Oceania and Asia: Geography, Climate, and Culture

Oceania

Oceania is made up of Australia, New Zealand, and many small Pacific Islands. Australia is by far the largest landmass in the continent.

Australia

Capital: Canberra (although the largest city is Sydney).
Divided into eight states.
Population: 21.2 million people.
Population density: 2.6 people per km².
80% of the population lives on the coast.
95% of the population lives in urban areas (towns/cities).

Australia's Climate

Factors that affect climate:

• Latitude: As you move away from the Equator, temperatures fall.
• Distance from the sea: The sea moderates the temperatures of places near the coast (e.g., the sea cools coastal places in summer and warms coastal places in winter).
• Ocean currents: Either warm (from the equator) or cold (from the poles). These currents can warm up or cool down the climate of the land they pass.
• Prevailing winds: Pick up the characteristics of the place they blow over.

The Different Climates of Australia

• Equatorial: Hot all year (close to the equator); much rain either all year or in the rainy season.
• Desert: Less than 250 mm of rain per year.
• Mediterranean/temperate: Warm, wet winters; hot, dry summers.

Australian History

• 1770: Britain claims Australia as a colony; Terra Nullius = empty land.
• 1778: British ships arrive with soldiers, prisoners, and supplies to set up a penal (prison) colony. British discover Aborigine (indigenous) Australians. Friendly relations become hostile when Aborigines realize the British want their land.

Aboriginal Dreaming

Dreaming stories give meaning to human life. The idea of land as Mother and the same spirits who created the land, sea, waterways, and life are involved in the conception and birth of a child (a direct connection to Ancestral Beings and life).
Creation Dreaming stories explain the origins of human life on Earth. Ancestral Beings should be respected because their actions show people how to live (treating others in a socially responsible manner, managing resources with ecologically sustainable environmental practices, and religious/cultural ceremonies).

General Information (Asia)

Asia is the largest and most populated continent.
It comprises 30% of the world's landmass.
It holds 60% of the world's population (China and India have over 2 billion of the world's 6 billion population).
Europe and Asia sit on the same tectonic plate (Eurasian), so they are not considered separate.
Asia is the most diverse continent in terms of economy, culture, religion, and climate.

Climate of Asia

Asia has a wide variety of climates since it stretches from the Equator to the North Pole.

• Equatorial: Hot and wet all year. Hot because it is on the equator and receives strong perpendicular sunrays. Wet because of convectional rainfall and also winds coming from the sea.
• Monsoon: 6 months are warmer and wet (wind from the sea, the warm Indian and Pacific oceans in summer). 6 months are very dry and warm/hot (winds blow from the land, the Himalayas, to the sea in winter).
• Desert (cold): Less than 250 mm per year.
• The Gobi Desert: 194 mm per year of rain, cold because it is in the north and located 900-1500 m from the sea. The wind from the Siberian stripes reaches extreme temperatures (-40ºC/+50ºC).

Oceania: New Zealand

Capital: Wellington.
Largest City: Auckland.
Constituted by 16 regions inside two islands.
Population density: High.
European People: 80%
Maori: 20%
The economy is based on the service industry.
It depends on the free trade industry.
Tourists contribute money and jobs.
Tourism will improve.

Oceania: Australia

Capital city: Canberra.
Largest city: Sydney.
Ayers Rock: A very big stone in the south of Australia.
Kakadu National Park: A world heritage site that covers 20,000 km².
Coral Reef: The largest reef in the world.
Sydney: The largest city.

Asia: India

Capital: New Delhi.
Largest City: Bombay.
Currency: Rupee.
Official Language: Hindi.
It has the world's twelfth-largest economy at market exchange.
It has a high and very dense population.

Asia: China

Capital: Beijing.
Population density: High.
Languages: Mandarin, Wu, Cantonese, and others.
Climate Changes: China is the biggest consumer and producer of coal.
Causes: CO2 emissions and other products that affect the ozone layer.
Consequences: Frozen rivers melt and poor living conditions.
Against climate change: Wind turbines and solar panels, accelerating green belt and greenhouse products, and collaborating with the Kyoto Protocol.
Kyoto Protocol: Fighting against global warming; nearly every country is a member.