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The Start of
Today's lesson...
What is
Australia
known as?
Overview…
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Video: Overview of Australia
Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast
Asia about 40,000 years before the first Europeans began
exploration in the 17th century
No formal territorial claims were made until 1770, when Capt.
James COOK took possession of the east coast in the name
of Great Britain
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all of Australia was claimed as British territory in 1829 with the
creation of the colony of Western Australia
Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries;
they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia in
1901.
In recent decades, Australia has transformed itself into an
internationally competitive, advanced market economy.
Long-term concerns include ageing of the population,
pressure on infrastructure, and environmental issues such as
frequent droughts.
Geography
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6th largest country in the world
Slightly smaller than the continental U.S. (48 states)
Surrounded by the _________ Ocean and the
________ Ocean.
6 states and 2 territories
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Australian Capital Territory
Northern Territory
New South Wales
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia
The People
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Population: 21,766,711
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Most live along the eastern and southeastern coasts
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89% live in major cities
Diversity:
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White 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1 – 2.5%
Major cities:
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Sydney 4.429 million
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Melbourne 3.853 million
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Brisbane 1.97 million
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Perth 1.599 million
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CANBERRA (capital) 384,000
99% literacy rate
Life expectancy: 81.81 years (9th in the world)
Obesity: 16.4%
The original Australians?
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Video: The Outback
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders – make up more than 2.5% of Australia’s
population
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Aboriginals: inhabitants of mainland Australia, Tasmania and other
adjacent islands
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The Torres Strait Islanders live on the Torres Strait Islands at the
northern-most tip of Queensland near Papua New Guinea
The arrival of their ancestors is under debate, with estimates dating back as
far as 125,000 years ago.
The population of Indigenous Australians at the time of permanent European
settlement has been estimated at between 318,000 and 750,000.
There were over 250–300 spoken languages with 600 dialects at the start of
European settlement, fewer than 200 of these remain in use – and all but 20
are considered to be endangered.
Aboriginal people today mostly speak English, with Aboriginal phrases and
words being added to create Australian Aboriginal English.
There is great diversity among different Indigenous communities and
societies, each with its own cultures, customs and languages.
In present day Australia these groups are further divided into local
communities.
Aboriginal Map
They speak Australian, right?
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English 78.5%
Chinese 2.5%
Italian 1.6%
Greek 1.3%
Arabic 1.2%
Vietnamese 1%
Other 8.2%
Unspecified 5.7%
Do Australians have religious freedom?
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Religions:
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Catholic 25.8%
Anglican 18.7%
Uniting Church 5.7%
Presbyterian and Reformed 3%
Eastern Orthodox 2.7%
Other Christian 7.9%
Buddhist 2.1%
Muslim 1.7%
Other 2.4%
Unspecified 11.3%
Nnone 18.7%
English 78.5%, Chinese 2.5%, Italian 1.6%, Greek 1.3%, Arabic
1.2%, Vietnamese 1%, other 8.2%, unspecified 5.7% (2006
Census)
Government
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Independence: January 1, 1901 from U.K.
“Federal parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm”
Chief of state: Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 1952)
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Represented by Governor General Quentin BRYCE
Head of government: Prime Minister Julia Eileen GILLARD
Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Maxwell SWAN
Cabinet: nominated by Prime Minister
Elections:
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the monarchy is hereditary
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governor general appointed by the monarch on the
recommendation of the prime minister
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following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as prime minister by the
governor general
Military
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Branches:
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Australian Defense Force (ADF)
Australian Army
Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Air Force
Special Operations Command
Service age is 17 w/parental consent
Fit for service:
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Males 16-49: 4,411,958
Females 16-49: 4,239,985
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US males: 60,620,143; females: 59,401,941
China males: 318,265,016; females: 300,323,611
3% of GDP (45th in the world)
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US – 4.06% (24th in world)
China – 4.3% (23rd in the world)
International Disputes &
Internal Concerns
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Australia asserts land and maritime claims to Antarctica
Australia's 2004 submission to Commission on the Limits of the
Continental Shelf (CLCS) extends its continental margins over 3.37
million square kilometers, expanding its seabed roughly 30 percent
beyond its claimed exclusive economic zone
A 1997 treaty between Indonesia and Australia settled some parts of
their maritime boundary but some outstanding issues remain
Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore Reef
Australia has closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier reserve to
Indonesian traditional fishing
Illicit drugs:
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Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate
products
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Government maintains strict controls over areas of opium poppy
cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate
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Major consumer of cocaine and amphetamines
Review…