AUSTRALIA AND AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALANDNEW ZEALAND

AUSTRALIAAUSTRALIA

Australia is big, 7,686,484 square Australia is big, 7,686,484 square kilometres.kilometres.

If you walk all around Australia along the If you walk all around Australia along the coast, you will travel 25,760 kilometres.coast, you will travel 25,760 kilometres.

Only five countries in the world are larger Only five countries in the world are larger than Australia.than Australia.

Geographical FeaturesGeographical Features

Australia is also low and flat; only five per cent of Australia is also low and flat; only five per cent of the land is above 600 metres. But there are the land is above 600 metres. But there are mountains in south east Australia and Tasmania.mountains in south east Australia and Tasmania.

The highest mountain is Mount Kosciuszco, at The highest mountain is Mount Kosciuszco, at 2228 metres.2228 metres.

Australia is hot and dry. Two thirds of the Australia is hot and dry. Two thirds of the country is desert (mostly in the centre and country is desert (mostly in the centre and the west.) the west.)

There are hills and big dry salt lakes.There are hills and big dry salt lakes.

The temperature is often 35ºC or more in The temperature is often 35ºC or more in the summer months. the summer months.

There are some big rivers, like the Murray-There are some big rivers, like the Murray-Darling which is 2,700 kilometres long; but in Darling which is 2,700 kilometres long; but in parts of Australia it sometimes does not rain parts of Australia it sometimes does not rain for years.for years.

Only 20 million people live in Australia. Most Only 20 million people live in Australia. Most of them live close to the coast in the east, of them live close to the coast in the east, south east, and south of the country where south east, and south of the country where the summers are warm and the winters not the summers are warm and the winters not too cold.too cold.

Australia’s Past

The first people were the Aborigenes, who came more tnan 40,000 years ago from South East Asia.

Chinese sailors visited Australia 2,500 years ago.

The Dutch sailors, Willian Janoszoon in 1606 and Abel Tasman in 1642 made maps of the north and west coasts of Australia.

In 1770 Captain James Cook landed on he east coast and said that now australia belonged to Britain.

In 1787 convicts were sent for the first time to Australia.

In 1851 gold was found in New South Wales and Victoria. Population grew, new roads and railways were built.

In 1901 the six Australian states became a country.

During the First and Second World War australian soldiers fought and died in Europe and Asia.

In 1945 The Australian government opened the country to inmigrants.

Cities

Sydney is the oldest and biggest city with 4,2 million people.

It’s built around an enormous harbour.

It’s a busy modern city.

I’s also an international city.

Melbourne is the second biggest city.

It was the capital of Australia from 1901 to 1927.

It has wide streets, old buildings and many large parks and gardens.

Brisbane is an important centre for business and many people visit the city on their way to the beaches of Queensland.

Adelaide is called the City of Churches and it’s also famous for its city plan, which puts parks all around the city centre. It has famous festivals of music, theatre and film.

Perth is a rich city because the land in the west has plenty of gold, oil and valuable minerals

Swimming and sailing are part of life for nearly everybody.

Hobart is a small, quiet city with a busy harbour from which boats sail to the French and Australian scientific stations in Antarctica.

Darwin, in the Northern Territory, has no tall buildings because during the summer storms the winds are sometimes very strong.

Camberra is in the Australian Capital Territory. Its name is an Aboriginal word meaning “meeting place”.

It became the capitalof Australia in 1927. It’s the home of many important national buildinds like Parliament House.

NEW ZEALANDNEW ZEALAND

New Zealand is a country of islands.New Zealand is a country of islands.

It’s a long, narrow country. It’s a long, narrow country.

New Zealand’s population is about 4.1 million New Zealand’s population is about 4.1 million people.people.

There are mountains, forests, deserts,There are mountains, forests, deserts,

lakes and rivers.lakes and rivers.

The weather is not too hot and not too cold. The The weather is not too hot and not too cold. The hottest months are from December to February. hottest months are from December to February. And the coldest months are June to August.And the coldest months are June to August.

GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURESGEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES

About one thousand years ago the first Maori About one thousand years ago the first Maori came to New Zealand. They travelled from came to New Zealand. They travelled from islands in the Pacific Ocean to the country that islands in the Pacific Ocean to the country that they called Aotearoa –the land of the long white they called Aotearoa –the land of the long white cloud.cloud.

In 1642 the Dutch sailor Abel Tasman visited In 1642 the Dutch sailor Abel Tasman visited New Zealand and gave it its name, from Zeeland New Zealand and gave it its name, from Zeeland (Sea Land) whichnis a part of the Netherlands.(Sea Land) whichnis a part of the Netherlands.

NEW ZEALAND’S PASTNEW ZEALAND’S PAST

James Cook visited the James Cook visited the Islands four times between Islands four times between 1769 and 1777, sailed all 1769 and 1777, sailed all the way round and made the way round and made the first map of the country.the first map of the country.

In 1840 Captain Willian In 1840 Captain Willian Hobson wrote the Hobson wrote the Treaty of Treaty of WaitangiWaitangi. This said that the . This said that the Queen Victoria was now Queen Victoria was now queen of New Zealand. About queen of New Zealand. About 40 Maori chiefs agreed to this, 40 Maori chiefs agreed to this, and later another 500 did do.and later another 500 did do.

In 1893 new Zealand was In 1893 new Zealand was the first country in the the first country in the world to let women vote.world to let women vote.

In the 1930’s, the New In the 1930’s, the New Zealand government Zealand government decided that all schools decided that all schools and hospitals should be and hospitals should be free for all its people.free for all its people.

In 1987 New Zealand became In 1987 New Zealand became a nuclear-free zone. This a nuclear-free zone. This means that ships that use means that ships that use nuclear power or carry nuclear nuclear power or carry nuclear bombs cannot come into New bombs cannot come into New Zealand waters and that the Zealand waters and that the country does not use nuclear country does not use nuclear power to make electricity.power to make electricity.

Cities

Auckland has the biggest population. It is the biggest city too.

Auckland has two harbours, the Manukau on the west coast and the Waitemata on the east.

Wellington is the capital because it is close to the centre of the country and the government meets there.

Christchurch is a flat, green place. One third of the city is parks and gardens and it is called the “Garden City”. To many people Christchurch is “the most English city outside England; it was designed in England and its river is called the Avon.

Dunedin is the old name for Edimburgh in Scotland. In the nineteenth century it was the centre of New Zealand’s business. It also has New Zealand’s oldest university.

FREE TIME AND SPORT

Because of the good weather conditions people spend a lot of their free time outside.

Families spend hours in their gardens, growing vegetables and flowers.

Barbecues are very popular.

Swimming is also popular.Ian Thorpe won six Olympic gold medals.

In 1995 and 2000 New Zealand beat some of the best boats in the world to win the America’s Cup.

In New Zealand the most popular sport is rugby. The New Zealand Team is called The All Blacks They do the haka. It’s a Maori dance that makes them feel strong and tries to frighten the other team.