuna – Cash crops – rubber, coffee, sugar cane – Tourism – esp. resorts in Fiji & Tonga – Wind & solar power for local use

Economic Help From Foreign Countries • MIRAB economies – “Migration, Remittances, Aid, & Bureaucracy” • These island countries cannot support their populations without help from other countries • Remittance: foreign-earned wages sent back to families on the islands • American Samoa, Guam, & Wake Island depend heavily on the US economy and military bases for jobs.

The Future of Oceania… • Outmigration of young people (for jobs) • Weak economies, dependent on imports • Environmental issues – Climate change – rising ocean levels – Deforestation – Pollution – Typhoons, earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding – Declining fish population

Chapter 26: Antarctica Pg. 787 -806

Antarctica • 1/10 of the world’s land, at a high elevation, & covered with an ice sheet (thick layer of ice) • No permanent human settlements • Inhabited by penguins, lichens (algae & fungi), & seals, with fish, whales, krill, & plankton in the Southern Ocean

Climate of Antarctica • Ice reflects the sun’s rays, so it’s frigid – Ave temp: -71 F – Lowest temp ever: -128. 6 F • Strong, cold katabatic winds blow from the interior of Antarctica – up to 155 mph • Very dry – 2 -4 inches/year @ the South Pole – The world’s largest cold desert & driest continent

Challenges of traveling on Antarctica • Crevasses – cracks in the ice sheets – Dangerous for travelers!

Challenges of traveling to Antarctica • Ice Shelves ice sheets that hang out over the ocean • Pieces calve (break off) as icebergs

Challenges of traveling to Antarctica • The cold water surrounding Antarctica melts & freezes as the seasons change • Convergence zone – where cold & warm waters meet, causing severe storms

Exploring Antarctica • Discovered in 1820 s, but no one landed on it until 1895 • Roald Amundsen & Robert Scott led separate expeditions to be the first to the South Pole in 1911 • Several countries claimed parts of the territory out of national pride & possible minerals under the ice

What does the world use Antarctica for today? • Antarctic Treaty of 1959 – 45 countries agreed to peaceful use of the continent & sharing of scientific research – No military training – No nuclear waste dumping – No bomb testing

What does the world use Antarctica for today? • Scientific research – 11004400 researchers live there temporarily at 50 research stations – Ozone layer research – Remote sensing of what is below the ice sheets – Study evolution, continental drift & plate tectonics, & climate change • 6, 000 tourists travel there each year