This document provides information about Australia and New Zealand in 9 sections. It discusses Australia's unique land and climate features like the Outback and Great Barrier Reef. It notes Australia's unique animals that evolved in isolation, like kangaroos and koalas. The economy relies on mining, agriculture and tourism. Aboriginal people first inhabited Australia, and British colonization in the 1700s displaced them. New Zealand also discusses its landscape, economy based on sheep farming and tourism, and history of British colonization displacing the indigenous Maori people.

1. D: 5/14/13
A: Notes on Australia and New
Zealand
S: Why are animals from
Australia
unique?
H: Australia’s Island Worksheet
All Missing Work Due by 5/23
w.o.d: outback
Warm-Up: Answer questions 1-3
on pg. 697. Write the questions
and answers.

2. Word of the Day
Word
Outback
Definition
Australia’s
inland region.
Sentence
The outback
is home to
many of
Australia’s
natural
resources.
Picture

3. Australia & New Zealand

4. I. Australia’s Land & Climate
A. It is both a country & a continent
and includes the island of Tasmania
B. The Great Barrier Reef lies off the
northeast coast made of coral
C. Plateaus & lowlands cover most of
Australia
D. The major rivers are the Murray &
Darling

6. I. Australia’s Land & Climate
E. The outback located inland holds
the grasslands & stations
F. There is little fresh water and is
gotten from underground pools
G. They have a desert & steppe climate
and opposite seasons
H. They have 6 states and 2 territories

7. II. Australia’s Animals
A. The tectonic plate that Australia sits on
separated from the rest 200 million
years ago thus animals like koalas &
kangaroos are only found there

8. III. Australia’s Economy
A. They have many mineral resources like iron,
zinc, bauxite, silver, opals, diamonds and pearls.
B. Their energy resources are coal, oil & natural gas
C. Through irrigation they can grow grains,
sugarcane, cotton, fruit & veggies
D. The main export is wool from raising sheep.
They also raise cattle
E. Factories make consumer goods, high tech
goods, & metals
F. Tourism plays a huge role in economy

9. IV. Australia’s History
A. The Aborigines inhabited the land first from Asia
B. In 1770 England took over and used the land as
a place to send prisoners
C. When gold was discovered all land was taken
from the Aborigines
D. In 1901 they became independent and set up a
parliamentary democracy with a federal& state
government.
E. They are breaking from England & would like a
president

10. V. Australia’s People
– Only 19 million people live in Australia so the
government encourages immigration
– 85% of people live in cities and the rest live in the
bush or rural areas
– English is the major language but Aussies have
their own dialect

11. VI. New Zealand’s Land & Climate
– Made of 2 islands the North & South
– North Island is made up of a plateau, 3 volcanoes,
& geysers
– The Southern Alps, glaciers, fjords & Canterbury
Plains make up the South Island
– The national bird is a kiwi which does not fly

12. VII. New Zealand’s Economy
– They herd sheep for wool and they export lamb
meat
– They grow apples, barley, wheat & corn
– They depend on trading so when the U.S., Asia,
Australia and England economies are down they
lose money
– They use geothermal energy from volcanoes
– Manufacturing & tourism bring in a lot of money

13. VIII. New Zealand’s History
– The Maori have lived there since the 950s
– The British colonized but promised they could
keep their land until war broke out and they lost
– In 1893 became the first place to give women the
right to vote
– They also were the first to give old, sick or out of
work people help.
– Became independent in 1907

14. IX. New Zealand’s People
– The government is a parliamentary democracy
where the prime minister is the head and 5
legislatures can only be Maori
– 75% of the people live on the North island and
85% of them live in cities
– They enjoy lots of outdoor activities
– The major sports are cricket & rugby