Australia and New Zealand – maturitní otázka (5)

 

Otázka: Australia and New Zealand

Jazyk: Angličtina

Přidal(a): Jirka Adam

 

 

Australia

• Australia is both: the world’s largest island and the smallest continent
• Located south of Asia between the Indian and Pacific oceans
• Is made up of six states and two territories
• Population: 23,3 million inhabitants
• Area: 7 750 000 km ²

 

History

• Aboriginal culture was mostly hunter-gatherer and about 250 languages were spoken in Australia at the time

– Native Australians – The aborigines in Australia for 40,000 years, now represent only 1% of population

• 1700 – first Europeans to discover
• 1770 – James Cook claimed Australia for Britain – originally a prison colony
• 1901 – Australia became an independent nation
• 1927 – Canberra was declared the federal capital (Sydney vs. Melbourne)

 

Geography

Mountains

• Range: Australian Cordilleras, Australian Alps, Mac Donnell’s
• Kosciusko – 2, 225 m
• Townsend – 2, 209 m
• Twynam – 2, 195 m

 

Lakes, rivers and deserts

• Lakes: Lake Eyre, Lake Torrens, Mackay’s Lake, Lake Mackenzie, Dove Lake, Lake Buchanan
• Rivers: Murray, Darling, Victoria, Lachlan, Snowy
• Deserts: Great Sandy Desert, Desert of Simpsons, Great Victoria desert, Gibson‘s desert, Little Sandy

 

Flora and Fauna

– more than 80% of the country ’s flora and fauna is unique for Australia

Flora

• native trees are eucalypts and wattle (acatia)

Fauna

• kangaroo (45 mil.), Koala, Platypusys, Kookaburras, wombats, dingoes, Tasmanian devil

 

Government and politics

– 6 federal states

• Queensland – Brisbane, New South Wales – Sydney, Victoria – Melbourne, Tasmania – Hobart (Bass strait),

South Australia –Adelaide, West Australia – Perth

– 3 territories

• Northern Territory – Darwin
• Australian Capital Territory – Canberra
• Jervis Bay Territory – New South Wales

 

• Capital: Canberra
• Official title: The Commonwealth of Australia
• Democratic, federal system
• Head of the state is Queen Elizabeth II (until she will reign), then Governor-General, PM – Tony Abbott
• Canberra is the seat of the Federal parliament

– Senate

– House of Representatives

• member of: UN, OECD and Commonwealth
• anthem: Advanced Australian Fair

 

Population

• Density: 2, 75/km ²
• 85% people live in urban areas – mainly along south-east coast
• deserts and the tropical northern part are almost uninhabited (the outback)
• 96% are British origin, 3% are the other Europeans, 1% aborigines

 

Economy

• Currency: Australian dollar
• GDP: 67 470 USD
• Industries: iron, steel, textiles, electronics, chemicals, cars
• other agriculture: barley, oats, hay, sugar, wine
• Natural riches: coal, copper, iron, silver, tin
• Main trading partners: Japan, USA, UK, New Zealand
• Most important industrial city is Perth

 

Places of interests

• Ayers Rocks – largest monolith on earth
• Great barrier reef – largest on earth (east- coast)
• Wave rock – Perth (Albany)

 

National Symbols

• Plant: silver fern
• Bird: Kiwi
• National anthem: “God Defend New Zealand”
• Sport: rugby
• “Dance”: Haka

 

New Zealand

• island country in south-western Pacific Ocean
• Tasman sea between Australia and NZ
• Population: 4.53 million
• Area: 268, 021 km²

 

History

• 13^th century – Polynesians settle -> Māori
• 1642 – NZ “discovered” by Abel Tasman
• February 6^th, 1840 – Treaty of Waitangi (between the British Crown and the Māori)

-> British Colony (officially a country)

• 1853 – NZ became an independent colony

 

Geography, Volcanology

• Part of Zealandia (Tasmantis)
• NZ lies between two continental plates (Australian and Pacific) -> the Southern Alps
• 29 regions – very diverse
• Two main landmasses + numerous islands:
• the North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui) – volcanic activity and earthquakes – Taupo Volcanic Zone
  • the South Island (Te Waipounamu) – no active volcanoes
• North and South Islands separated by the Cook Strait – 22 km at its narrowest point

 

Mountains

• Southern Alps – South Island’s Main Divide, peaks over 3000m

– highest peak: Mt. Cook (Aoraki) – 3,754 m

• Fiordland – mountain region (SW South Island)

several fiords (also “sounds”):

– Milford Sound – most famous

– Doubtful Sound – larger

– 200 rainy days/year

• North Island – less mountainous – volcanic activity

– Lowest point: Taieri Plains (-2 meters)

 

Climate – mild/temperate oceanic

– conditions vary across the islands

– extremely wet – South Island’s West Coast

– subtropical – northern part North Island

 

Rivers

• Waikato River (NI) – 425 km
• Clutha River/Matau River (SI) – 322 km
• Taieri River (SI) – 288 km

 

Politics

• Capital: Wellington (largest city: Auckland)
• Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
• Head of state (monarch): Elizabeth II – Queen of New Zealand
• Governor-General: Jerry Mateparae
• Head of government (Prime minister): John Key
• Parliament:
  • NZ House of Representatives (121)
  • Queen of New Zealand

 

Lakes:

Taupo – 616 km²

Te Anau – 344 km²

Wakatipu – 291 km²

 

Economy

• GDP: $41,555.75 (2013)
• Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZD) – Kiwi dollar

– 1 NZD = 17.2 KČ – Highly dependent on international trade (prone to global crisis and international prices)

• Export: agriculture, horticulture, fishing, forestry, mining
• Major partners: Australia, USA, Japan, China, UK

  

Religion

• Christian: 55.6%
• Atheists: 34.7%
• Other religions: 9.7%

 

Languages

• English – 95.9%
• Māori – 4.2%
• New Zealand Sign Language – 0.6%

 

Population

• Population density: 16.5 inh./km²
• 74% European
• 15% Māori (natives)
• Other: – Asian – approx. 8%

 

Famous New Zealanders

• Peter Jackson – director
• Russell Crowe – actor
• Lorde – singer

 

– Pacific peoples

– Middle Eastern

• Driving on the left side of the road

 

Māori Culture (Māoritanga) – strongly influenced by modern culture

• fluent in English, though Māori is highly supported by the NZ government (schools, organizations, funding..)
• Marae – tribal meeting grounds (Northland, Auckland, Rotorua, Canterbury)
• Moko – traditional tattoos
• Hongi – greeting (by noses)

 

Place of interests

Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit

• Rise in NZ’s popularity thanks to Peter Jackson’s LOTR and Hobbit
• “Hobbiton” near Matamata – open to visitors and tours

– Hobbit Hotel in Hobbiton

 

Auckland (City of Sails)

• NZ’s largest and most populous city
• 5 mil. inhabitants – 31% of NZ’s population
• world’s largest Polynesian population
• Two separate harbours: Tasman, Pacific
• NZ’s center of trade, education, business

 

Wellington (The Windy City)

– the world’s southernmost capital city

– 400,000 inhabitants (2^nd most populous)

– SW tip of North Island

– NZ’s center of business and administration