 Australia covers an area from about 10 degrees south to 40 degrees
south and 115 degrees east to 155 degrees east. It?s the only
nation that is also a continent. Europeans first sited Australia
in the 16th century. Britain used it as a penal colony and many
convicts were deported there. Farming was developed when the railways
penetrated to the interior. Australia's sovereignty was formally
recognized in 1931 by the British Parliament. The rural sector
produces important exportsMany unique animals can be found on
this ancient continent, such as platypus, kangaroos and koalas.
The population 17.8 million, a mostly on the coasts and the southeast.
The climate is mainly temperate, except the tropical north and
central desert. The north has two seasons, wet from November to
March, the heaviest rainfall after January. The winter months
of April to October are drier. The cyclone season is from December
to March on both the Pacific and Indian Ocean coasts. |
