Oceania generally includes mainland Australia, Tasmania, the North and South Islands of New Zealand, New Guinea, Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia. * * * There are more than 10,000 islands.
Country: * There are 65,438+04 independent countries: Australia, Papua New Guinea, Fiji Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands and Tonga. The remaining dozen areas are the territories of the United States, Britain, France and other countries.
Area: 8.97 million square kilometers, the smallest continent in the world.
Population: 29 million people, the least populated continent in the world except Antarctica. Oceania [1] Language: Most residents use English.
Religion: Most residents believe in Christianity, while a few believe in Catholicism and Hinduism.
What are the characteristics of the latitude and longitude position of Oceania (spanning the northern and southern hemispheres, from 47 south latitude to 30 north latitude, and * * * spans about 77 north latitude; Spanning the eastern and western hemispheres, from 1 10 E- 160 W, * * spans about 130. The east-west distance 10000 kilometers, and the north-south distance is more than 8000 kilometers. )
Human population
The population is 29 million. It accounts for about 0.5% of the world's population and is the continent with the least Maori in the world except Antarctica. 65% of the population of the whole continent is distributed in the Australian mainland. The population density among island countries varies greatly. Local residents such as Papuans, Australians, Tasmanians, Maori, melanesians, Micronesia and Polynesia account for about 20% of the total population, and European descendants account for more than 70%, in addition to mixed-race, Indians, China and Japanese. Indigenous people are yellow people and black people.
language
The vast majority of residents use English, and the local residents of the three islands use Melanesian, Micronesia and Polynesian respectively.
religion
Most residents believe in Christianity, a few believe in Catholicism and most Indians believe in Hinduism.
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natural environment
coastline
The coastline of the mainland is about 19 000 km long. Except for a few mountainous areas in the whole continent, the famous Ayers Rock is generally below 6 meters above sea level. In the arid central part of Australia, the terrain is low. Generally divided into two parts: the mainland and the island: the western plateau of the Australian mainland. Above 200 meters above sea level, most of them are desert and semi-desert, and there are also some mountains above sea level 1000 meters; The central plain is below 200 meters above sea level, and the lake surface of North Aier Lake is 16 meters above sea level, which is the lowest point in Oceania. The eastern mountain is 800 meters above sea level, with steep eastern slope and gentle western slope. New Guinea, New Zealand's North Island and South Island are all mainland islands with narrow plains and many mountains above 2000 meters above sea level. Puncak jaya on the new guinea is the highest point in Oceania, with an altitude of 5029 meters. Melanesian islands are mostly continental, which is the continuation of the arc mountains on the continental margin. There are deep-sea basins and deep-sea trenches between island arcs. Most of the islands in Polynesia and Micronesia belong to coral reef type, with small area and low terrain. Many islands have lagoons surrounded by coral reefs, which become natural ship berths and water airports. In addition, there are a few volcanic islands formed by the accumulation of submarine volcanic eruption materials, such as Hawaiian Islands, Palau Islands, Solomon Islands, New hebrides and so on. It is characterized by high mountains, dangerous terrain and numerous natural harbors. The outflow area of water system accounts for about 48% of the total area, and murray river is the longest river and the largest river basin. The internal flow area (including no flow area) accounts for about 52% of the total area, all of which are distributed in the central and western Australia, and the main internal flow flows into Bell Lake. Compared with other continents, there are very few rivers in Oceania, with short rivers and little water. The rainy season soars, and sometimes the water is stopped in the dry season, which is not conducive to navigation, but all rivers are frozen almost all year round. There are few lakes in Oceania. The largest lake is Lake Bell in Australia, with an area of about 8,200 square kilometers, which varies with the precipitation. The deepest lake is Tianao Lake at the southwest end of South Island, New Zealand, with a depth of 276 meters. There are many lakes in mainland Australia. In addition to building lakes, New Zealand also has dammed lakes formed by lava blocking rivers. There are volcanic lakes on the island of Hawaii. In addition, many islands have lagoons surrounded by coral reefs. The lagoon on New Georgia Island is one of the largest lagoons in the world, and the Merkel Lagoon in Palau is also famous.
Many islands and archipelagos have different reasons.
(1) Mainland islands: New Guinea (Irian Island), North and South Islands of New Zealand, etc.
Originally a part of the mainland, it was later separated from the mainland due to crustal collapse or sea level rise. Oceania has a larger area and higher terrain.
(2) Volcanic island: formed by submarine volcanic eruption, with high altitude and steep terrain, such as Hawaii Islands.
③ Coral Island: It is formed by the accumulation of coral remains, with a small area and low terrain, such as Tuvalu Islands.
Due to global warming and rising sea level, coral islands are easily submerged, and Tuvalu has moved to New Zealand.
Due to the depletion of terrestrial biological resources, the economic situation of Tuvalu (country name) is very difficult.
The equator and the Tropic of Cancer pass through Oceania, and the overall climate is hot, while international date line bends.
Volcano:
The eastern and northern coastal islands of Australia are part of the volcanic belt on the west coast of the Pacific Ocean. There are more than 60 active volcanoes in Oceania, and there are more than 30 in Melanesia alone. Mauna Loa volcano on the island of Hawaii is the highest active volcano in Oceania, with an altitude of 4 170 meters.
Famous mountains:
The Great Watershed is the general name of the mountains and plateaus north of seven states in New South Wales, eastern Australia. It is located in the northern part of New South Wales, roughly parallel to the coastline. It stretches about 3000 kilometers from Cape York Peninsula to Victoria, with a width of about 160 km to 320 km. Its highest peak, Kosiasco Mountain, is 2230 meters above sea level, which is the highest point in China. Rivers originating in the west flow into the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Indian Ocean, while rivers originating in the east flow into the Coral Sea and tasman sea in the Pacific Ocean.
Bongre Mountains in Greban, located in Penululu Lu Lu National Park, is the most attractive geological wonder in Western Australia, along with natural wonders such as the Great Barrier Reef in Wengzhong. This mountain range is 578 meters above sea level, 200 ~ 300 meters higher than the plain, covered by forests and grasslands, and steep cliffs.
From the plane, Bongre Bongre Mountain is a honeycomb-like hill with orange and black stripes embedded in the skin covered with silica and seaweed, and the whole mountain can be clearly seen in the south. Sweeping the whole mountain range, you will see a hidden world of mountains and rivers, carved on rocks by the hand of the wind. In the rainy season, the Gray Mountains in Greban are rich in plant and animal resources, which are fully utilized by indigenous people. It was not until the mid-1980s that white people knew about this place. So there are many indigenous arts and cemeteries here.
Striped honeycomb rock structures, sandstone cliffs and the Peak of Gray in Bon Greban are all very famous landscapes in Penu Lu Lu National Park. The World Heritage Association pointed out that the important indigenous cultural relics here have a history of 20,000 years. Incredibly, these peaks, canyons and waterfalls in rainy season were not known until 1982 except poets, scientists and aborigines. At that time, aerial photos were first published and widely circulated.
climate
Most of Oceania lies between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, and most of it belongs to tropical and subtropical regions. Except for the continental climate in the inland areas of Australia, the rest areas belong to the maritime climate. The average annual temperature in most areas is between 25.8℃. In the northern hemisphere, from the northernmost surface of the Hawaiian Islands to the equator, the average temperature in the coldest month rises from 16℃ to 25℃. The southern hemisphere increases from 50 south latitude to equator, from 6℃ to 25℃; The South Island of New Zealand and the mountainous areas in southeastern Australia can reach below 0℃. From the northernmost part of the Hawaiian Islands to the vicinity of the Mariana Islands, the average temperature in the hottest month in the northern hemisphere rose from 24℃ to over 28℃. The southern hemisphere starts from about 50 degrees south latitude to the northwest of Australia, and rises from 12℃ to 32℃. The extreme maximum temperature in Crockley, Queensland, Australia is 53℃, which is the hottest place in Oceania. The average annual precipitation in the desert areas of central and western Australia is less than 250 mm, which is the least in Oceania. The annual average precipitation in the northeast of Kauai, Hawaii is as high as 12 000 mm, which is one of the regions with more precipitation in the world. Northern New Guinea, Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia are tropical precipitation areas, which are rainy all year round, and the annual average precipitation on windward slopes exceeds 2 000 mm.. In northern Melanesia, northern New Guinea and southern Marshall Islands, the average annual precipitation can reach 3 million millimeters, while the leeward slope is only 1 1,000 millimeters ... Northern Australia and the southeast coast of New Guinea are warm season rainfall areas with an average annual precipitation of 750,000 millimeters, accounting for about 50% of the annual precipitation. Southeast Australia and New Zealand belong to temperate precipitation areas, with relatively uniform precipitation in each month, but slightly more in winter. The annual average precipitation is more than 500 mm, and it is as high as 5 000 mm in some areas. The southwest and southwest coast of Australia belong to the Mediterranean winter precipitation area, and the winter precipitation accounts for about 40-60% of the annual precipitation.
Oceania is located at the intersection of three major plates, with Indo-Australia plate in the west, Antarctica plate in the south and Pacific plate in the east, so the tectonic position is very important. Oceania is considered to be a part of Gondwana. Australia and New Zealand separated from Antarctica in Cretaceous and became what is now Oceania in Paleogene.
Basic structural framework
The tectonic outline of Oceania is annularly distributed with Australia as the center. Its main body is the Australian shield in the central and western Australian continent, with the Paleozoic fold belt in eastern Australia as its inner edge and the Mesozoic-Cenozoic fold belt in New Zealand and the Cenozoic volcanic arc in Melanesia Islands as its outer edge.
The Australian shield consists of three parts (Figure 1): ① The western craton, mainly composed of Pilbara and Ilgan blocks. ② Northern craton, including many small plots. ③ The southern craton is mainly composed of Gaole block. The North-South Craton is an active zone with nearly east-west distribution. Eastern Australia is a huge Tasman fold belt, which consists of three parts: lachlan fold belt in the south, New England fold belt in the east and Thomson fold belt in the north. Between the southern craton and the Lackland fold belt, there is also an Adelaide fold belt with nearly north-south distribution. Tasman fold belt is mainly Paleozoic geosyncline, which was consolidated by Hunt-Bowen movement in the late Permian and the whole Australian continent was formed.
New Zealand is located at the junction of India-Australia plate and Pacific plate, with complex structure. In short, it is a Paleozoic-Mesozoic fold belt around Gondwana. The geosyncline activity lasted from Devonian to Jurassic, and the Ranjitata movement made its fold return, and the Alps fault running through the south and north islands of New Zealand was also formed at this time. In Cenozoic, New Zealand became a part of the Pacific plate, with the Kemadek-Tonga subduction zone in the north, the Pacific plate subducted under the Indo-Australian plate from east to west, and the mcquarrie subduction zone in the south. The Indo-Australian plate dived under the Pacific plate from west to east, and the Alps fault connected two reverse subduction zones. Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia were mostly volcanic island arcs in the Pacific plate in Mesozoic and Cenozoic. The southern part of Irian Island belongs to the Australian platform, and the northern part is the product of collision between active continental margin and arc land. The central mountain range is the dividing line between them, and the Arafura Sea between Irian Island and Australia is the land surface sea.
floor
The strata exposed in Australia are mainly Precambrian metamorphic rocks with sedimentary caprocks on them. The crystal base of the shield includes Archean and ancient times. Archean is mainly distributed in the Pilbara and Ilgan blocks of the western craton, and it is an greenstone belt composed of basic and ultrabasic rocky volcanic rocks. There are two stages in the formation of greenstone. The isotopic age of the old stage is more than 3.45 billion years. The greenstone in the new period is 2.6 ~ 2.3 billion years old, which is composed of basic and ultrabasic rocks, acidic volcanic rocks and chemical sedimentary rocks containing iron flint. Copper and nickel ores are associated with basic and ultrabasic rocks, while copper and lead ores are mainly formed in acidic volcanic rocks. The earliest sedimentary caprock in early Proterozoic developed in Hammersley basin and gascoyne block in the south of Pilbara, which is mainly a set of iron-bearing sedimentary formations with a thickness of 2559 meters and containing multiple layers of iron ore. Mesoproterozoic sedimentary caprocks, mainly carbonate rocks, are exposed in the North Craton. The stable carbonate deposits in Victoria basin lasted until the late Proterozoic. Late Proterozoic sedimentary cover mainly developed in Adelaide fold belt, including sandstone, argillaceous rock, carbonate rock, evaporite and glacier boulder, and late Precambrian animal fossils were found in sedimentary rocks. There are also sandstone and carbonate deposits with moraine layers in the Officer, Amadeus and Ngalia basins. The moraine in this period can be compared with the glacial sedimentary facies in Tasman Island and Kimberly Basin, and its age is 725-670 million years.
Epiphytes in Australia are mainly distributed in the eastern coastal areas, which can be divided into six sedimentary formations: ① Cambrian-Middle Ordovician, from saline sediments in the middle to flysch and ophiolite in the east; ② During the Late Ordovician to Middle Devonian, flysch, hard sandstone and flint turned westward into carbonate rocks; (3) Late Devonian-Carboniferous, the phase transition trend is the same as above; (4) Permian-Triassic, a set of coal-bearing formations and glacial deposits, which contain fossil ferns and can be compared with contemporary strata in India; ⑤ During Jurassic-Early Cretaceous, Australia landed, and some depressions on the mainland, such as Salat Basin in the east, Canning Basin and Yucca Basin in the middle and west, Perth Basin and Canavan Basin in the west, all deposited sandstone, mudstone and combustible organic rocks such as oil and natural gas. ⑥ Upper Cretaceous-Lower Tertiary is continental deposit.
The strata exposed in New Zealand are mainly Paleozoic and Mesozoic (Figure 2). Precambrian is only sporadically exposed on the west side of the South Island Alps fault, called Charleston schist, which is a metamorphic sedimentary rock and can be compared with the late Precambrian in the Adelaide fold belt of Australia. Rapid schist, also known as Otago schist, is widely exposed in New Zealand. It consists of hard sandstone with a thickness of more than 5000 meters. It may have been from Paleozoic to Mesozoic, and some people think that it was the super metamorphism of Torres in Paleozoic. At the top of Hastert schist is a set of thick hard sandstone, called Torres Supergroup, whose age is Carboniferous-Permian. The Triassic-Jurassic system is called Marihiku Supergroup, which is distributed in the core of South Island Syncline and North Island Anticline in New Zealand. It is a rapidly accumulating sandstone and conglomerate with a thickness of 8000 ~10000m. The Cretaceous is mainly distributed in Hawke Bay and Oakland in the North Island, and is called Mangahaziah Formation, which belongs to stable coastal sand shale deposits. The Cenozoic in New Zealand is mainly volcanic rocks, and volcanic activity has continued to this day. Volcanic eruption developed from calc-alkaline andesite series to basalt series, with a thickness of 300 ~ 500 meters. Strong volcanism is caused by the reverse subduction of the Pacific plate and the Indo-Australian plate, and there is strong seismic activity.
mineral resources
There are more than 20 kinds of main metal minerals in Australia, such as gold, silver, copper, iron and aluminum, among which the reserves of iron, gold and aluminum are among the highest in the world. Iron ore is mainly produced in the Lower Proterozoic Hamersley Group in the western craton, and belongs to the weathering crust type rich iron ore. It is a super-large deposit, with copper, gold and uranium deposits in the Olympic Dam and lead, zinc and platinum deposits in Broken County. New Zealand's minerals include coal, gold, uranium, oil and natural gas. The geothermal resources related to volcanic activity here are very rich. New Zealand is one of the few countries that have successfully developed and utilized geothermal resources.
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natural resource
mineral
These minerals are rich in nickel, bauxite, gold, chromium, phosphate, iron, silver, lead, zinc, coal, petroleum, natural gas, uranium, titanium and struvite. Nickel reserves are about 46 million tons, ranking first in all continents; Bauxite reserves are 4.62 billion tons, ranking second in all continents.
Forests and grasslands
The forest area accounts for about 9% of the total area, accounting for about 2% of the total forest area in the world. It produces all kinds of precious wood, such as pine, beech, palm, eucalyptus, fir, ebony and mahogany. Grassland accounts for more than 50% of the total area of Oceania and about 16% of the total grassland area of the world.
water conservancy
The hydraulic reserves are about1350,000 kilowatts, accounting for 4.9% of the world's total hydraulic reserves; 2.8 million kilowatts of hydropower have been developed, accounting for 1.8% of the world's total development. It is estimated that the annual power generation can reach 200 billion kWh, accounting for about 2% of the world's exploitable hydropower resources.
fishery
The waters near Melanesia, the southeast coast of Australia and the waters near New Zealand are the main fishing grounds, rich in sardines, cod, eels, mackerel and whales.
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General situation of economy
agriculture
There are significant differences in the level of economic development among countries in Oceania. Australia and New Zealand have developed economies, while other Australian wool island countries are mostly agricultural countries with relatively backward economies. Crops include wheat, coconut, sugarcane, pineapple and natural rubber. Wheat production accounts for about 3% of the world's total wheat production, and the main foods of local residents are potatoes, corn and rice. Sheep is the main animal husbandry, and the number of sheep accounts for about 20% of the total number of sheep in the world. Wool production accounts for about 40% of the world's total wool production.
industry
Oceania's industry is mainly concentrated in Australia, followed by New Zealand. Mainly distributed in mining, steel, non-ferrous metal smelting, machinery manufacturing, chemistry, building materials, textiles and other departments. The industries of Oceania island countries are mostly distributed in their respective capitals or capitals, which are generally relatively backward. They are mainly based on the exploitation and processing of agriculture, forestry and livestock products, mostly controlled by foreign capital, and their products are mostly used for export.
tourism
In recent years, Oceania countries have attached importance to the development of tourism. Tonga, Vanuatu and other countries have considerable tourism income and become an important part of the national economy. Oceania is located between Asia, South America and North America, bordering Antarctica in the south, which is the only way to connect the routes of all continents. Many international submarine cables pass through here, and ocean transportation has become an important means of communication between countries and islands. Land transportation mainly includes railways and highways. The total length of the highway is over 6,543,800 kilometers. The total length of the railway is over 46,000 kilometers. Inland navigation mileage is about 1000 km. There are air routes to capitals and important regions in the continent, and there are also links with important port cities outside the continent.
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Country presentation
general situation
Oceania has 14 countries, as follows:
Country Name Population of Capital (10,000) Area (square kilometers)
Canberra, Australia 2 1 10 7 682 300
Nauru Aaron1.1.21.1
Palau kroll 2 458
Port moresby, Papua New Guinea 450 462 840
Apia, Samoa 17 2 934
Suva, Fiji 80.9 18 272
Honiara, Solomon Islands
Tarawa, Kiribati 8.2 8 1 1
Palikir (Federated States of Micronesia) 1 1 705
Tuvalu Funafuti 1 26
Wellington, New Zealand 378 270 534
Tonga Nuku 'alofa 9.8 699
Majuro, Marshall Islands 6 180
Port Vila, Vanuatu 20 12 190
Australia
[2] Australia
Capital: Canberra
Area: 7,682,300 square kilometers. The largest country in Oceania.
International telephone code: 6 1
Population: 265,438+720,000 (April 2009)
Language: English, the indigenous language, the official language of Australia is English.
Currency: Australian dollar
Ethnic composition: 95.2% are descendants of immigrants from Britain and other European countries, 1.3% are Asians, 1.5% are aborigines, and 2% are other ethnic groups.
Religion: There is no state religion, and 25% people have no religious belief. Episcopalians account for 2 1%, Roman Catholics for 27%, other Christian sects for 2 1%, and followers of other religions for 6%.