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 ore, 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.

Along west coast stretches a narrow strip of plateau. These are the Western Australian Plateau (average heights - 200 m) and the MacDonnell Range (with highest peak Zil - 1511m). 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 is the Great Dividing Range - this high mountains with steep slopes, predominantly of volcanic origin, composed 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. On southern continent According to experts, more than 7 billion tons of valuable ore are stored, which is 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. There is also an unusual underground city Coober Pedy, 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.

The vast territory gives Australia a large supply of natural resources. Despite the small population, the country actively and rationally uses available resources and is actively developing alternative energy sources.

Due to its large extent, the country has several climatic zones, which reflects on the unique and diverse animal and flora.

Water resources

There are a small number of rivers throughout Australia. During the period of snow melting, the rivers are quite deep, but the rest of the time even large rivers, like the Darling, become very shallow. To irrigate fields and pastures, dams are built and reservoirs are created. The only exception is Tasmania; the rivers flowing through this lake are regularly fed by snow and rain. Due to this, there are a large number of hydroelectric power stations in Tasmania. The lakes of Australia are waterless pits for most of the year, filling with water only in the summer. Fishing and cultivation of pearl mussels are well developed in the nearby seas.

Land resources

The total land area occupies more than 774 thousand hectares, of which more than half are suitable for agricultural needs and construction. However, constant drought does not allow the use of all available territory. Irrigation systems are available on an area of ​​2,550 hectares, so currently the cultivated areas occupy only 6% of the entire territory. Many grains, vegetables, fruits and cotton are grown in Australia.

Forest resources

Australia's forested areas are small, accounting for only 2% of the country's total area. However, subtropical Australian forests are the largest in area in the world. You can also find tropical, subantarctic and savannah forests. Due to the arid climate, the flora of Australia is represented mainly by dry-loving plants. The central part of the continent is predominantly covered with scrap. Economic activity has greatly modified many plant species.

Mineral resources

Australia is rich in mineral resources, ranking 1st in the world for zirconium and bauxite deposits and 2nd for uranium deposits. Coal mining is also very well developed. There are both large and small gold deposits scattered throughout Australia. Significant quantities of platinum, silver, nickel, opal, antimony, bismuth, and diamonds are mined. The country also has oil and natural gas reserves. Australia is fully self-sufficient in its industry and, apart from oil, does not need to purchase mineral resources.

Alternative energy sources

Australia is on the path of active development of alternative energy sources. Climatic conditions allow highly efficient use of solar and wind energy. The country has every chance in a short time to completely switch to using only alternative energy sources.

Brief information about the country

The Commonwealth of Australia is the youngest country in the world, occupying the entire area of ​​the oldest continent on the planet. The form of government is a federal constitutional monarchy, headed by the English monarch.

Comparable in area to Europe, it is the least populated part of the world, there are 2.5 people per 1 square kilometer, and a total of 19 million people per 7,686,850 km 2.

This is a highly urbanized country, where more than 80% of the population lives in major cities, at the same time maintaining a unique balance between man and nature. Megacities have merged with the surrounding bush (shrub area) and its inhabitants, and local residents are very careful about the surrounding nature, literally considering it native. Colorful parrots, bats and huge insects flit around in abundance in the heart of Sydney, and a sign at the entrance to the Royal Botanic Gardens reads: "Please walk on the grass! Smell the flowers! Hug the trees and talk to the birds!" Animals reciprocate with people: twenty million people and forty million kangaroos coexist in complete harmony...

History of development

The first Europeans to discover this continent at the beginning of the 17th century were the Dutch navigators Willem Jantz (1605) and Abel Tasman (1642), who named it New Holland. The continent began to be called Australia, that is, the Southern Land, only at the beginning of the 19th century after it was rediscovered by James Cook in 1770 and annexed to the English crown.

England used Australia mainly as a prison, and the majority of its European population were convicts. In the 19th century, free settlers began to appear in Australia, and in 1850 gold deposits were discovered in the country, attracting thousands of emigrants. The Aborigines survived with their lands needed by the colonists for agriculture and mining. The Industrial Revolution in England required large quantities of raw materials, and Australian agricultural and natural resources were expended uncontrollably to meet this need.

Australia became a state when the individual colonies formed a federation on 1 January 1901 (although this severed many cultural and trade ties with England). Australian troops fought on the British side in the Boer War, World War I and World War II. However, the US role in defending Australian territories from Japanese invasion during World War II called into question the strength of this alliance. Australia in turn supported the United States during the Korean and Vietnam Wars in Asia.

Australia's natural resources

Nature and climate

Vast uninhabited territories are home to the most ancient mammals, almost unchanged over millions of years - marsupials, in addition, only here live the platypus and echidna and many birds: emu, cockatoo and kookaburra. Wild jungle surrounds the coastal areas, and penguins and seals swim here from Antarctica at the capes on the southern tip of the continent... Approximately 85% of plants, 84% of mammals, 45% of birds, 89% of freshwater fish are endemic.

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.

National parks, reserves

Australia is a country abounding in the rarest representatives of flora and fauna. In Royal Botanical gardens over a million plant specimens are presented; The Sydney Chinese Garden, designed by specialists from Guangdong Province, is the largest traditional garden outside of China; Sydney Aquarium, listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest in the world in terms of volume of retained water (over 5,000 sea creatures live in the aquarium).

Great Barrier Reef. Stretching along the north-eastern coast of Australia from Papua New Guinea to the Southern Tropics in the south for 2,500 km, it consists of 2,900 coral reefs and more than 1,000 islands inhabited by unique exotic fish and plants not found anywhere else in the world. On the territory of the national park you can see evergreen forests, trees that are more than 2,000 years old, mountain rivers, waterfalls, eucalyptus groves, aboriginal trails. Of the 350 species of coral known in the world, 340 are found on the islands of the Great Barrier Reef.

Nambang National Park is located in the middle of a sandy desert 260 km north of Perth. One of the main attractions of the park and the country is the fields of petrified remains of the ancient forest - "Pinnacles".

In the Northern Territories Wildlife Park, along with other representatives of the Australian fauna, you can get acquainted with the legendary Australian giant fish "barramandi".

The Yulara Visitor Center is dedicated to the geology, history and nature of the region, with a unique display of stunning photographs. IN Cultural Center Aboriginal people also have a very interesting exhibition about Aboriginal traditions and art.

Fraser Island. The national park on the island is one of the most exotic places Australia, represented by ancient rain forests, inland freshwater lakes, lost streams, unique birds.

The Daintree Nature Reserve covers over 56 hectares of pristine rainforest. Tourist routes include: palm jungles, mangroves (can reach 9 m in height), ferns and orchids; There are crocodiles in the Daintree River. In the thicket of the primeval forest, you can see a glowing green frog with tentacled legs that climbs trees; an opossum gliding from one tree to another or marsupial cats; in April the trees are covered with luminous mushrooms.

Blue Mountains. National natural Park in the state of New South Wales, located 110 km northwest of Sydney. The mountains are covered with eucalyptus forests. The name of the mountains itself comes from the color of the evaporating eucalyptus oil floating above the forests. The most high point- Mount Victoria (1,111 m).

In Sturt National Park you can see hundreds of red kangaroos grazing on the plains known as Australia's Red Heart.

Ku-Ring-Gai National Park is located on eucalyptus valleys. Within the park's boundaries there are typical Australian farms (homesteads). That is, this is a reserve of European Australians.

Kakadu National Park is located two hours east of Darwin in the Northern Territory. This is Australia's largest national park - its area is 19,000 sq. km. The natural border of the park is steep cliffs with a height of 100 to 200 m. The internal swampy part of the Kakadu Valley is protected from storms by powerful tropical forests, where saltwater crocodiles live. The brackish marshes are also inhabited by buffalos, wild boars, monitor lizards and poisonous snakes. This timeless green ocean of Kakadu Valley is surrounded by a barrier of red rocks that stretches to the horizon on all sides. During the monsoon, streams of water flow from the rocks, turning the valley into a lake.

Litchfield National Park is one of the most beautiful places in the Northern Territory. Here you can see numerous waterfalls that form small lakes and pools, palm groves and rain forests with their many and varied inhabitants. Nitmiluk National Park is also located here; Fogg Dam Nature Park, located in a wetland 69 km east of Darwin, is also home to a variety of bird species, just like Kakadu Park.

Unknown Australia

"The World of the First Australians"

Aborigines are people from different tribes, speaking different languages ​​and having different cultures. This is approximately 2.4% of the country's total population. The situation of the Australian Aborigines is very deplorable - they are deprived of their territory, all civil rights, and are simply dying out (there are only 19 thousand of them left).

Scientists believe that the history of their culture is the longest on the planet: it began during the last ice age. Although anthropologists still disagree, it is believed that the first people arrived in Australia from Indonesia approximately 70,000 years ago. Later they were called “robusta” because of their large-boned constitution, and after 20,000 years graceful people appeared, the ancestors of the Australian aborigines.

The level of development of Aboriginal material culture, achieved by the beginning of European colonization of Australia, was high enough for them to exist in the harshest natural conditions of the continent. They adapted to the environment, learned to get food and make tools. At first glance, it may seem that it was their success in providing for their material needs that made their survival possible. And yet, behind this there is something more than the ability to provide oneself with all the essentials of life. One of the main reasons for their survival was their carefully organized social life: the behavior and role of each member of the tribe was strictly regulated by a system of beliefs and subject to unchanging rituals: initiation rites, weddings, hunting rituals, funeral rites...

The concept of “tribe” as applied to the indigenous inhabitants of the fifth continent has its own specifics: its members rarely gathered together, there was no single governing body... all this was replaced by tribal ties.

To understand the structure of Aboriginal society, you first need to be well aware of the specifics and strength of the religious feeling that literally permeates its structures. The influence of religion on the relationship to the land is especially pronounced. Since ancient times, each tribe lived in a certain territory, considering it not only its habitat, but also the refuge of “their” spirits-ancestors. There was no concept of “property” and the land was inherited, or rather, people of another tribe did not lay claim to it. There were no wars for land (compare with the history of the development of European civilization). Today, when the Aborigines are literally being driven out of their ancestral territories for the sake of mining and enriching European Australians, no one thinks that this is destroying the ethnic group!

The essence of Aboriginal religion is totemism. This is a special state of unity when a person can only exist in conjunction with the natural world, with the earth on which he lives.

Every Australian had an animal ancestor, or more precisely, the ancestor was a kind of “superman”, possessing both the essence of both man and animal. A clan group totem is not only a means of protection, but also a materially expressed connection with the spirits of ancestors, with the Eternal Period of Dreams. Some types of totems were inherited. A child could inherit the totem of a ritual group from his father or from his maternal uncle.

The basis of the religious cult of the aborigines was the idea of ​​the “Great Time” when the earth was flat and heroes awakening from sleep laid the foundation for life on earth. This idea lived in legends about the spirits of ancestors, and the details associated with it were the basis of the social structure. Magical power was also personified by objects known as churingi.

Thus, four main aspects of Aboriginal religion can be distinguished: myths, rituals, material objects or emblems; religious centers are areas of land associated with various mythical creatures and totemic ancestors. Myths and rituals are always localized in a certain way.

Aboriginal art

Aboriginal art in Australia is closely related to religion (magic). By creating various objects, they tied the material world even more closely to the world of spirits. The basis of “fine” art was the technique of carving wood, stone, and painting images on trees, rocks, even on the soil. The drawings did not convey an exact resemblance to the original; they were mostly symbols, understandable only to initiates.

Australia is one of the few regions on the planet where, in remote corners, the tradition of rock painting still lingers among local tribes (such examples can be found in Africa). A group of Australian anthropologists could not believe their eyes: having discovered previously unknown Aboriginal rock paintings, they expected to see traditional motifs - hunting scenes, for example. Instead, what appeared before their eyes were fairly accurate images of bicycles, cars, huge and not-so-huge steamships, destroyers, and even a biplane from either the First or Second World War.

People, birds, kangaroos - the drawings discovered this year in the vicinity of Julirri testify to how carefully the indigenous Australians “recorded” the events that happened to them in pictures. Experts call Australia's Aboriginal culture the longest continuous culture in the world.

Orally transmitted traditions did not always have the status of sacred texts. Their plots are similar to the plots of the myths of the peoples of the world: the myth of the flood, the creation of the world, the essence of the sky, stars...

The joy of being was reflected in music and dances called corroboree, which were usually not associated with any rituals and therefore were not constrained by the framework of ritual. These dances depicted scenes from everyday life and enacted entire performances imitating natural phenomena and various events.

Music for both corroboree and ritual was performed using simple means. In some tribes, the rhythm was beaten by simply alternating blows on the thighs, in others, by striking sticks on the ground, sometimes by tapping two boomerangs. Tufts of eucalyptus leaves on the ankles and forearms imitated the rustling of emu feathers. The most characteristic sounds were the monotonous lamentations of the aborigines themselves and the sounds made by the didieridoo, a long pipe made of bamboo or eucalyptus. The trumpet served as a kind of mouthpiece, amplifying the sound of the voice. This instrument was not widely used and was used only in some areas of Northern Australia.

When performing corroboree and performing ritual ceremonies, the Aborigines used various forms of art for self-expression. This increased the emotionality of the performance. The rest of the time people communicated through ordinary speech. The number of spoken languages ​​was enormous and probably reached six hundred. And they all had a common similarity, with the possible exception of a few Tasmanian languages. Australian languages ​​are not related to the spoken languages ​​of peoples of other continents, and this circumstance, as well as the evidence of their ancient origin, makes us think that they arose on the territory of Australia itself. They are distinguished by their richness of semantics, that is, the semantic meanings of words, as well as vocabulary, especially in relation to the surrounding natural world. To understand any of these languages, you need to have a good knowledge of the way of life and way of thinking of the aborigines.

Australia's places of power

The Aborigines of Australia were so closely tied to their territory that they did not own the land, but the land owned them. Ritual centers (most often caves in rock formations) are called “places of power” by modern scientists. They certainly attract lovers of the exotic, although there have been recorded cases where the curiosity of such “researchers” was punished by accidents, unknown diseases and even death. According to the legends of the aborigines, these places, which were the place of birth, rest, and sleep of the first ancestors, are the so-called pmara kutata. Only initiates can approach pmara kutata of both types and only on the occasion of special ceremonies. At any other time these were places to be avoided on pain of death.

Uluru, Australia

This place is believed to be imbued with spiritual power. People who come here try to touch the mystery associated with these lands, and, they say, such attempts often end in success. Uluru (Ayers Rock) is where many of the ancestral paths of the “Dreamtime” intersect, making it of particular importance to Aboriginal people.

The main local attraction - a huge sandstone monolith - rises to a height of more than 400 m. It is the largest single piece of rock in the world. According to local legends, he appeared here during the "Dream Time" when two boys were playing in a puddle of mud left after rain. (After finishing the game, they went south to the Musgrave Mountains, then turned north to Mount Connor, famous for its flat top. There their bodies were left lying in the form of boulders.) The monolith is looked after by the Pitjantjara and Yankuntjatjara tribes, for whom it symbolizes the end " Dreamtime" and the beginning of the modern era.

The stone has a “sunny” and a “shadow” side. Legends connect the “shadow” side with the Python people, one of whose representatives carried her eggs on her head and buried them in the eastern part of Uluru. One day, when the pythons settled down here to rest, they were attacked by lyres, poisonous snakes. The southwestern part of the monolith is covered with traces of this battle. The silhouette of the python woman who took part in the battle is preserved on the eastern side, and the image of her opponent is on the western side of the stone. Local residents believe that these paintings were not created artificially, but arose as a result of natural changes in the rock.

Kata Tjuta, Australia

Also known as the Olgas and the "Mountain of Many Heads", Kata Tjuta rises six hundred meters above the surface of the plains in northern Australia and lies 30 miles west of Uluru. Today it is located here national park. The complex consists of numerous (30 to 50) domed mounds, the highest of which reaches 546 meters, and covers 11 square miles. Arising as a result of tectonic and geomorphic processes, they are of great importance to the belief system of the local population. This area has historically been an area of ​​great importance to Aboriginal life. Representatives of the country's indigenous population still live and work here, and their language is considered the main spoken language. In October 1985, ownership of the land was transferred to the Anang, a tribe originally living in the Western Desert region.

Wollunggnari, Kimberley Plateau, Western Australia

Wullunggnari, located on the Kimberley plateau, is one of the most revered places for the Kimberley people. The three stones symbolize the Great Flood, which, according to Aboriginal beliefs, occurred during the “Dream Time” and destroyed most of the inhabitants of the Earth. The only survivors were a boy and a girl who were saved by grabbing the tail of a kangaroo, which carried them to solid ground. Children became ancestors for all humanity. (This myth has clear parallels with many cultural traditions of the Great Flood.) The Wandjina, the spiritual ancestors of the Kimberley, remained in Wullunggnari throughout the creation of the world. The main local shrines are the stone altar opposite the cave and the Valguna tree growing nearby, personifying wisdom, knowledge and law. It is decorated with amulets and used in various religious ceremonies.

Locals come here to find a second birth. Naked and unarmed, they bathe in sacred waters and sacrifice small pieces of meat. The initiation ceremony for boys is also performed here when they reach a certain age. Wollunggnari is believed to contain a large amount of the earth's jang energy and is also called the "place of thalu".

Arta Wararlpana, Flinders Ranges, South Australia

Arta Wararlpana (Mount Serle), located in the northern part of the Flinders Ranges, is considered sacred by the Adnyamatan people, whose mythology has its own explanation for its origin.

At a time when the country was a flat plain, a kangaroo named Urdlu and a yuro (a type of wallaby) called Mandya came here. Urdlu had a lot of food, and Mandya was hungry and stole his food. The angry kangaroo beat and drove Mandya away. The offended Yuro went home. Seeing a pebble on the ground, he lifted one stone and blew on it, as a result of which the Flinders Mountains appeared on the plain The longer it blew, the more hills grew on the ground. Urdlu the kangaroo, a resident of the plains, realized that if urgent measures were not taken, he might be left without a home, so he moved the ridge to its current place with his tail.

The very same sacred mountain was created in the "Dreamtime" by two snakes.

Here was the last stronghold of the Adnyamatan tribe during their resistance to the colonists at the turn of the 19th century, and here are the graves of the priests who led this struggle. Thus, the mountain has not only mythological, but also historical significance for the aborigines.

Winbaraku, Northern Territory, Australia

West of Haast Cliff in the MacDonnell Mountains is the site of Winbaraku. According to legend, Jarapiri, the great snake ancestor who created the earth, was born here. Two peaks attract the main attention: the higher one is called Jarapiri, and the smaller one is Nabanunga, named after the woman who wants to bring him home. Tradition says that the creator refused to leave the mountains and remained in them forever. Winbaraku is revered by indigenous Australians, as many of the ancestors of the Dreamtime are associated with this place: the wallaby named Hare, the dogs of Melatji, Mamu-Boyunda and the Barking Spider. Valbiri elders believe that many of the tribe's ancestors visited this place.

For the Walbiri people, the creation of the land began in Vinbaraku. Mamu-Boyunda and Jarapiri, who rose from the earth in this very place, were responsible for giving shape to the created world. Desire and jealousy were also born here, due to the appearance of which the most ancient ancestors were forced to leave Vinbaraka and travel around the country. The only one who remained in these parts was the Barking Spider, who made his home in a cave at the base of the hill.

Peak Hill, Nooncanbah, Western Australia

Hill Peak, or Umpampurru, is the most significant sacred site for the Nunkanbah Aboriginal people. Here the mythical hero Unyupu had a fight with two snakes, which resulted in the creation of the Fitzroy River. The battle was stopped by Nangala, the pregnant wife of one of Unyupa's opponents. In the same region, on the way to the place of finding eternal peace, Luma, a lizard woman with a blue tongue, stopped. Being associated with such deities, Hill Peak acquired great significance for pilgrims. Powerful jang (sacred energy) belonging to the female spirit who protects women is concentrated here. Local energy also protects snakes, frogs and lizards.

The area is home to a number of sacred objects, including inma slabs, which serve to connect the desert inhabitants with their ancestors, and are also often perceived as magical weapons.

Nimbin, New South Wales, Australia

Although Nimbin is only a small town in northern New South Wales, it holds one of the most important places in Australian mythology. He inherited his name from the legendary Niimbungi, a powerful shaman who had supernatural powers and became famous for his mystical ability to heal.

Not far from Nimbin there is a source of energy, to which all those who want to become shamans come. Here they undergo tests, acquire knowledge and learn to communicate with spirits - these skills allow them to later take a leading position in their tribe.

The name Niimbungi is also associated with a legend about a giant dog - a theme popular in the mythology of most peoples of Australia. According to this mystical legend, Niimbunji and his colleague Balugaan had two dogs. One day, chasing a kangaroo, they reached the town of Ilbogan, where the cunning animal turned into a water snake and eluded its enemies. The dogs were caught and killed by local residents. Niimbungi and Balugaan took the bodies of their pets from the people and brought them to a waterfall near Mount Vije, where their remains turned into stones. At night, the dogs turn into huge dingoes and go hunting. Mount Wije is revered as a mystical sacred place by the Bundjalung people who live here.

Melville Island, Australia

The mysterious Melville Island, adjacent to Bathurst Island, is the homeland of the Tiwi people. The strip of water separating the islands from the mainland caused the tribe to be isolated from the rest of the population of Australia. Thanks to this, before the first stable contacts began at the beginning of the 20th century. The Tiwi lived only according to their own traditions and customs.

In local mythology, there is a mystical period similar to the "Dream Time", when the land, social structure and religion of the island were created with the participation of the ancestors. It all started with the appearance of the blind woman Mudungkala, who rose from the ground in the southeast of Melville. She crawled along the bare ground: this is how a strait was formed, separating the island from the mainland. She later went south and disappeared, leaving behind three children, two daughters and a son, Purukuparli. It was they who became the progenitors of the Tiwi people.

Purukuparli met his sister's great-great-granddaughter Bima and married her. Their son Jinani, who was not given enough attention and care, soon died. Angered by the death of the child, Purukuparli carried his body to the seashore and threw it into the water. A whirlpool formed at the site of the fall, and the ancestor of the people cursed the entire tribe, saying that from now on death would be the fate of every Tiwi.

Bima's father, Tokwampini, became the founder of Pukumani, the funeral ceremony for the body of Purukuparli. It is he who is credited with creating funeral pillars, bast baskets, spears and other items. After the ceremony was over, Tokwampini introduced the other ancestors to a system of laws governing marriage and other social norms. His words spread throughout the island in the form of flowers, animals and stones, thereby completing the process of its creation.

"European" Australians

Over the years of its relatively short history, Australia has changed so much that today it is difficult to give a clear definition to the very concept of “Australian”. The depth of these changes can be judged by the fact that in the Sydney telephone directory the Vietnamese surname Nguyen appears more often than Johnson.

Things were simpler before. The word "Australian" was basically synonymous with all things Anglo-Celtic. Almost all citizens had White color leather and similar tastes. Typical Australians were called Donald Bradman or Frank Sedgman. They all ate meat and vegetables and played cricket or tennis. It was a society that many now describe as boring, disconnected from the rest of the world, devoid of dynamism, and also racist.

However, with an average population density of approximately one person per square kilometer, it was impossible to afford to block foreigners’ access to the country. Those who came here were initially required to be white and, preferably, British. However, everything changed in the 1970s when the Labor Party came to power and decided to end the "white Australia" policy and replace it with a concept called "multiculture". Australian multiculture eliminated discrimination and opened the continent to immigrants of all colors and races.

Since 1975, so-called “ethnic radio” has been operating in Sydney, which broadcasts programs in more than 50 languages. And in the 80s, an “ethnic television channel” came into operation. There are over 2,300 national clubs and societies in the country, and hundreds of schools for immigrant children. Councils of ethnic societies and commissions on ethnic issues have been created, which monitor the equal participation of national minorities in social and political life. The intentions are good, but not all is well with the practical implementation of the concept. Immigrants make up 60 per cent of factory workers, while the most lucrative jobs, such as the civil service, are 80 per cent occupied by English-born Australians.

Now almost all nationalities of our planet are represented in Australia. True, the population is still 95 percent white, but the proportion from Britain has dropped to 75 percent. The remaining quarter of the population is a motley ethnic mix. Asians are still in the minority, but they have made a particularly noticeable change in the face of the country. The faces of the people you meet on the streets, the restaurants, the foreign signs - all this really gives the impression that the country has become Asian. Previously, when immigrants came mainly from Europe, in addition to English, Italian and Greek were primarily spoken here. And now Chinese with all its dialects has become the second language.

The Sinification of the Fifth Continent is proceeding at a rapid pace. In the anniversary year for Australia, 1988, an interesting note appeared in the Beijing magazine “China”: “In February 1988, in the Australian city of Sydney, the Chinese park “Yiyuan” (“Friendship”) was founded on an area of ​​10 thousand square meters, which became the largest park abroad in Chinese style. The park buildings occupied 1,500 square meters of area, the rest of the park consists of slides, lakes, green areas - a total of 40 picturesque corners. Here you can see the colorful gazebos, pavilions, terraces, graceful bridges and fancy stones characteristic of Chinese parks... "Yiyuan Park is the fruit of the joint work of builders from China and Australia, a symbol of friendship between the peoples of both countries. Opened on the 200th anniversary of the founding of Australia, the park brought joy to the Australian people and brought new colors to the beautiful palette of the city."

Colors are colors, but joy is not so certain. In 1995, one in 12 Sydney residents was born in Asia, and in 2020, according to demographer Charles Price, one in six Sydneysiders will have Asian blood in their veins. In 1995, Henry Chang, the deputy mayor of Sydney, began running for mayor in the City Assembly elections. As noted in the press, “if he ultimately wins them, it will be the first time that an Australian of Chinese origin will lead the city.” By the way, the current mayor of Seattle (USA) is an American Chinese.

History sometimes performs interesting experiments. Let's compare, for example, Australia and the United States. The emergence of these countries has much in common. Both were colonized, both by white settlers from Europe. In both cases, they were marginalized, rejected or broken with the then European civilization. In both cases, the colonies were part of the British Empire. The climate of both territories is comparable, as are the initial resources. The indigenous population, the aborigines, did not offer much resistance either here or there. The historical typology is almost completely the same.

In all other respects, the USA and Australia are very different countries. This is explained to no small extent by the fact that the “marginals” (this term is not entirely correct, but we will use it conditionally) were different. Mostly religious dissidents went to America. They didn't just snatch up its lands, minerals, furs, gold and other riches. But first of all, they carried out some kind of spiritual mission. They believed that they were following a high destiny: creating on a new earth new world, based on truly Christian principles. Some things worked out, some didn’t. But America as a civilization has certainly succeeded.

And as we remember, at first people who were not on friendly terms with the law went to Australia. And the second stream of people with an adventurous streak, adventurers, poured in. The third are people who fled revolutions and wars. So the result is such an intricate hybrid. According to sociological surveys, he is quite friendly.

There are also disadvantages to such a “multi-ethnic group”, namely, it does not have its own culture: people from different countries, representatives of different races who settled the continent in the 19th century, have one thing in common - the desire to forget the country that rejected them. Consequently, there is no common spiritual cultural base (parallels with America again arise). In addition, the general educational level of the settlers was extremely low: criminals, adventurers and marginalized people rarely benefit from a classical education. As a result, Australia has not given the world a single major cultural and artistic figure; we do not know Australian writers, artists, or musicians. Perhaps, except for those to whom Hollywood brought fame (Mel Gibson).

Rocks "Twelve Apostles"

origin of name

Even ancient geographers were convinced of the existence of a hypothetical land in the Southern Hemisphere, which on the maps of those times was designated as Terra Australis Incognita - “unknown southern land.” This name was first put on the map in the 2nd century by Ptolemy of Alexandria, who assumed that Africa in the south passes into an as yet undiscovered continent.


The Dutch sailors who were the first to reach this land gave it the name “ New Holland" In 1814, the English navigator Matthew Flinders was the first European to circumnavigate the continent and suggested calling it Terra Australis, “as it would be more pleasant to the ear.” But his proposal was not immediately accepted, and only in 1817, the governor of the state of South Wales, Lachlan Macquarie, began to use the name “Australia” in official documents and invited the Colonial Office of the British Empire to accept, which was done in 1824.

Big cities

Flora and fauna

The even, warm climate, the diversity of natural conditions in different parts of the continent and the long-term isolation of the continent contributed to the fact that the evolutionary processes of Australia were not as rapid as on other continents. Thanks to this, amazing plants and animals, long extinct on other continents, have survived to this day. Of the 12 thousand species of vegetation, more than 9 thousand are endemic, not found anywhere else in the world. Due to the fact that the climate of the continent is mostly arid, the plants here are dry-loving, among them the most famous are eucalyptus and bottle tree. Rainforests the north are rich in umbrella acacias, huge eucalyptus trees (up to a hundred meters in height!), bamboo, different types ficus and palm trees. Eastern subtropical evergreen forests amaze with huge twenty-meter ferns and tree-like horsetail.

Unique animals live in the vastness of Australia; not only do they not exist anywhere else on the planet, they simply cannot survive anywhere else, as they feed on plants that grow only here. Almost 90% of the continent's fauna are endemic. Of the 235 species of mammals, half are marsupials. On the mainland, “living fossils” have survived to this day - the platypus and the echidna. Australia is the only continent where there are no ungulates or monkeys. There are two surviving carnivores here - the Tasmanian devil, a carnivorous marsupial, and the dingo. One of the symbols of Australia, the Tasmanian devil, used to live throughout the mainland, but humans and dingoes pushed it out to Tasmania.

The bird world of Australia is extremely rich, numbering 720 species of birds, almost half of which are endemic. Emu ostriches, cockatoos, cassowaries, black swans, honey sucking birds, birds of paradise, lyrebirds are recognized symbols of the continent.

There are no predators here, but there are many other dangerous representatives of the animal world - in Australia there are 65 species of poisonous snakes. If you see a sign prohibiting swimming, do not ignore the warning - deadly jellyfish and sharks are found in coastal waters. Blue-ringed octopuses are among the most poisonous animals on the planet.

The appearance of man did not have the best effect on flora and fauna; many of their unique representatives were irretrievably destroyed. But now, thanks to the efforts of the government, the situation is changing dramatically - compliance with protection laws is strictly controlled environment. Many nature conservation parks and reserves have been created. It was possible to restore some species of animals and plants that were on the verge of extinction. National parks have given impetus to the development of tourism. In many environmental protection zones the most interesting tourist routes, allowing you to touch the past of the planet and observe life with your own eyes wildlife Australia.

Geographical features

Australia ranks last among continents in terms of area, which is 7.7 million square kilometers. Australia has no borders with any state. The continent's shores are washed by the seas of the Indian and Pacific oceans.

Australia is the only continent without glaciers or volcanoes. Most of the country's territory is occupied by deserts and semi-deserts, there are fertile lands in the east and southwest, and in the north there are woodlands, savannas and jungles of the Arnhem Land Peninsula.

The most fertile areas of the country are the coastal ones. Thanks to the moist sea winds carrying precipitation, they receive enough water for vegetation; there are alpine meadows and tropical jungles.

The Great Barrier Reef, a unique attraction of Australia, stretches along the northeastern coast for 2000 kilometers. Many of the reef islands have become luxury resorts.

There are mountains on the mainland, but there are few of them, only 5% of the entire territory, and the smaller half of them are above 1000 meters. In the mountain range of the Great Dividing Range, rising to east coast, is the highest point of the continent - Cape Kosciuszko with a height of 2228 meters.

Australia's main rivers flow through the southeast of the country. Large rivers only two - Murray, 2.5 thousand kilometers long, and Darling, whose length is no more than 2000 kilometers. The Murray is a deeper river that maintains a constant flow, while the Darling dries up during the hot season. The island of Tasmania boasts an abundance of deep and fast rivers.

The south of Australia is replete with salt lakes that have no drainage and fill only during the rainy season. The most large lake- Air with an area of ​​9.5 thousand square kilometers. Eyre is 16 meters below sea level and is the lowest point on the mainland.

Story

Aboriginal ancestors, people from the island New Guinea, began to populate the mainland many millennia ago. The idyllic existence of the indigenous people was first disrupted in the 17th century by Dutch explorers. Europeans landed in the north of the continent and discovered nearby big Island, which they named Tasmania after the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman.

Almost a hundred years later, in 1770, James Cook arrived here. He explored the eastern lands of the mainland, named them New South Wales and declared them the property of Britain. A decade later, Europeans began to actively settle new lands.

The first inhabitants of the continent were criminals. In those days, England evicted its convicts to North America, but this punishment had to be stopped with the beginning of the War of Independence in the United States.

The English government decided to use the very opportunely discovered new lands and developed a plan to send convicts to New South Wales. In January 1788, the first flotilla reached the distant mainland. There were 1,373 people on board the 11 ships, 700 of them were criminals. Soon the new arrivals founded a settlement, which later became the city of Sydney. And now on January 26, residents of the Green Continent celebrate Australia Day.

Over the next 80 years, another 160,000 criminals were sent to Australia. And in the second half of the 19th century, gold was found on the continent, a gold rush began, and more than 40 thousand Chinese emigrants came here in search of fortune.

Since World War II, the country has welcomed thousands of migrants from 200 countries, making Australia one of the most diverse countries in the world.

State structure. Population

Australia is a federal parliamentary state. Formally, the head of state is Queen Elizabeth II of England, but executive power is concentrated in the hands of the prime minister.

The Federation consists of 6 states:

  • New South Wales, a hub for cultural, entertainment and sporting events.
  • Western Australia, which occupies almost a third of the continent and consists almost entirely of deserts. Three-quarters of the country's gold is mined here and one-fifth of the world's aluminum is produced. The state has the highest average income, but also the largest population shortage due to its hot climate. The size of the state is comparable to Western Europe.
  • Queensland, named after Queen Victoria, is famous for its banana plantations and the Great Barrier Reef.
  • Victoria, the smallest state with developed skiing. The history and development of the state is closely connected with the gold rush.
  • South Australia is famous for its wine and the fact that this state has never accepted prisoners.
  • Tasmania, almost half the state is occupied by facilities World Heritage that are under protection.

In addition to the states, the Commonwealth of Australia includes two mainland territories - the Northern and Capital Territories. And also several small areas. Half of the Northern Territory's land is owned by Aboriginal people and is the country's most sparsely populated and least urbanized region. The capital territory at one time separated from South Wales, and Canberra, the capital of Australia, was built here in 1927.

Australia is a country with a highly developed economy, the largest exporter of beef and wool, and also exports large quantities of wheat, lamb, and minerals. Accordingly, the standard of living of the population is consistently high.

The country ranks 50th in the world in terms of population. About 24 million people live in Australia, of which 230 thousand are indigenous people. The aborigines received their legal rights only in the 60s of the last century and they live mainly in reserves and national parks Western Australia and Northern Territory.

According to the Australian Constitution, no religion is authorized by law or receives financial support from the state. Australians are free to practice any religion and be free of any creed.

Population densities vary. If up to 80% of the population is concentrated in cities, then in other areas the density may be less than one person per square kilometer. This is explained by the fact that more than half of the country’s territory is unsuitable for human habitation due to the extremely hot climate.

Australians are friendly and open people, their temperament mixed the features of Puritan Great Britain with the cheerful character of immigrants from America. Local residents prefer a casual style in casual clothing; they are friendly and smiling with foreigners.

Holidays

  • January 1 - New Year.
  • January 26 is Australia Day.
  • Easter Monday.
  • April 25 - Anzac Day (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps Day).
  • May 1 - Labor Day.
  • July 14 is the Queen's birthday.
  • December 25 - Christmas.
  • December 27 is Boxing Day.

Helpful information

The national currency is the Australian dollar. Along with paper money, the world's first plastic money is in use here. It is more profitable to exchange currencies in banks; it is important to remember that they are closed on weekends.

From the Green Continent, tourists bring crocodile leather products, the famous Australian ugg boots, and original aboriginal crafts - boomerangs, spears, ritual masks. You can buy opals inexpensively here. Various souvenirs made from eucalyptus are very popular among travelers. Many people buy clothes made from unique merino wool. If you buy goods worth more than $300, you will get back 9.1% of the amount spent, you just need to keep your receipt.

You cannot import food, weapons, some medicines, products of animal and plant origin, wood products and even soil on the soles. You can import duty-free goods worth no more than $900, 50 cigarettes and 1 liter of alcohol. At the airport of arrival, you and your luggage will be disinfected with a special product.

Remember - in Australia there is spitting in the streets, smoking in in public places and driving while intoxicated are punishable by a heavy fine.

Driving in Australia is on the left, so tourists need to be extremely careful. Due to the long distances, the most popular transport in the country is airplanes.

Traveling by bus is also in demand in the country.

Rail transport is almost undeveloped due to the difficulties of laying a railway.

You can rent a car if you have an international license, have more than 1 year of driving experience, and are over 21 years old and under 75 years old. A deposit will be required.

If you go deep into the continent, stock up on food, water, fuel and be sure to take a satellite phone with you, because... mobile connection It doesn't work everywhere.

Be extremely careful in nature - there are many poisonous snakes and insects around, brush up on the rules of first aid for bites of poisonous animals.

The mains voltage is 240/250 Volts; adapters will be needed for Asian and European devices.

Australia has 3 time zones. Time in Canberra is 7 hours ahead of Moscow.

A quarter of its inhabitants were born outside of Australia.

Australia is the most law-abiding country in the world, although the ancestors of many of its citizens are deported criminals.

Calendar low prices for flights to Australia

The Commonwealth of Australia is the only state that occupies an entire continent. Has this affected Australia's natural resources? We’ll talk in detail about the country’s riches and their use later in the article.

Geography

The country is located on the continent of the same name, which is entirely located in the Southern Hemisphere. In addition to the mainland, Australia also includes some islands, including Tasmania. The shores of the state are washed by the Pacific and Indian Oceans and their seas.

In terms of area, the country ranks sixth in the world, but as a continent, Australia is the smallest. Along with numerous archipelagos and islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean it forms part of the world Australia and Oceania.

The state is located in the subequatorial, tropical and subtropical zones, some are in the temperate zone. Due to its significant distance from other continents, the formation of Australia's climate is highly dependent on ocean currents. The continent's territory is predominantly flat, with mountains located only in the east. About 20% of the total space is occupied by deserts.

Australia: natural resources and conditions

Geographical remoteness and harsh conditions contributed to the formation unique nature. Desert central areas The continent is represented by arid steppes, which are covered with low bushes. Long droughts here alternate with prolonged downpours.

Harsh conditions contributed to the development of local animals and plants with special adaptations to retain moisture and cope with high temperatures. Australia is home to many marsupials, and plants have strong underground roots.

In the western and northern regions, conditions are milder. The moisture that the monsoons bring contributes to the formation of dense tropical forests and savannas. The latter serve as excellent pastures for cattle and sheep.

Marine natural resources in Australia and Oceania are not far behind. In the Coral Sea is the famous Big barrier reef with an area of ​​345 thousand square kilometers. The reef is home to more than 1000 species of fish, sea turtles, and crustaceans. This attracts sharks, dolphins, and birds here.

Water resources

The driest continent is Australia. Natural resources in the form of rivers and lakes are represented here in very small quantities. More than 60% of the continent is drainless. (length - 2375 kilometers) together with the tributaries Golburn, Darling and Murrumbidgee is considered the largest.

Most rivers are fed by rain and are usually shallow and small in size. During dry periods, even the Murray dries up, forming separate stagnant reservoirs. Nevertheless, dams, dams and reservoirs have been built on all its tributaries and branches.

Australian lakes are small basins with layers of salt at the bottom. They, like rivers, are filled with rainwater, are prone to drying out and have no flow. Therefore, the level of lakes on the mainland constantly fluctuates. Largest lakes are Eyre, Gregory, Gairdner.

Mineral resources

Australia occupies far from the last place in the world in terms of mineral reserves. Natural resources of this type are actively mined in the country. Natural gas and oil are produced in the area of ​​shelves and coastal islands, and coal is produced in the east. The country is also rich in non-ferrous metal ores and non-metallic minerals (eg sand, asbestos, mica, clay, limestone).

Australia, whose natural resources are mainly of a mineral nature, leads in the amount of mined zirconium and bauxite. It is one of the first in the world in terms of reserves of uranium, manganese and coal. In the western part and on the island of Tasmania there are polymetallic, zinc, silver, lead and copper mines.

Gold deposits are scattered throughout almost the entire continent, with the largest reserves located in the southwestern part. Australia is rich precious stones, among them diamonds and opals. About 90% of the world's opal reserves are found here. The largest stone was found in 1989; it weighed more than 20,000 carats.

Forest resources

Australia's animal and plant natural resources are unique. Most species are endemic, meaning they are found only on this continent. Among them, the most famous are eucalyptus trees, of which there are approximately 500 species. However, this is not all that Australia can boast of.

The country's natural resources are represented by subtropical forests. True, they occupy only 2% of the territory and are located in river valleys. Due to the arid climate, drought-resistant species predominate in the plant world: succulents, acacias, and some cereals. In the more humid northwestern part, giant eucalyptus trees, palm trees, bamboos, and ficus trees grow.

There are about two hundred thousand representatives of the animal world in Australia, 80% of which are endemic. Typical inhabitants include kangaroo, emu, Tasmanian devil, platypus, dingo, flying fox, echidna, gecko, koala, kuzu and others. The continent and surrounding islands are home to many species of birds (lyrebirds, black swans, birds of paradise, cockatoos), reptiles and reptiles (narrow-snouted crocodile, black snake, frilled snake, tiger snake).

Australia: natural resources and their use

Despite the harsh conditions, Australia has significant resources. Mineral resources have the greatest economic value. The country ranks first in the world in mining, third in bauxite mining and sixth in coal mining.

The country has great agroclimatic potential. Potatoes, carrots, pineapples, chestnuts, bananas, mangoes, apples, sugar cane, grains and legumes are grown in Australia. Opium and poppy are grown for medicinal purposes. Sheep farming is actively developing for wool production, and cattle are bred for the export of milk and meat.