读懂新西兰与澳大利亚，一本就够了(txt+pdf+epub+mobi电子书下载)

作者：黄建滨

出版社：浙江大学出版社

格式: AZW3, DOCX, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, TXT

读懂新西兰与澳大利亚，一本就够了试读：

Australia is located in the Southern Hemisphere between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean, mainly on an island continent that has been called “the Oldest Continent”. To the Europeans it is at the other end of the world. That is why Australia is also popularly known in the West as “the Land Down Under”.

Australia stretches from 10° south to 44° south of latitude and 113° east to 154° east of longitude. It is the world' s smallest continent with an area of 7.7 million square kilometers. However, Australia is the world' s sixth largest country after Russia, Canada, China, Brazil and the USA.

Australia is the only continent that contains one country. It extends for about 4,000 km from east to west and for about 3,700 km from north to south. It is surrounded by Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean to the east, by Indian Ocean to the west, by Southern Indian Ocean and Great Australian Bight to the south, with its coastline some 25,760 km. It claims an extensive Exclusive Economic Zone of 28,148,250 km. This Exclusive Economic Zone does not include the Australian Antarctic Territory. Australia has the largest area of ocean jurisdiction of any country on earth. It has no land borders.

With a geological history of more than 3 billion years Australia is one of the oldest land masses in the world. It is the flattest and lowest of the continents and the only continent where people can get to the top of the highest mountain by car. More than 50% of the land is below 300 m and only 5% of the land is more than 600 m above sea level. The average height is 330 m. Australia has no high mountains. The highest point is Mount Kosciusko at 2,255 m above sea level.1.2 Geographical Feature

The geographical structure of Australia is fairly simple. It is generally divided into three topographical regions:the Great Westerm plateam, the great lowland belt and the Eastern Highland known as the Central Lowland. Traditionally, people use some imprecise terms to refer to various regions of the country. The Outback usually refers to the interior and the centre of the Western Plateau and its northern plains. The Red centre refers to an area with red-brown and tan soils in the heart of the country.1.2.1 The Great Western Plateau

Nearly two thirds of Australia is a plateau with an average elevation between 300m and 600m, with smaller flat lands and ranges above the level, and basins and troughs below it.

The western half of Australia consists of the Western Plateau, which rises to mountain heights near the west coast to cover the greater part of the Northern Territory, most of South Australia and a part of Western Queensland and then falls to lower elevations near the continental centre.

The great plateau is in fact a complex of smaller units, but when regarded as a whole it constitutes the Pre-Cambrian Shield of the Australian continent. The plateau is fundamentally composed of a basement complex of Achaean rocks, with some areas covered with younger rocks or extensive sand deposits.

With the region being only about 300 m above sea level, the Western Plateau is generally flat, though broken by various mountain ranges such as the Hamersley Range, the MacDonnell Range, and the Musgrave Range.

Much of the plateau is very dry. Surface water is generally lacking in the Western Plateau, although there are several larger rivers in the west and north, such as the Murchison, Ashburton, and Victoria rivers. However, most of them have water only during the rainy season. The interior of the plateau is made up of the Great Sandy Desert, the Gibson Desert, the Great Victoria Desert and the Nullarbor Plain.1.2.2 The Central Lowlands

Between the Eastern Highlands and the Western Plateau lie the Central Lowlands, which are made up of the Great Artesian Basin and Australia' s largest river systems, Murray-Darling Basin and Lake Eyre Basin. This region starts from the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north to western Victoria in the south.

The whole area is only about 150 m above sea level. The main exception occurs in South Australia, and the area takes the form of a number of blocks which have been raised to form a series of ranges, two examples of which are the Flinders Ranges and Adelaide Hills. The down faulted blocks in between formed plains, some of them submerged, such as the Spencer Gulf. Much of the Central Lowlands is occupied by the Great Artesian Basin, which consists of sedimentary rocks saturated with water that drains into the wetter Eastern Highlands.

The Great Artesian Basin is an important source of water in Australia, which makes this area the country' s richest farmland and best grazing land. It is the world' s largest and deepest fresh water basin. At Lake Eyre it drops to almost 12 m below sea level. Lake Eyre is regarded as Australia' s largest lake, but it is known as a parttime lake. Most of the time it has no water at all. In 1974 it was filled with water, making the lake 5.7 m deep at its deepest point. But scientists have estimated that this probably happens only once every 1,000 years.

Off the eastern coast of Australia is the world' s largest coral reef complex, the Great Barrier Reef. The large and mountainous island of Tasmania lies off the southeastern coast of Australia.1.2.3 The Eastern Highlands

The Eastern Highlands, better known as the Great Dividing Range, follow the eastern coast south from northern Queensland to southern Tasmania, separating the relatively narrow eastern coastal plain from the rest of the continent. The Eastern Highlands have the greatest relief, the most rainfall, the most abundant and varied flora and fauna, and the densest human settlement.

The highlands tend to be low and broad in the north and get higher in the south. This region is never more than 400 km from the coast and in some places it is part of the coast. The central part sees an increasing number of tablelands, including the New England Tableland and the Blue Mountains. The Australian Alps, the highest plateau in Australia, and the Snowy Mountains lie in the southern part. Mount Kosciusko, the highest peak in Australia, is also located there.

The Great Dividing Range is Australia' s main watershed. Short, swift rivers flow from the Eastern Highlands eastwards into the Pacific Ocean, while long inland rivers that supply water for the fertile lands flow slowly away from the coast. Off the north-eastern coast is a 2,000 km line of coral islands and reefs known as the Great Barrier Reef. The Murray, Australia' s longest river (2,520 km), forms the major part of the boundary between the states of New South Wale and Victoria before it enters the sea in South Australia.1.3 Rivers and Lakes

Rivers in Australia may be divided into two major classes: those of the coastal margins with moderate drops; and those of the central plains with only a slight drop. Australia' s longest drainage system is the Murray-Darling, which drains part of Queensland, most of New South Wales and northern Victoria, and a section of South Australia, and finally flows into the arm of the sea known as Lake Alexandrina, on the South Australian coast. The length of the Murray is about 2,520 km, while the longest branch of the combined Murray-Darling system, with its headwaters in the Culgoa catchment, is about 3,370 km long.

Most of the east coastal rivers are short, except for those rivers which penetrate the coastal escarpment, such as the Burdekin and Fitzroy in Queensland and the Hunter in New South Wales. The southwest of Western Australia also has a number of short coastal rivers.

In addition to those rivers which form part of the Murray-Darling Basin, Western Queensland has a number of inland-flowing rivers, such as the Paroo, Bulloo, etc. These rivers do not reach the sea, but the drain into Lake Eyre, or dissipate without reaching any other drainage system.

There are many lake types in Australia. The largest are salt lakes which are, or were, drainage sumps of internal rivers. For most of the time these lakes are beds of salt and dry mud. Lake Eyre is the largest 2of these lakes. It has an area of 9,500 kmand was only filled three times in the last century, while other large salt lakes include Lake Torrens and Lake Gairdner.

Other natural lakes include coastal lakes formed by the damming of valleys by marine sediments. Many of these lakes are permanent, but some, such as Lake George, dry out during drought periods and all are small compared to the inland salt lakes. Australia has no natural, 2unmodified, permanent freshwater lakes larger than 100 km. Many artificial lakes exist throughout all states and territories. The combined Lakes Gordon and Pedder in southwestern Tasmania are the largest 2of these, with a surface of 513 km.1.4 Climate

In general, the climate of Australia is warm and dry, conducive to outdoor activities. Winters are mild and summers warm to hot. Seasons are the reverse of those in the Northern Hemisphere. The island continent features a wide range of climatic zones, from the tropical regions of the north, through the arid expanses of the interior, to the temperate regions of the south.

Australia is the world' s second driest continent after Antarctica, with over 80% of the continent receiving an average annual rainfall below 600 mm per year, and over 50% below 300 mm. So, by far the largest part of Australia is desert or semi-arid: 40% of the landmass is covered by sand dunes. The lowest annual rainfall occurs at Lake Eyre in South Australia, which has only 100 mm. Inner Western Australia also has an extremely low rainfall. The highest rainfall is on the eastern coast of Queensland, which is 4.3 m. The Snowy Mountains and the Western Tasmanian Mountains also have high rainfalls.

In most parts of the country summers are hot, with an average maximum temperature in January exceeding 30 degree Celsius. The only exceptions are the southern coastal fringe between Perth and Brisbane, and areas at high-elevations. Winters are warm in the north and cooler in the south, with overnight frosts common in inland areas south of the Tropic of Capricorn.

Rainfall is highly variable, with frequent droughts lasting several seasons thought to be caused in part by the El Niño—Southern Oscillation. Occasionally a dust storm will blanket a region or even several states and there are reports of the occasional large tornado. Rising levels of salinity and desertification in some areas are ravaging the landscape.

In the north there is a wet season from approximately November through April, when almost all the annual rainfall occurs, and May through October is called a dry season. Further south, rainfall is more evenly distributed through the year. Australia' s tropical / subtropical location and cold waters off the western coast make most of Western Australia a hot desert with aridity, a marked feature of the greater part of the continent. These cold waters produce precious little moisture needed on the mainland.1.5 Plants and Animals

Australia' s best known plants and animals are not only adapted to these hot dry conditions but many are unique to the continent. Eucalypts and wattles are drought and fire resistant and grow in poor soils. Kangaroos and emus, the largest native desert animals, can survive in hot conditions, need little moisture and can travel over long distances in search of food and water. The budgerigar, which is kept as a pet all over the world, can live in desert areas for up to 30 days without water.

In Australia about half of the native animals are marsupials. Marsupials are animals whose babies are raised in a bag of skin called a pouch on the mother' s belly. Apart from kangaroos, marsupials include koalas, wombats, and possums. Echidnas (spiny ant-eater) and platypuses are monotremes. They lay eggs and suckle their young.1.6 Population

In 1787 the population of Australia consisted of about 300,000 Aboriginal people. On September 25, 2013, its population was officially estimated to be approximately 23 million, which makes Australia the 51st most populous country in the world. The indigenous population (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) was estimated to be 517,200 representing about 2.5% of the population.

Australia is one of the most urbanized countries in the world. 80% of Australians live in the suburbs of coastal cities and towns, with most of these in the narrow coastal strip between Brisbane and Adelaide. In much of the rest of the continent the population density drops below one person per square kilometer. Only 15% of Australians live in rural areas.

Why are there so few people in Australia? Why do so many people prefer to live in a coastal city or town? The main reason is an environmental one. The hot, dry environment of most of the continent contains little water and food, so it could support only small numbers of people. That is why Australia has always been a continent with few people. The hot, dry environment has also had a great influence on population distribution. Since the north and centre of the continent are generally hot and / or dry, 80% of Australians live in the cooler, wetter south and east. Even after many thousands of years of Aboriginal occupation and two hundred years of European settlement, the interior is still a lonely space with few people. Lack of water, poor soils, heat and distance from the coast discourage people from living there.1.7 States and Territories

Australia is politically divided into six states and two territories. The states are New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania. The two major mainland territories are the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory.

Australia also has several minor territories; the federal government administers a separate area within New South Wales, the Jervis Bay Territory, as a naval base and sea port for the national capital. In addition, Australia has seven overseas territories under the administration of the Federation of Australia: Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, the uninhabited Ashmore and Cartier Islands, the Territory of Heard Island, the uninhabited Coral Sea Islands, McDonald Islands in the sub-Antarctic and the Australian Antarctic Territory.

Except for the border between New South Wales and Victoria, part of the New South Wales—Queensland border, and the borders of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), the Australian political division borders are drawn along straight lines of latitude and longitude instead of along natural features. Each of the six states and two territories has an independent access to the sea. Even the Australian Capital Territory has a sea access on Jervis Bay.1.7.1 New South Wales

New South Wales is located in the south-east of Australia. As the first colony established by Britain in 1788, it is the oldest of the Australian states. That is why it is called the premier state. It is the fourth in size but it has the largest population. It leads the country in industry, shipping and agriculture. They mostly lie along the coastal plain and make everything from textiles to motorcars and from plastic toys to agricultural machinery. Sydney, the capital, is the largest city in Australia with a population of 4.67 million (2011). It is one of the world' s great seaports.1.7.2 Victoria

Victoria is in the southeastern corner of the mainland Australia. It became a colony in 1851. It grew rapidly during the gold rushes of the 1850s. Though the smallest mainland state, Victoria has an importance in the country' s economy far greater than its size might indicate. It has a population of 5.6 million (2011) people. Its economy is based on agricultural and pastoral industries. It produces about a quarter of Australia' s rural output. It has a broadly based manufacturing industry and highly developed service industries. Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, is Australia' s second largest city. It has a population of 4.25 million (2012). It is also regarded as the cultural and sports centre of Australia. Victoria has snow-capped mountains in the Australian Alps, lovely valleys and volcanic plains. It is also known as the garden state.1.7.3 Queensland

The second largest and youngest state, Queensland, occupies the tropical northeastern corner of Australia. It is the third most populous with a population of 4.514 million (2011). More than one million live in Brisbane, the capital. Queensland accounts for a fifth of Australia' s agricultural and mining production and about a quarter of the value of its exports.

Queensland is also called the sunshine state because it has 7.5 hours of sunshine daily. The sunniest in Australia is Darwin, with 8.4 hours of sunshine daily. Brisbane is the gateway to two of Australia' s major tourist playgrounds, the Gold Coast and the Great Barrier Reef.1.7.4 South Australia

South Australia is the third largest state in Australia. It has a population of 1.65 million (2012). Its agriculture is most prosperous in the fertile southeastern corner. South Australia also has valuable minerals. Half of the world' s opals are found there. South Australia is also a leader in shipbuilding and lumbering.

Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, is internationally known for its arts festival. Every other year, leaders in music, drama, and dance from many parts of the world join Australian artists for a fortnight of cultural events, including jazz, ballet and art exhibitions.1.7.5 Western Australia

Western Australia is the biggest Australian state, accounting for one third of the total area of the country, but its population (about 2.224 million (2012)) is only 9% of the country' s population. Western Australia is also known as the state of excitement. Western Australia has enormous mineral wealth and accounts for about a quarter of the national income through its mineral exports. Its capital city, Perth, has more than half the population in the state. Situated on the estuary of the Swan River, Perth is a beautiful city with a perfect climate.1.7.6 Tasmania

Tasmania is the smallest of the Australian states. It is an island lying south of the southeastern corner of the Australian mainland. It is the second oldest of the Australian states with a population of 0.503 million (2012). Tasmania is often called the holiday isle. It offers some of the most beautiful scenic attractions in Australia. The Tasmanian Wilderness which consists of the Cradle Mountain-Lake, St. Clair National Park, the Franklin-Lower Gordon Wild Rivers National Park and the Southwest National Park is on the World Heritage List. Hobart is the capital city of Tasmania. It is a beautiful modern city located at the foot of Mount Wellington, which is often snow-capped. It has a deep harbor and a big casino.1.7.7 The Northern Territory

The Northern Territory covers nearly a fifth of the continent. It is more than twice the size of France and as far from north to south as New York to Miami. Most of it is in the tropics. It is sparsely populated with a little more than 0.223 million people (2012), about half of whom live in Darwin, the capital. Cattle-raising is the main industry in this region. Some of the cattle stations are as large as some of the smaller states of the United States. The Territory is also rich in mineral resources.

The southern area of the Northern Territory is the famous Red Center of Australia. It consists of miles and mites of red-sand desert and mountain ranges. Uluru (it used to be called Ayers Rock) has probably Australia' s best known national park and the rock itself probably attracts more overseas visitors than any other national scenic features in Australia.

Darwin is the only large city on the entire northern coast of Australia. The city is like a frontier town and often serves as the place of entrance and exit for people who come to visit the area.1.7.8 The Australian Capital Territory

Shortly after the Australian colonies joined together to form a federation in 1901, it was decided that the new nation should have a new seat of government. So the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), an 2area of 2,333 km, was mapped out of the state of New South Wales to be the site of the national capital. “Canburry”is an Aboriginal word for “meeting place” and from it came the name of the capital, Canberra. Today it is a meeting place for the nation and for many

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