Australia and New Zealand Erik Baše, C4A

Basic facts smallest and youngest continent Commonwealth of Australia Capital: Canberra Official language: English Area: 7 682 300 km² Population: 23 975 300 Largest cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Darwin

Geography Location – South of Asia between Indian and Pacific Ocean mostly flat exept Great Dividing Range Highest point – Mt. Kosciuszko (2 228m) Lowest point – Lake Eyre (-16m) Central dessert = Outback Rivers – Darling Murray Lakes – Eyre Basin

6 federal states 2 territories

Political system Constitutional monarchy (in practise parliamentary democracy) Queen of the UK (Elizabeth II.) represented by Governor General Legislature: Parliament = Senate + House of Representatives Executive: Prime Minister and Cabinet Parliament House in Canberra

History original inhabitans – Aborigines (came from Asia) 17th century – first sailors mapped the coastline 1770 – James Cook claimed it for British Crown 19th century – British and Irish prisoners 1901 – the country was proclaimed The Commonwealth of Australia 1927 – Canberra was declared the federal capital

Fauna 80 % endemic animals Kangaroo Kiwi Koala Tasmanian devil Emu

Flora Acacia Eucalyptus

Places of interest Opera House Great Barrier Reef

Places of interest Uluru – Ayers Rock Harbour Bridge

New Zealand (Aotearoa) Capital: Wellington Official language: English Area: 268 680 km² (North Island + South Island) Population: 4 414 000 Largest cities: North Island – Auckland, Hamilton South Island – Christchurch, Dunedin Political system: similar to Australian

Geography Location – the South Pacific Ocean 2 Islands (North, South Island) Highest point – Mt. Cook (3 754m) snow-capped mountains (Southern Alps) Lake – Taupo Longest river – Waikato (425 km)

16 regions

History 1 000 years ago – polynesian Maoris settled NZ (Aotearoa) 1840 – The Treaty of Waitangi was signed 1907 – British commonwealth 1947 – gained independence

Places of interest Hobbiton Mount Cook

Places of interest Rotura Kaikoura

Comparison X Australia New Zealand 6 °C – 20 °C -10 °C – 15 °C Aborigines Maoris World's first largest exporter of wool Agriculture: sheep, cattle, wheat, wool, milk, barley 2nd