why it’s important— -...

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT—

Vast and sparsely populated, the region

of Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica is

perhaps the most diverse of the world’s

regions. Parts of the region—Australia

and Oceania—are developing close eco-

nomic ties to other countries in the

Pacific Rim, the area bordering the

Pacific Ocean. Such ties to prosperous

Pacific Rim nations will influence global

trade and trading networks for decades

to come. Cold, icy Antarctica lacks a

permanent human population, but the

data gathered there by scientists will

broaden your understanding of the

world’s climates and resources in the

years ahead.

To learn more about Australia, Oceania,

and Antarctica and their impact on your

world, view the World Regions video

“Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica.”

Australia, Oceania, and AntarcticaAustralia, Oceania, and Antarctica

World Regions Video

U N I T 1111

778 U n i t 1 1

Penguins in Antarctica

NGS ONLINEwww.nationalgeographic.com/education

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/education

4What Makes Australia, Oceania, andAntarctica a Region?

1 Shouldering the day’s catch,a spear fisher in the CookIslands watches his companiontake aim. The Cook Islandsspread across 850,000 squaremiles (2.2 million sq. km) ofocean. Like people through-out Oceania, Cook Islandersdepend on the sea for food.

3

2

Both palm trees and polar ice lie within this diverse region that includes two continents—Australia and Antarctica—andsome 25,000 islands scattered across vast expanses of the Pacific Ocean.

Australia is ancient and arid. Low mountains curve down its easterncoast, blocking rainfall to the flat interior where scrubland and deserts

form what Australians call the “outback.”Across theTasman Sea lies New Zealand—lush, green, and moun-tainous. North of New Zealand’s rugged shores liesthe rest of Oceania, where groups of tropical islandsdot the blue ocean waters like tiny jewels.

A different sort of jewel lies far to the south ofNew Zealand—Antarctica, a glittering kingdom of iceand snow that sits astride the bottom of the world.

1

U N I TREGIONAL ATLAS11

780 U n i t 1 1

A loaf-shaped mass of sand-stone, Uluru (also known asAyers Rock) looms over the flatlandscape of central Australia.Uluru is sacred to Aborigines,the country’s native inhabi-tants. Aborigines share theirhomeland with Australia’s othernatives—kangaroos and otheranimals found nowhere else onEarth.

A sea of sheep parts for twobicyclists on New Zealand’sSouth Island. Sheep greatlyoutnumber people in NewZealand, where pastures thrivein a climate that is mild year-round. The nation ranks as one of the world’s leading producers of lamb, mutton, and wool.

Fringed with coral reefs, thethickly forested islands of Palauseem to float on the surface ofblue Pacific waters. Palau is achain of about 200 islands afew hundred miles east of thePhilippines. Its coral reefs areamong the world’s most bio-logically diverse.

2 3 4

4

U n i t 1 1 781

Lands Down Under

A blend of cultures is reflectedby an Aborigine wearing west-ern-style clothing. Aboriginesare thought to have arrived inAustralia from Asia at least40,000 years ago. Today, manyAborigines are striving to pre-serve their ancient traditionswhile living in a modern world.

1 2

3


782 U n i t 1 1

Europeans were latecomers to this region, much ofwhich lies “down under” the Equator. Australia’s origi-nal settlers were Aborigines; the first settlers of NewZealand were the Maori. During the 1800s, the Britishcolonized both lands.Today,Australia and the islands

of Oceania are a blend ofEuropean, traditional Pacific, andAsian cultures.Antarctica has nopermanent human inhabitants.

Although huge livestock ranchesspread across Australia and NewZealand, life in these two countriesis largely urban, with most peopleliving in coastal cities. For manyPacific Islanders, life is more tradi-tional, and people support them-selves mainly through fishing andsubsistence farming.

1

Mirrored in the waters ofSydney Harbor, the SydneyOpera House glows as eveningfalls. The white shells that formthe building’s roof resemble bil-lowing sails—a fitting tribute tothe city that is Australia’sbusiest seaport.

Thatched houses called fale sit beneath palm trees on anisland in Samoa. Open sidesallow cool ocean breezes toblow through the houses.Blinds made of palm leavescan be let down to keep outrain or glaring sun.

Bundled against the cold,scientists in Antarctica loadequipment into a waiting heli-copter. Antarctica is a continentreserved almost entirely for scientific research and explora-tion. The United States is one of many countries operatingresearch stations here.

2 3 4

4

U n i t 1 1 783

U N I TREGIONAL ATLAS11 Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica

PHYSICAL

140°E120°E

30°N

20°N

10°N

0°

10°S

20°S

30°S

40°S

50°S

60°S

70°S

160°E 160°W 140°W 120°W180°

TROPIC OF CANCER

TROPIC OF CAPRICORN

EQUATOR

P a c i f i c O c e a n

I n d i a n

O c e a n

CoralSea

TasmanSea

ArafuraSea

Timor Sea Barrier

Reef

Great

LakeEyre

MurrayR.

Dar

ling R.

SouthIsland

NorthIsland

Great SandyDesert

GreatVictoriaDesert

MacdonnellRanges

Tasmania

GREAT

DIVI

DING

RANGE

GibsonDesert

NullarborPlain

ArnhemLand

GreatArtesian

Basin

SouthernAlps

CapeYork

Peninsula

NewGuinea

NewBritain

Guam

Bougainville

Hawaiian Is.

Fiji Is.

Phoenix Is.

Gilbert Is.

Samoa Is.

Tahiti

SolomonIslands

NewCaledonia

M I C R O N E S I AM E L A N E S I A P O L Y NE

SI

A

Caroline Is.

LineIslands

Tuamotu Arch.

Pitcairn I.

NEWZEALAND

AUSTRALIA

CHINA

Mt. Cook12,316 ft.

(3,754 m)

INT

ERN

AT

ION

AL

DA

TE

LIN

E

N

Miller Cylindrical projection1,500

1,5000

0

mi.

km

Elevation Profile

2,000 m

4,000 m

6,000 m

8,000 m

6,562 ft

13,123 ft

19,685 ft

26,247 ft

Sea level

0 mi.

0 km 500

500

GREATARTESIANBASIN

GIBSONDESERT

MACDONNELLRANGES CORAL

SEA

INDIANOCEAN

60°W

40°W

20°W 20°E

40°E

60°E

80°E

80°S

70°S

60°S

0°

80°W

100°W

120°W

160°E

140°E

120°E

100°E

180°

160°

W140°

W

ANTARCTICCIRCLE

EASTANTARCTICA

WESTANTARCTICA

ROSS ICESHELF

RONNE ICESHELF

ANTARCTICPENINSULA

EnderbyLand

ELLSWORTHLAND

QUEEN MAUD LAND

LAND

MARIE BYRD

TRANSANTARCTIC

MOUN

TAINS

WI L

KE

S

LA

ND

WeddellSea

Ross Sea

SouthPole

1,000

1,0000

0

mi.

kmLambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection784

U n i t 1 1 785U n i t 1 1 785

POLITICAL

140°E120°E

30°N

20°N

10°N

0°

10°S

20°S

30°S

40°S

50°S

60°S

160°E 160°W 140°W180°

INT

ERN

AT

ION

AL

DA

TE

LIN

E

TROPIC OF CANCER

TROPIC OF CAPRICORN

EQUATOR

P a c i f i c O c e a n

I n d i a n

O c e a n

CoralSea

ArafuraSeaTimor

Sea

TasmanSea

U.S.

U.S.

N.Z.

N.Z.

N.Z.Fr.

Fr.Fr.

U.S.

U.S.

U.K.

SouthIsland

NorthIsland

Great SandyDesert

Tasmania

Great DividingRange

HAWAII

GUAM

COOKISLANDS

FRENCHPOLYNESIA

PITCAIRN I.

NEWCALEDONIA

NIUE

WALLIS &FUTUNA

AMERICAN SAMOA

NORTHERNMARIANA IS.

TOKELAU

Koror

PortMoresby

PalikirMajuro

Tarawa

Yaren

Honiara

Funafuti

Port-Vila Suva

Apia

WellingtonChristchurch

AucklandMelbourne

SydneyPerth

Brisbane

Canberra

Nuku alofa

’

NEWZEALAND

A U S T R A L I A

PAPUANEW GUINEA

FEDERATED STATESOF MICRONESIA

MARSHALLISLANDS

PHILIPPINES

CHINA

K I R I B A T I

I N D O N E S I ATUVALU

NAURU SAMOA

VANUATU

TONGAFIJIISLANDS

SOLOMONISLANDS

PALAU

N


1,5000

0

mi.

km

1. Which rivers drain the eastern partof Australia?

2. Which countries claim parts ofAntarctica?

StudyMAP

National capitalMajor city

60°W

40°W

20°W 20°E

40°E

80°E

60°E

0°

80°W

100°W

120°W

140°

W

160°

W

160°E

140°E

120°E

100°E

180°

70°S

80°S

ANTARCTICCIRCLE

Atlantic

OCeaN

Indian

OCEaN

Pacific

OCEaN

SouthPole

A N T A R C T I C A

BRIT

ISH

CLAIM

ARGENTINE

CLA

IM

NEW ZEALAND CLAIM

NORWEGIAN CLAIM

AU

STR

ALIA

NC

LAIM

AUSTRALIANCLAIM

FRENCHCLAIM

Unclaimed

CHILEANCLAIM

Azimuthal Equal-Area projection500

5000

0

mi.

km


POPULATION DENSITY

N

Wellington

Christchurch

AucklandMelbourne

AdelaideSydney

Canberra

Perth

Brisbane

Darwin

PortMoresby

Suva

Noum´ea

Hobart

140°E120°E

30°N

20°N

10°N

0°

10°S

20°S

30°S

40°S

50°S

60°S

160°E 180°

INT

ERN

AT

ION

AL

DA

TE

LIN

E

TROPIC OF CANCER

ANTARCTIC CIRCLE

TROPIC OF CAPRICORN

EQUATOR

P a c i f i c

O c e a n

I n d i a n

O c e a n

SOUTHEASTASIA

EASTASIA

A N T A R C T I C A

TimorSea

ArafuraSea

TasmanSea

CoralSea


1,5000

0

mi.

km

Per sq. mi.Per sq. kmOver 100

50–100

25–50

1–25

Under 1

Uninhabited

Over 250

125–250

60–125

2–60

Under 2

Uninhabited

Cities(Statistics reflect metropolitan areas.)

Over 5,000,000

2,000,000–5,000,000

1,000,000–2,000,000

250,000–1,000,000

Under 250,000

0°

70°S

80°S

40°W 20°W 20°E 40°E

80°E

60°E

100°E

120°E

140°E160°E180°160°W

140°W

120°W

100°W

80°W

60°W

ANTARCTICCIRCLE

SouthPole

WeddellSea

RossSea

Atlantic

OCeaN

Indian

OCEaN

Pacific

OCEaN

A N T A R C T I C A

Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection500

5000

0

mi.

km786 U n i t 1 1

U n i t 1 1 787

ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

Adelaide

Melbourne

Perth

SydneyNewcastle

Brisbane

Dunedin

Christchurch

Auckland

Wellington

Canberra

CoralSea

TasmanSea

P a c i f i c

O c e a n

140°E120°E

30°N

20°N

10°N

0°

10°S

20°S

30°S

40°S

50°S

60°S

160°E

160°W

160°W

140°W

180°

INT

ERN

AT

ION

AL

DA

TE

LIN

E

TROPIC OF CANCER

TROPIC OF CAPRICORN

ANTARCTIC CIRCLE

EQUATOR

HAWAII

GUAM

COOKISLANDS

FRENCHPOLYNESIA

PITCAIRN I.

NEWCALEDONIA

NIUE

WALLIS &FUTUNA IS.

AMERICAN SAMOA

NORTHERNMARIANA IS.

TOKELAU

NEWZEALAND

A U S T R A L I A

PAPUANEW GUINEA


MARSHALLISLANDS

PHILIPPINES

CHINA

K I R I B A T I

I N D O N E S I ATUVALU

NAURU SAMOA

VANUATU

TONGAFIJIISLANDS

SOLOMONISLANDS

PALAU

Coconuts

Coconuts

Coconuts

CoconutsCoconuts

Coconuts

Coconuts

SugarcaneSugarcane

Fruit

Fruit

Sheep

Sheep

SheepSheep

Sheep

Cattle

Cattle

WheatWheat

N

N

N


1,5000

0

mi.

km

1. What is the primary agricultural productof the Pacific islands?

2. Describe the overall population densityof the region.

StudyMAP

Resources

Petroleum

Uranium

Coal

Iron ore

Lead

Manganese

Nickel

Zinc

Gold

Silver

N

0°

70°S

80°S

40°W 20°W 20°E 40°E

80°E

60°E

100°E

120°E

140°E160°E180°160°W

140°W

120°W

100°W

80°W

60°W

ANTARCTICCIRCLE

SouthPole

WeddellSea

RossSea

Atlantic

OCeaN

Indian

OCEaN

Pacific

OCEaN

A N T A R C T I C A

Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection500

5000

0

mi.

km

Land UseCommercial farmingSubsistence farmingLivestock raisingHunting and gatheringForestsManufacturing and tradeCommercial fishingLittle or no activity

Australian Dollar

U.S.Dollar

U.S.Dollar

Fiji Dollar

Australian Dollar

Australian Dollar

NewZealandDollar

Parliamentary Democracy


Republic

Republic

Republic

Republic

Republic

19,400,0006 per sq. mi.2 per sq. km

2,988,888 sq. mi.7,741,220 sq. km

100,000444 per sq. mi.111 per sq. km

800,000119 per sq. mi.46 per sq. km

100,000337 per sq. mi.130 per sq. km

100,0001,007 per sq. mi.389 per sq. km

10,0001,412 per sq. mi.545 per sq. km

3,900,00037 per sq. mi.14 per sq. km

270 sq. mi.699 sq. km

7,054 sq. mi.18,270 sq. km

282 sq. mi.730 sq. km

69 sq. mi.179 sq. km

9 sq. mi.23 sq. km

104,452 sq. mi.270,531 sq. km

English

English, Local Languages

English, Fijian,Hindi

English, Gilbertese

English, Local Languages

Nauruan, English

English

Sugar

Canberra

AUSTRALIA

Palikir

FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA

Suva

KIRIBATI

Tarawa

MARSHALL ISLANDS

Majuro

NAURU

Yaren

Wellington

Coal

Phosphates

FIJI

CoconutProducts

NEW ZEALAND

Foods

Machinery

Machinery

Foods

Foods

Foods

Machinery

Fish

CoconutProducts

U.S.Dollar

Kina

Tala


Republic

ConstitutionalMonarchy

5,000,00028 per sq. mi.11 per sq. km

178,703 sq. mi.462,841 sq. km

English,Local Languages Gold


1,097 sq. mi.2,841 sq. kmSamoan, English


178 sq. mi.461 sq. kmEnglish, Palauan

PALAU

Koror

Port Moresby

SAMOA

Apia

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

CoconutProducts

Machinery

Foods

Fish Machinery

Wool

COUNTRY *

AND CAPITAL

FLAG AND

LANGUAGE

POPULATION

AND DENSITYLANDMASS

MAJOR

EXPORT

MAJOR

IMPORTCURRENCY GOVERNMENT

COUNTRY PROFILES

* COUNTRIES AND FLAGS NOT DRAWN TO SCALE

FOR AN ONLINE UPDATE OF THIS INFORMATION, VISIT GEOGRAPHY.GLENCOE.COM AND CLICK ON “TEXTBOOK UPDATES.”


788 U n i t 1 1

http://geography.glencoe.com

Solomon Islands

Dollar

Pa’anga

TuvaluanDollar

Vatu



ConstitutionalMonarchy

Republic

10,0001,100 per sq. mi.435 per sq. km

10 sq. mi.26 sq. km


4,707 sq. mi.12,191 sq. km

Tuvalu, English

Bislama, English,French

500,000 41 per sq. mi.16 per sq. km

100,000349 per sq. mi.156 per sq. km

11,158 sq. mi.28,899 sq. km

English,Local Languages

Tongan, English Squash290 sq. mi.699 sq. km

Honiara

TONGA

TUVALU

Funafuti

Port-Vila

Nuku alofa�

Cocoa

SOLOMON ISLANDS

VANUATU

Machinery

Foods

Foods

CoconutProducts

CoconutProducts Machinery

COUNTRY *

AND CAPITAL

FLAG AND

LANGUAGE

POPULATION

AND DENSITYLANDMASS

MAJOR

EXPORT

MAJOR

IMPORTCURRENCY GOVERNMENT

* COUNTRIES AND FLAGS NOT DRAWN TO SCALE

▲ Aerial view of harbor and city, Papeete, Tahiti

U n i t 1 1 789

With their big noses, round faces, and cuddly teddy-bear appearance, koalas areamong Australia’s most famous native animals. If you wanted to see a koala in thewild, the best place to look would be in a eucalyptus tree. Koalas live in eucalyptustrees and eat almost nothing but eucalyptus leaves—about three pounds (1.4 kg)

of leaves per day!Like the koala, eucalyptus trees are native to

Australia. More than 500 different kinds growthere. And for hundreds of years, they’ve beenimportant not only to koalas, but to Australia’s people as well.

Long before Europeans arrived in Australia,Aborigines used many different native plants tomake medicines.They discovered that eucalyptusleaves contain a strong-smelling oil—eucalyptusoil—that has powerful antiseptic, or germ-fighting,properties.The Aborigines used the leaves to treatseveral common ailments, including infections,fevers, coughs, colds, and flu.They prepared theleaves in various ways so that the oil could berubbed onto the skin, inhaled, or mixed with a liquid and swallowed.

When European colonists arrived in Australia,some were quick to recognize the value ofAboriginal remedies, especially those made fromparts of eucalyptus trees. Eucalyptus preparations

�

GLOBALCONNECTION

AUSTRALIA AND THE UNITED STATES

EUCALYPTUS

▲ Koala nibbling eucalyptus leaf


790 U n i t 1 1

▲ Eucalyptus tree in the Australian outback

became so popular that colonists tried themfor just about every imaginable ailment,from headaches and rheumatism to hair lossand stomach ailments.

The popularity of eucalyptus quicklyspread beyond Australia’s shores. Eucalyptusoil was one of the first products to beexported from the young colony. By thenineteenth century, millions of the treesthemselves were being shipped to the farcorners of the world.You can find eucalyptus trees growing in southernCalifornia, Florida, and other parts of the southern United States.

Today, eucalyptus oil is an important ingredient in many common medicines, especially cough and cold remedies.The next time you pop a cough drop into your mouth or use a “vapor rub” to clear a stuffy nose,check the label. Chances are good the product contains eucalyptus oil.

American cold sufferer whomight benefit from eucalyptus oil

▲

GeoJournalAs you read this chapter, imagine that youare visiting interesting and beautiful loca-tions in Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica.Write journal entries, using vivid details to explain why these places are appealing.

Chapter Overview Visit the Glencoe WorldGeography Web site at tx.geography.glencoe.comand click on Chapter Overviews—Chapter 32 to preview information about the physicalgeography of the region.

http://www.glencoe.com/sec/socialstudies/geography/gwg2003/tx/content.php4/844/1

The Land

A Geographic ViewAustralian LandscapeThe land breathes magic. Not . . . colored scarves and playing cards,but real magic. Weepy eucalyptustrees with [curving sword]-shapedleaves. Dazzling-white ghostgums. Termite mounds: some redand bulbous as a Henry Mooresculpture; others, black and delicate as the spires of a Gothiccathedral. A glory of birds—sulfur-crested cockatoos thatlift from trees in clouds, tinybee-eaters, iridescent as opals.

—Cathy Newman, “The UneasyMagic of Australia’s Cape YorkPeninsula,” National Geographic, June 1996

On Australia’s northeastern coast, the Cape YorkPeninsula displays a landscape of great contrasts. Rain forests,savannas, and wetlands form an exotic patchwork in this area.Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica together form the equallydiverse South Pacific region, one that covers a huge portion of theglobe. In this section you will explore the region’s varied physicalgeography, including coastal lowlands bordering mountains andplateaus, islands rising from the sea, and a vast ice cap spanning acontinent.

Australia: A Continent and a CountryAs the only place on the earth that is both a continent and a coun-

try, Australia is unique. Although water surrounds Australia in thesame way as an island, geographers classify it as a continent becauseof its tremendous size. Located in the Southern Hemisphere, its namecomes from the Latin word australis, meaning “southern.”

Guide to ReadingConsider What You KnowYou may have seen photographs ormovies showing the dry Australian out-back or Antarctica’s mountainous icecap. What animals do you associatewith these areas?

Read to Find Out• How do mountains, plateaus, and

lowlands differ in Australia andNew Zealand?

• How have volcanoes and conti-nental shelves formed the islandsof Oceania?

• Why does the physical geographyof Antarctica attract scientists?

Terms to Know• artesian well • lagoon

• coral • krill

• atoll

Places to Locate• Australia

• Great Dividing Range

• Nullarbor Plain

• Murray River

• Darling River

• Oceania

• Melanesia

• Micronesia

• Polynesia

• New Zealand

• North Island

• South Island

• Antarctica

C h a p t e r 3 2 793

Evening in Antarctica

Termite mound, Australia

794 U n i t 1 1

Central LowlandsThe Great Dividing Range and Western Plateau

are separated by the Central Lowlands. This aridexpanse of grassland and desert stretches acrossthe east central part of Australia. After heavy rain-fall, rivers and lakes throughout the area fill withwater, but because rains are infrequent, most riversand lakes remain dry much of the year. In thesoutheast, however, the Murray River and theDarling River supply water that supports farming.A vast treasure of pressurized underground water,known as the Great Artesian Basin, lies underneaththe lowlands. Although the water that gushes fromartesian wells, or wells from which pressurizedwater flows to the surface, is too salty for humansor crops, ranchers use it to water livestock.

Great Barrier ReefAlong Australia’s northeastern coast lies the

Great Barrier Reef. This famous natural wonder isthe world’s largest coral reef, home to brilliantly

The region of Australia,Oceania, and Antarcticais about two and a halftimes the size of the continental United States.

Australian Outback The rugged Australian outback is sparsely populated.

Human-Environment Interaction Why do sofew people live in the Western Plateau area?

Mountains and PlateausA chain of hills and mountains known as the

Great Dividing Range interrupts Australia’s other-wise level landscape. The peaks stretch alongAustralia’s eastern coast from the Cape York Penin-sula to the island of Tasmania, separated from themainland long ago by the sea. Most of Australia’srivers begin in the range, and they water the mostfertile land in the country.

The Western Plateau, a low expanse of flat landin central and western Australia, covers almosttwo-thirds of the continent. Australians call thisarea where few people live the “outback.” Acrossthe plateau spread the hot sands of the GreatSandy, Great Victoria, and Gibson Deserts. Nearthe edges of the deserts, a few low mountainranges and huge rock formations thrust up fromthe earth. When explorer Jean-Michel Cousteauvisited the arid Western Plateau, he spoke of theland’s effect on those few who inhabit it:

“ For human or nonhuman, life in thevast dry sea, as we were soon to witness,demands extraordinary survival strate-gies, and those who endure do so withearthy ingenuity and tenacity.”Jean-Michel Cousteau,

Cousteau’s Australia Journey, 1993

South of the Great Victoria Desert lies theNullarbor Plain. The name comes from the Latinnullus arbor, meaning “no tree.” This dry, virtuallytreeless land ends abruptly in giant cliffs. Hundredsof feet below the cliffs lies the churning GreatAustralian Bight, a part of the Indian Ocean.

TasmanSea

GreatAustralian

Bight

Pacific Ocean

A U S T R A L I A

PAPUANEW GUINEA


MARSHALLISLANDS

K I R I B A T I

TUVALU

NAURU

SAMOA

VANUATU

TONGAFIJI

ISLANDS

SOLOMONISLANDS

PALAU

NEWZEALAND

NorthIsland

NewGuinea

Tasmania

SouthIsland

M E L A N E S I A

M I C R ONE

SI A

P

OL Y

NE S I A

Hawaii

Midway

WakeIsland

GUAM

COOK ISLANDS

FRENCHPOLYNESIA

Tahiti

SocietyIslands

PITCAIRN I.

NewCaledonia

NIUE

WALLIS AND FUTUNA

AMERICAN SAMOA

NORTHERNMARIANA IS.

Tokelau

Nullarbor Plain

G r

e at

Di v

idin

gRan

ge

0°

10°N

20°N

10°S

20°S

30°S

40°S

50°S

120°E 140°E 160°E 180° 160°W

60°S

140°W

TROPIC OF CANCER

TROPIC OF CAPRICORN

EQUATOR

INT

ERN

AT

ION

AL

DA

TE

LIN

E

Miller Cylindrical projection

1,500

1,5000 mi.

0 km

N

MAP STUDY

Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica: Physical-Political

Find NGS online map resources @ www.nationalgeographic.com/maps

2. Applying Geography Skills In what part ofAustralia are most rivers found? How might theirlocation affect population patterns?

60°W 60°E

0°

120°W 120°E

180°

70°S

80°S

ANTARCT

ICC

IRC

LE

AtlanticOCeaN

IndianOCEaN

PacificOCEaN

SouthPole

Mt. Erebus12,448 ft.(3,794 m)

Vinson Massif16,067 ft.(4,897 m)

AntarcticPen.

A N T A R C T I C A

Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection1,000

1,0000 mi.

0 km

National boundaryMountain peak

Feet10,0005,0002,0001,000

0

MetersElevations

3,0001,500

600300

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C h a p t e r 3 2 795

colored tropical fish and underwater creatures.Because of its unique beauty and the habitat it provides for multitudes of creatures, Australia hasdesignated the reef a national park, and the UnitedNations has named it a World Heritage Site.Although its name suggests a single reef, the GreatBarrier Reef is actually a string of more than 2,500small reefs. Formed from coral, the limestone skele-tons of a tiny sea animal, it extends 1,250 miles

(2,012 km). This span equals the length of the coast-line from New York City to Miami, Florida.

Economics

Natural ResourcesAlthough only 10 percent of Australia’s land

can be farmed, agriculture is important to thecountry. Australian farmers make effective use oftheir land and water to grow wheat, barley, fruit,

1. Interpreting Maps Which of New Zealand’stwo islands has higher elevations?

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/maps

and sugarcane. In arid areas, ranchers raise cattle,sheep, and chickens.

Australia also yields rich mineral resources,including one-fourth of the world’s bauxite—theraw material for aluminum production—and mostof the world’s high-quality opals. Deposits of coal,iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, nickel, and petroleumalso make the country one of the world’s majormining areas.

Oceania: Island LandsThousands of islands, differing in size and extend-

ing across millions of square miles of the PacificOcean, form the region called Oceania (OH•shee•A•nee•uh). Created by colliding tectonic plates mil-lions of years ago, the islands are part of the Ring ofFire, named for its volcanic and earthquake activity.

Island ClustersOceania’s islands are classified into three clus-

ters, based on location, how the islands formed,and the inhabitants’ cultures. Melanesia, meaning

“black islands,” lies north and east of Australia.The “little islands” of Micronesia extend north ofMelanesia. Polynesia, or “many islands,” spans anarea larger than either Melanesia or Micronesia,ranging from Midway Island in the north to NewZealand in the south.

Island TypesEarthquakes and volcanic eruptions still occur on

many high islands, one of three island types inOceania. The landscapes of high islands, such asTahiti and many of the islands of Fiji, featuremountain ranges split by valleys that fan out intocoastal plains. Bodies of freshwater dot the land,and the volcanic soil on high islands supportssome agriculture.

Volcanoes shaped Oceania’s many low islandsdifferently than they shaped the high islands. Lowislands, such as many of the Marshall Islands inMicronesia, are ring-shaped islands, known asatolls, formed by the buildup of coral reefs onthe rim of submerged volcanoes. Atolls encirclelagoons, shallow pools of clear water, and usually

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PacificIslands Volcanic peaks are found on high islands suchas Tahiti (left), while low islands are known as atolls (right).

Region What is the third type of island found in the region?

Canterbury Plains In additionto producing grain, New Zealand’sCanterbury Plains are economicallyimportant for the livestock they support.Place How does the eastern coast of South Island differ from the westerncoast?

rise only a few feet above sea level. Low islandshave little soil and few natural resources.

Continental islands are the third type, formed bythe rising and folding of ancient rock from theocean floor. Most of Oceania’s large islands, suchas New Guinea and New Caledonia, fall into thiscategory. Although volcanoes did not create theseislands, many do have active volcanoes. Coastalareas consist of plains, swamps, and rivers.Beyond the coastal areas, the land rises intorugged interior mountains, plateaus, and steepvalleys. Because of the variety of their rocks andsoil, continental islands have most of Oceania’smineral deposits. Their mining industries produceoil, gold, nickel, and copper. Some larger forestedislands support timber processing.

New Zealand: A Rugged Landscape

Located 1,200 miles (1,931 km) southeast of Aus-tralia, New Zealand’s two largest islands make up99 percent of the country’s landmass. Both NorthIsland and South Island display sandy beaches,emerald hillsides, and snow-tipped mountains.

North Island’s northern region includes goldenbeaches, ancient forests, and rich soil that supportscitrus orchards. A broad central plateau of volcanicstone features hot springs and several active vol-canoes. Chief among them is Mount Ruapehu(ROO•uh•PAY•hoo), North Island’s highest point.Mount Ruapehu often spews molten rock. Shiningfreshwater lakes—including Lake Taupo, NewZealand’s largest lake—appear throughout theplateau. East of the plateau, a band of hills runsnorth and south. Here ranchers graze sheep anddairy cattle.

The towering, snowy peaks of the Southern Alpsrun along South Island’s western edge. NewZealand’s earliest inhabitants, the Maori, named the highest peak on South Island Aorangi(ow•RAHNG•ee), which means “cloud piercer.”Today, Aorangi is known as Mount Cook and risesto 12,349 feet (3,764 m). This high country also fea-tures sparkling lakes, carved by glaciers, and tum-bling rivers. Lowlands called the Canterbury Plainslie on the eastern coast. This land is New Zealand’sflattest and most fertile area. Along the westerncoast, pounding surf meets rugged cliffs, deepfjords, and coastal caves.

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Natural ResourcesNew Zealand’s fertile soil, perhaps its most

important resource, greatly benefits the country’seconomy. About 55 percent of the land supportscrops and livestock. New Zealand’s sheep andwool products dominate exports, and its forestsyield valuable timber. The country’s rivers anddams produce abundant hydroelectric power, ful-filling about 75 percent of the country’s needs.New Zealand also uses less typical means to gen-erate power: geothermal energy is provided bywater heated underground by volcanoes.

Warm and cold ocean currents meet in thewaters off the New Zealand coasts, providing thecountry with a wide variety of fish. Tuna, marlin,and sharks are abundant in the warmer tropicalcurrents, while cod and hake, a cod-like fish,thrive in the cold Antarctic currents.

Antarctica: A White PlateauAntarctica, almost twice the size of Australia,

lies at the southern extreme of the earth, beneath amassive ice cap. Antarctica’s ice cap covers about98 percent of the continent’s landmass. The ice isas much as 2 miles (3.2 km) thick in places andholds 70 percent of the world’s freshwater.

Like a jagged backbone, the TransantarcticMountains extend northward across Antarcticaand the Antarctic Peninsula to within 600 miles

Student Web Activity Visit the Glencoe World GeographyWeb site at tx.geography.glencoe.com and click on Student WebActivities—Chapter 32 for an activity about the Ring of Fire.

(966 km) of South America’s Cape Horn. Themountains and the peninsula divide the continentinto two areas. East of these mountains lies a high,ice-covered plateau. Coastal mountains and val-leys near the plateau’s edge form pathways forglaciers. To the west the landmass is largely belowsea level, including underwater volcanoes.

Research StationsAlthough Antarctica contains mineral resources,

international agreements limit activity on Antarcticato scientific research. In year-round research sta-tions, scientists from many countries gather fasci-nating information in this cold and barren land.They investigate weather patterns, measure envi-ronmental changes, and observe the sun and starsthrough an unpolluted atmosphere. The coastal seaalso holds valuable resources. Fishing boats fromseveral countries harvest krill, a shrimplike animaleaten by some whales. This plentiful, protein-richfood may someday help lessen world hunger.

Checking for Understanding1. Define artesian well, coral, atoll,

lagoon, krill.

2. Main Ideas Create a graphic orga-nizer like the one below. List thefeatures and resources for eachregion. Then choose two of theregions, and write a paragraphexplaining how they differ.

Critical Thinking3. Predicting Consequences What

group of people would be mostaffected if Australia’s artesianwells dried up? Why?

4. Comparing and Contrasting Iden-tify similarities and differencesbetween New Zealand’s two mainislands and a high island such asTahiti.

5. Decision Making Of the threetypes of islands found in Oceania,which type would you choose fora home? Explain why.

Analyzing Maps6. Location Study the physical-political

map on page 795. To which islandregion does Papua New Guineabelong?

Australia•••

Oceania•••

Antarctica•••

7. Effects of Location Considerthe location of Oceania’sislands in relation to otherparts of the world. Write a paragraph explaininghow this location mightaffect the development ofnatural resources.

Applying Geography

http://www.glencoe.com/qe/qe27tx.php?&st=844&pt=2&bk=24

Guide to ReadingConsider What You KnowScientists who live and work atresearch stations in Antarctica’sharsh climate make exciting discoveries about the earth. Whymight this bleak and icy land be agood location for studying ecology,biology, climatology, or astronomy?

Read to Find Out• How do variations in rainfall

affect Australia’s climate and vegetation?

• How does elevation affect climatepatterns in New Zealand?

• What vegetation survives in thecold, dry Antarctic climate?

Terms to Know• wattle

• doldrums

• typhoon

• manuka

• lichen

• crevasse

Places to Locate• Papua New Guinea

• Antarctic Peninsula

Climate andVegetation

A Geographic ViewA Frozen FrontierI have grown to love this cold,strange place. . . . Such a reactionmay seem odd to those who havenever heard the sigh of ice floesjostling on the swells. . . . Alightinghere briefly, like a bird of passage,I have come to see this transientfrontier not as a harsh place butas a living creature that nurturesa multitude of other lives. . . .We can’t conquer it, settle it,even own it. The winter icebelongs only to itself.

—Jane Ellen Stevens, “Exploring Antarctic Ice,” National Geographic, May 1996

Just as there is a surprising variety of life in anarea that appears to be a frozen desert, there are other startling geo-graphic contrasts throughout Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica. Inthis section, you will learn about the climates and vegetation of oneof the world’s most geographically diverse regions.

AustraliaIn Australia, climate and vegetation vary greatly from area to area.

The country’s climate and vegetation regions include tropical rainforests in the northeast, dry desert expanses in the interior, and tem-perate areas of grasslands, scrub, and mixed forests along the eastern,southern, and southwestern coasts. Differences in rainfall cause thesesignificant changes in climate and vegetation throughout Australia.

Subtropical high-pressure air masses block moisture-laden PacificOcean winds from reaching the Western Plateau, Australia’s large

C h a p t e r 3 2 799

Ice shelf, Antarctica

800 U n i t 1 1

interior desert area. The sun scorches the land, butnight temperatures drop dramatically. One trav-eler writes of the arid Western Plateau, as seenfrom a railroad car:

“ . . . At twilight, the shrieking dieselhorn scatters flights of long-beaked birdsnesting in a sparse underbrush of burrs

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MAP STUDY

Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica: Climate Regions

and thistles. . . . Dawn purples a line ofmesa-type, flat-topped hills outlinedagainst a cloudless blue sky.”Hugh A. Mulligan, “The Ghan: Australia’s

Notoriously Lethargic Train to the Outback,”The Columbian, November 11, 1999

With less than 10 inches (25 cm) of rain annually,there is not even enough vegetation for grazing.

Tropical rain forestTropical savanna

SteppeDesert

Marine west coastMediterraneanHumid subtropical

TundraIce capHighlands(climate varieswith elevation)

Tropical Dry

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2. Applying Geography Skills Why does PortMoresby have a warmer climate than Wellington?

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1. Interpreting Maps What types of climatecharacterize the eastern coast of Australia?


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An area of milder steppe climate encirclesAustralia’s desert region. Here more regular rainfallbrings vegetation such as eucalyptus and acaciatrees and small shrubs to life. Saplings of the aca-cia tree were used by early settlers to make wattle,a strong, interwoven wooden framework used forbuilding homes. Rains fall only during the wetseason, however, and the amount can vary greatlyfrom year to year. Annual rainfall ranges from 10

to 20 inches (25 to 51 cm). Short grasses, ideal forgrazing, also grow here, as do irrigated crops.

Australia’s coastal areas have a variety of moisterclimates. The humid subtropical northeastern coastaverages more than 20 inches (51 cm) of rainyearly. Less rain falls in the Mediterranean climateof the southern coasts and in the marine west coastclimate along the southeastern coast. Coastal areassupport most of Australia’s agriculture.

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MAP STUDY

Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica: Natural Vegetation


2. Applying Geography Skills What physicalprocesses might affect patterns of economicconditions in southeastern Australia?

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Tropical forest

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1. Interpreting Maps What type of vegetation isfound in western Australia?


802 U n i t 1 1

OceaniaBecause much of Oceania lies between the Equa-

tor and the Tropic of Capricorn, most islands havea tropical rain forest climate. Most days are warmthroughout the year, ranging from 70°F (21°C) to80°F (27°C), though Pacific ocean winds cool atollsand the windward sides of higher islands. Somemountainous areas of Papua New Guinea evenremain snow-covered year-round.

Seasons throughout most of Oceania alternatebetween wet and dry. The dry season features thecloudless blue skies often seen in travel advertise-ments, but the wet season brings constant rain andhigh humidity. The amount of rainfall varies fromisland to island. Low islands get little rainfall, butthe larger landmasses of high islands give offwarm, moisture-laden air. When this air rises andmixes with cool ocean breezes, heavy rains fall.Some high islands receive as much as 150 inches(381 cm) annually.

Only shrubs and grasses grow on dry, lowislands, but coconut palms and other trees appear

on islands with more rain-fall. Hot, steamy rain foreststhrive where heavy rainsdrench island interiors. A gen-erally windless area called thedoldrums occupies a narrow

band near the Equator where opposing ocean cur-rents meet. The eerie calm within the doldrumscan change to violent storms called typhoons.Their forceful winds and heavy rain devastateland and vegetation and threaten lives.

New ZealandA marine west coast climate is found in most of

New Zealand. Ocean winds warm the land in win-ter and cool it in summer, preventing temperatureextremes. Temperatures hover between 65°F (18°C)and 85°F (29°C) in summer and between 35°F(2°C) and 55°F (13°C) in winter. Abundant sun-shine graces New Zealand’s beaches and inlandlandscape, but clashing air masses may bring sud-den clouds and rain.

Geographic differences also cause climaticvariations. North Island’s central plateau iswarm and sunny during summer, but mountain-tops may have snow year-round. Fierce winds orblizzards may strike these mountains at any time

A Diverse Region A ranchingstation in the Australian steppe (left), a tropical forest and island beach inPolynesia (middle), and a farm in the marine west coast climate of NewZealand (right) are just a sampling of the diverse landscapes of the region.

Place What kind of climate is found in most of New Zealand?

Checking for Understanding1. Define wattle, doldrums, typhoon,

manuka, lichen, crevasse.

2. Main Ideas Create a Venn diagramlike the one below. Fill in the climate factors for each location,putting those factors that bothplaces have in common in the area where the circles overlap.

Critical Thinking3. Making Inferences What type

of climate does most of NewZealand have? Why might it appeal to settlers?

4. Problem Solving What problemsmight researchers encounter inAntarctica, and how could theseconditions be overcome?

5. Identifying Cause and Effect Howdo Pacific ocean currents andwinds affect the climate of Ocea-nia? How do they affect vegetation?

Analyzing Maps6. Human-Environment Interaction

Study the vegetation map on page801. What type of vegetation issuitable for raising livestock, andwhere in Australia is it found?

7. Understanding ClimateMaps Note the climateregions on the map onpage 800. Write a para-graph explaining how cli-mate relates to the wayfarmers operate in NewZealand and Australia.

Applying Geography

of year. Mountainous areas exposed to westernwinds generally have more rainfall than do otherareas. Although the country as a whole averages25 to 60 inches (64 to 152 cm) of rain annually, theSouthern Alps on South Island have an averageannual rainfall of 315 inches (800 cm). Humiditylevels in inland areas are about 10 percent lowerthan coastal areas. Maurice Shadbolt, a populartravel writer, describes New Zealand as a “long,lean land fated to fickle weather.” In fact, he says,“At its most temperamental, New Zealand canoffer the traveller all four seasons in one day.”

New Zealand’s geographic isolation gives riseto unique plant life. Almost 90 percent of thecountry’s indigenous plants are native onlyto New Zealand. Manuka, a small shrub, carpetsland where prehistoric volcanic eruptionsdestroyed ancient forests. Early settlers fromGreat Britain cut down almost all of the pinelikekauri trees, but some still grow among thrivingevergreen forests. In an effort to repair severe ero-sion damage in deforested areas, New Zealand’sforest service has imported several tree speciesfrom Europe and North America. A species ofpine tree native to California in the United States,for example, now grows in large areas of the vol-canic plateau of North Island. Willows andpoplars from Europe also help keep soil on hill-sides from eroding.

AntarcticaAntarctica is the earth’s highest, driest, windiest,

and coldest continent. Though very cold year-round, Antarctica’s climate exhibits some variation.Air loses moisture as it rises over Antarctica’splateau, making the plateau drier than Australia’sdeserts, but much colder. Temperatures may plungeas low as –129°F (–89°C) in winter. The AntarcticPlateau descends to coastal areas that have a milder,moister climate. Annual snowfall averages no morethan 2 inches (5 cm) inland, but along the coast itoften measures 24 inches (61 cm).

Despite the severe climate, some species ofmosses and algae have adapted well to life onAntarctica. In rocky areas along the coasts, tinysturdy plants called lichens thrive. Of the approxi-mately 800 plant species in Antarctica, about 350 arelichens. These plants survive by remaining dormantfor long periods and almost instantly beginning tophotosynthesize during brief periods of milderweather. The continent’s only two flowering plantsgrow in a small area on the Antarctic Peninsulathat lies in a tundra climate zone. Summer temper-atures there may reach almost 60°F (16°C).

Although frozen, Antarctica’s ice is not motion-less. The cap’s tremendous weight causes the frozenmass to spread toward the coasts. As it moves, theice breaks into pieces, causing huge crevasses, orcracks, as much as 100 feet (30 m) wide.

C h a p t e r 3 2 803

Australia Both New Zealand

Comparing Climates

804 U n i t 1 1

Learning the SkillWhen you hear about a coun-

try or an event in news reports orread about it in magazines andbooks, you may still have ques-tions afterward. Most sources donot contain all the informationon a subject, but they may offerenough information for you toinfer, or figure out, the answersto your questions.

Different sources presentinformation in different forms.Statistical charts, for example,often compare informationfrom which you might infer dif-ferences, similarities, or trendsover time. These steps will helpyou make inferences from achart:

• Read the title and otherlabels to know what infor-mation the chart presents.

• Determine whether the chartprovides detailed informa-tion about one topic, com-pares two or more topics, or shows changes over time. Some charts may giveseveral different types ofinformation.

• Make a list of the informationthat is not given in the chart,or the questions that arisefrom it.

• Infer answers to your ques-tions. Make logical inferencesbased on the facts given.

Practicing the SkillA tourist traveling to the

Solomon Islands might use achart to learn about the country.Answer the following questionsby making inferences about theSolomon Islands from the infor-mation in the chart above.

1. Given the information in thischart, is it more likely thatthe form of government inthe Solomon Islands is a par-liamentary democracy or acommunist state? Explain.

2. What can you infer about thehealth of the people in theSolomon Islands? Explain.

3. What can you infer aboutthe animal life on theSolomon Islands? Explain.

4. What sorts of activities might a tourist enjoy in theSolomon Islands? Explain.

The Glencoe Skillbuilder Interactive Workbook,

Level 2 provides instruction andpractice in key social studies skills.

Locate a chart with informationabout another country in thisregion from a newspaper, maga-zine, or Web site. Use the steps tomake inferences from the facts pre-sented. Draft several questionsbased on your inferences. Exchangecharts with another student, andcomplete each other’s questions.

Making InferencesYou see a police car stopped behind another car by the road-

side. The emergency lights are flashing on the police car. Youinfer, or conclude, that the driver was speeding based on the in-formation you already have from similar circumstances. Makingan inference means using information to draw a conclusion.

Population 500,000

Government Under British rule from 1893 to 1978, when it gainedindependence; member of the Commonwealth of Nations

Capital Honiara

Languages 120 indigenous languages; English

Land About 900 islands scattered over approximately 11,000square miles (28,900 sq. km) of ocean

Geography Mountainous volcanic islands and small atolls; coral reefs

Climate Tropical

Rainfall Ranges from 120 to 140 inches (305 to 356 cm) annually

Temperature Ranges from 70° to 90°F (21° to 32°C)

Vegetation Tropical forests on main islands

Exports Fish, timber, cocoa

Life Expectancy 67 years

Sources: National Geographic Atlas of the World, 7th edition; 2001 World Population Data Sheet

C h a p t e r 3 2 805

Key Points• Australia, both a country and a continent,

encompasses mountains, central lowlands, andexpansive deserts. Rich mineral deposits andproductive farms and ranches contribute to theAustralian economy.

• Oceania’s thousands of islands extend across thesouthern Pacific Ocean. The islands of Oceaniawere formed either directly or indirectly by volcanic activity.

• New Zealand’s main features are two largeislands with mountain ranges, rivers, and lakes.The country boasts rich soil and timberland.

• Antarctica is an ice-covered continent. WhileAntarctica may have important mineralresources, its key resource is the information it offers to scientists.

Organizing Your NotesUse a chart like the one belowto help you organize informa-tion about the physical featuresand resources of Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica.

Terms to Know• wattle• doldrums• typhoon• manuka• lichen• crevasse

Key Points• Australia generally has a hot, dry climate. Along

the edges of the vast interior desert, the steppereceives sufficient rainfall for raising livestock.Only the coastal climates provide enough rainfallfor growing crops without irrigation.

• Oceania enjoys a warm, moist tropical climate.Most islands have wet and dry seasons. Theamount of rain during the wet season deter-mines whether shrubs and grasses or dense rain forests will grow.

• New Zealand’s marine west coast climate pro-vides year-round rainfall, with temperaturesthat vary without being extreme.

• Antarctica’s extremely cold and windy climatesupports primarily lichens and mosses.

Organizing Your NotesUse an outline like the onebelow to help you organize theinformation in this section aboutclimate and vegetation.

Terms to Know• artesian well• coral• atoll• lagoon• krill

SECTION 1 The Land (pp. 793–798)

SECTION 2 Climate and Vegetation (pp. 799–803)

SUMMARY & STUDY GUIDE

Geographic Natural Features Resources

AustraliaOceaniaNew ZealandAntarctica

I. AustraliaA. Mountains and PlateausB. Central Lowlands

II. Oceania

Climate and Vegetation

Critical Thinking1. Making Inferences Based on the infor-

mation in Section 1, would you infer thatAustralia does or does not have an even dis-tribution of population across the continent?

2. Comparing and Contrasting How areOceania’s islands similar? Different?

3. Identifying Cause and Effect Create achart like the one below, and fill in the effectsof different climates on vegetation. Thenchoose one effect, and write a paragraphdescribing its possible economic impact.

ASSESSMENT & ACTIVITIES

806 U n i t 1 1

New Australia Oceania Zealand Antarctica

ClimateVegetation

Reviewing Key TermsWrite the letter of the key term that best matcheseach definition below.

a. artesian well f. doldrumsb. coral g. typhoonc. atoll h. manukad. lagoon i. lichene. krill j. crevasse

1. limestone skeletons of a tiny sea animal

2. windless area near the Equator

3. shrimplike animal

4. small, sturdy plants

5. well from which pressurizedwater flows to the surface

6. huge crack in an ice cap

7. small shrub that grows in NewZealand

8. pool of water inside an atoll

9. violent Pacific Ocean storm

10. low, ring-shaped island

Reviewing FactsSECTION 1

1. What formation lies just off Australia’s northeastern coast?

2. Name the three types of islandsthat are found in Oceania.

3. What is New Zealand’s mainnatural resource?

4. List the local resources thathelp to meet New Zealand’senergy needs.

SECTION 25. What climate supports most of

Australia’s agricultural lands?

6. Describe the factor that pre-vents temperature extremes inNew Zealand.

7. What causes the motion of theAntarctic ice cap?

Locating PlacesAustralia and New Zealand:Physical-Political Geography

Match the letters on the map with the places and physical features of Australia and New Zealand. Write your answers on a sheet of paper.

1. Great Barrier Reef2. Great Victoria

Desert 3. Great Dividing Range

4. Tasmania 5. Cape York Peninsula 6. Great Australian

Bight

7. Coral Sea8. Lake Eyre 9. North Island

10. South Island

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Read the chart and become familiar with the information it contains beforeyou answer the questions. Do not, how-

ever, study the chart in depth. The quickest way toanswer both question 1 and question 2 is to readthrough each answer choice and use the process ofelimination to get rid of those that you think are wrong.

Self-Check Quiz Visit the Glencoe WorldGeography Web site at tx.geography.glencoe.comand click on Self-Check Quizzes—Chapter 32 toprepare for the Chapter Test.

Using the Regional AtlasRefer to the Regional Atlas on pages 784–787.

1. Location Which Australian city is locatedon the coast, just south of the Great BarrierReef?

2. Location In which part of Australia aremost of the coal deposits found?

Thinking Like a GeographerThink about the activities of explorers, scientists,and tourists in Antarctica. What changes toAntarctica’s physical geography might happen asa result? As a geographer, what safeguardswould you suggest to preserve this unspoiledenvironment?

Problem-Solving ActivityContemporary Issues Case Study Use printand nonprint resources to learn more aboutkrill. Investigate how these tiny crustaceans fitinto the food chain in the waters surroundingAntarctica. Find out about issues related to har-vesting krill commercially as well as its potentialfor reducing world hunger. Write a brief reportof your findings, and give recommendations forusing krill responsibly.

GeoJournalTravel Brochure Imagine that you are a travelwriter, and draft a brochure about one locationyou wrote about in your GeoJournal. Includevivid details and information about the land-forms, climate, and vegetation of the locationyou choose. Use your textbook and the Internetto make the brochure lively and interesting.

Technology ActivityUsing the Internet for Research

Search the Internet for photographs and infor-mation about plants mentioned in Section 2,such as acacia and manuka. Look for detailsabout their habitats and their uses. Create a dis-play of the information and images, and sharethe finished product with your class.

Use the chart below to choose the best answerfor each of the following multiple-choice questions. If you have trouble answering thequestions, use the process of elimination tonarrow your choices.

1. If tourists were traveling to Australia inJanuary and wanted to avoid both exces-sive heat and heavy rainfall, to whichcity should they travel?

A Melbourne C DarwinB Brisbane D Sydney

2. What information in the chart shows thatthe Australian cities are in the SouthernHemisphere?

F July’s temperatures are higher than January’s.

G January’s temperatures are higher thanJuly’s.

H The cities have abundant rain.J The cities have a dry season.

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30

Average Yearly AveragePrecipitation Temperature Range

Australian City (inches) January (°F) July (°F)

Alice Springs 10–20 75°–85° 45°–55°Brisbane over 30 75°–85° 55°–65°Darwin over 30 75°–85° over 75°

Melbourne 20–30 65°–75° 45°–55°Perth over 30 75°–85° 45°–55°

Sydney over 30 65°–75° 45°–55°

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Air in Motion

Winds are hori-zontal air

movements caused bytemperature differencesamong air masses.Surface winds are usu-ally strongest duringthe day, when the sunheats the ground. Theincreased ground tem-perature causes the airto spread out, becomelighter, and rise. Asthin air rises, cold airmoves down to takeits place. This move-ment of air is the windblowing. Winds usually,

but not always, become gentler at night. Wind pat-terns have a significant impact on an area’s climate,and they are often themselves affected by localweather patterns and conditions. People generallyidentify winds based on the direction from whichthey blow.

Tropical storms are created when an area of lowatmospheric pressure is surrounded by circulatingwinds. Twenty to twenty-five typhoons blast acrossthe Pacific Ocean each year. The word typhooncomes from the Chinese word tai-fung, whichmeans “great wind.” These storms, which are calledtropical cyclones or hurricanes in other parts of theworld, have spiraling winds that reach 100 to 150miles per hour (161 to 241 km per hour).

Materials• Drinking straw• Scissors• Thin, stiff plastic for the arrowhead and tail,

5 7/8 in × 5 7/8 in (15 cm × 15 cm)• Clear tape• Straight pin• Wood block, 2 in × 2 in × 17 3/4 in

(5 cm × 5 cm × 45 cm)• Hammer• Metal washer• Photocopy of Figure 1—Compass• Photocopy of Figure 2—Data chart

ProceduresIn this activity, you will build and use a windvane to see how local changes in wind direc-tion are related to local weather changes.

1. To construct the arrow, make two small slitsin each end of the drinking straw. The slits at the arrow end should be 1 1/8inches (3 cm)long. The slits at the tail end should be2 inches (5 cm) long. Make sure the slitsalign with each other.

2. Cut a small arrowhead and a large tail out of the plastic. Insert the arrowhead and thetail into the straw’s slits, and secure themwith a small amount of tape.

3. Balance the straw on your finger. NOTE: The balancing point may not be inthe center of the straw. When you find thispoint, poke the straight pin through thestraw. Enlarge the hole slightly.

808 U n i t 1 1

Large tropical storms canbe seen from space.

C h a p t e r 3 2 809

Figure 1

Meteorologists use technology tomonitor tropical storms and issue warnings thatcan save lives and property. Specialists scansatellite photographs for thunderstorm clusters.They reexamine cluster images hourly for signsof rotating winds. If these conditions develop,tropical storm warnings go out to people onships, on aircraft, and along coastlines.

4. Photocopy Figure 1 (the compass),and tape it to the top of the woodblock. Using the hammer, gentlydrive the pin through the metalwasher and into the center of thecompass.

5. Take the wind vane outside to anopen area.

6. Hold the wind vane so that the Non the block points north. The windvane’s arrow will point into the wind.Use the compass to determine thedirection from which the wind is blowing. This is the wind direction.

7. Photocopy or draw Figure 2 (the datachart), and record the wind directionthree times a day, for five days.

Lab Report

Find Out MoreIn addition to measuring wind direction, youcan measure wind speed. Use nylon thread toattach a table tennis ball to the center of thestraight edge on a protractor. In the windiestarea of the school grounds, hold the protractorwith the straight edge up and level. Now facethe wind. The angle made by the nylon line onthe protractor will be the wind speed in degrees.The degree of wind speed converts to the fol-lowing wind speeds:

10 degrees = 8 mph (13 km/h)20 degrees = 12 mph (19.2 km/h)30 degrees = 15 mph (24 km/h)40 degrees = 17.9 mph (28.8 km/h)50 degrees = 20.9 mph (33.6 km/h)60 degrees = 25.8 mph (41.6 km/h)70 degrees = 32.8 mph (52.8 km/h)

Figure 2

N

NW NE

W E

SW SE

S

Date Time Wind Direction1.2.3.1.2.3.1.2.3.1.2.3.1.2.3.

1. Why do you think the arrow of a wind

vane points into the wind?

2. In which direction did your arrow point

most often?

3. According to your results, how often does

the wind direction change in your area?

4. Drawing Conclusions Weather stations

take wind direction readings from the

tops of tall buildings or high poles. Why

do you think this is so?

why it’s important— -...

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