10.

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

Location: Australia is the smallest and youngest continent in the world. It is the sixth largest
country in the world (after Russia, Canada, China, the US and Brazil). It is situated between the
Pacific (east) and the Indian Oceans (west and south) in the southern hemisphere. Australia is
located in south-east from Asia. It is often said that Australia lies at the edge of the world, divided
from other continents by long distances. And we also sometimes called Australia as a country of
antipodes.
New Zealand is situated in south-west Pacific Ocean on south-east of Australia and it consist of two
large islands North and South Island.
Geography: There are mostly plains in Australia and a great part of this continent is desert the
Great Sandy Desert and the Great Victoria Desert. Australia has the Australian Alps and the Great
Dividing Range on the eastern coat. Ayers Rock or Uluru is the largest piece of rock in the world
and it has a special meaning for original inhabitants, the Aborigines. The highest mountain is Mount
Kosciusko in the Australian Alps. Rivers that flow permanently are to by found only in the north,
east and in Tasmania. The largest river are Murray, which flows from New South Wales to the
Indian Ocean, and the Darling. There are three big lakes Lake Eyre, Lake Torrens and Lake
Gairdner. The climate may seems strange, because when we have winter, Australia has summer and
vice versa.
Each of two main New Zealand islands is mainly hilly and mountainous. The highest mountain is
Mount Cook. A volcanic plateau is in the centre of North Island. South Island has glaciers. The
climate is quite pleasant. There is a lit of sun and it often rains there. Summer are not too hot and
the winters are mild.
Political system: Australia is a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations. The official title
is the Commonwealth of Australia. It is a dominion with the Queen Elizabeth II as the head of the
country. She is represented by Governor General. The head of the Government is the Prime
Minister. The Federal Parliament has its seat in Canberra and is divided into the Senate and the
House of Representatives. The country is divided into 6 states and 2 territories.
New Zealand is also a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations. It has a parliamentary
system where the head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, but she is represented by Governor General.
The head of government is the Prime Minister. The country is divided into counties.
Population: There are about 18 million inhabitants in the country. The majority are of the British
origin and most of them live on the eastern coast where the density is the highest. But areas in the
outback ate practically uninhabited. In total Australia has the lowest density in the world only 2
people to a square kilometre. The origin inhabitants are the Aborigines and they arrived from Asia
about 40 thousands years ago when Australia wasn't a separate island. Now they live in reserves.
New Zealand has a low population of only 4 million inhabitants. Like in Australia, majority of
habitants are of the British origin. The origin inhabitants are the Maoris who were originally
cannibals of Polynesian origin.
Brief history: Australia was discovered by Captain James Cook in 1770. He landed in Botany Bay
in today's Sydney and explored the eastern coast. The first European settlers were mostly criminals.
The Dutch seaman Abel Tasman discovered Tasmania and New Zealand in 1642. So it was a Dutch
colony at first and later Captain Cook claimed the country for Great Britain in 1769.

Important cities: The Australian capital is Canberra, but the largest and the oldest city is Sydney.
Typical Sydney monuments are the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House that looks like sailing
boats. The second largest city is Melbourne. Other cities include Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and
Hobard.
The New Zealand capital is Wellington in North Island. Auckland is another major city. And other
big cities are Manukau and Christchurch.
Nature: Australia has more than 2000 national parks and nature reserves, protect wilderness areas
of natural and environmental importance. Also 13 areas are on the UNESCO's World Heritage List.
About a quarter of New Zealand is forested in areas which are largely protected from
commercialisation in national parks.
Sport: The Australians like playing rugby and Australian football. Cricket is another popular game.
The favourite sport of New Zealanders is rugby.
Animals: The animals of Australia are numerous and some of them, like the kangaroo, koala bear,
dingo, platypus, Tasmanian devil or barking lizards can't be found anywhere else. In New Zealand
are also many animals, which do not live anywhere in the world. Typical animals are kiwis, birds
with a long narrow beak, mountain parrots, Kakapo the world's largest parrot and brown emu.
There are also a lot of lambs.