Australia
Query Corner
1. Fill in the blanks.
a. The Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system.
b. In terms of area, Australia is the 6th largest country in the world.
c. Sydney is the largest city in Australia.
d. Melbourne is the capital of Victoria.
e. The Great Dividing Range extends from the Cape York to Tasmania.
2. State whether the following statements are 'true' or 'false'.
a. The Australian Alps is the highest mountain range in the world. [F]
b. Australia comprises the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands. [T]
c. The Bass Strait separates Australia and New Guinea island in the north. [F]
d. Australia is a federation of four states and two mainland territories. [F]
e. The rift valley is located in the southern part of Australia. [T]
3. Match the following.
=
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Column I |
Column II |
|---|---|
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a. Hobart |
i. Western Australia. [c] |
|
b. Northern Territory |
ii. South Australia. [d] |
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c. Perth |
iii. Queensland. [e] |
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d. Adelaide |
iv. Darwin. [b] |
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e. Brisbane |
v. Tasmania. [a] |
4. Answer the following questions.
a. Why is Australia called an island continent?
= Australia is called an island continent because water bodies surround it on all sides. The Indian Ocean lies to the west and south of Australia. The Pacific Ocean is located to its east and north.
b. Who was James Cook?
= James Cook was a captain of an English expedition landed along the east coast in 1770 and found the land extremely suitable for habitation.
c. Name the six physical divisions of Australia.
= The name of the six physical divisions of Australia are - The Western Plateau; The Central Lowland; The Eastern Highlands; The Great Artesian Basin; The Great Barrier Reef; The Rift Valley of Australia.
d. Write three sentences about the Great Artesian Basin?
= Three sentences about the Great Artesian Basin are -
This basin lies between the Eastern Highlands and Central Lowlands.
It is the one of the largest and deepest artesian basins in the world, covering about one-fifth of the Australian continent.
The basin is formed on a base of sandstone, covered by a layer of marine sedimentary rock.
e. Where is the Great Barrier Reef located?
= The Great Barrier Reef is located on the north-east of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef. It stretches over 2,300 km and can be viewed from outer space.
f. What is a sheep station?
= A sheep station is a large sheep farm covering thousands of hectares. Here sheep are reared.
5. Distinguish between the following.
a. Western Plateau and Central Lowland.
=
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Western Plateau |
Central Lowland |
|---|---|
|
i. It covers one-third of the continent of Australia. |
i. It extends from the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north to the
southern coast of the continent of Australia. |
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ii. This area receives scanty rainfall that has led to the occurrence
of vast desert areas in this region. |
ii. This area is drained by rivers such as Flinders, Murray-Darling
and Lake Eyre. |
b. Sheep station and paddock.
=
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Sheep Station |
Paddock |
|---|---|
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i. Sheep are reared in large farms, each covering thousands of
hectares. These farms are called sheep stations. |
i. A sheep station is divided into a number of fields by fences.
These fields are called paddocks. |
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ii. A sheep station has thousands of sheep. |
ii. A paddock has 2000 to 3000 sheep. |
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iii. It is greater in area. |
iii. It is smaller in terms of area. |
* Why is the Great Barrier Reef is called so?
= It is called the Great Barrier Reef because it acts as a barrier for the movement of ships to the coast.
* State the location of The Rift Valley of Australia?
= The Rift Valley of Australia is located in the southern part of Australia. This region has several lakes in it, such as Lake Torrens.
* How/Why is The Rift Valley of Australia formed?
= The Rift Valley of Australia is formed because of cracks or fissures in the Earth's crust. This causes deep faults or valleys to be formed between two raised sections of land.
* What is Australasia or Oceania?
= Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands. Australia, New Zealand, and the adjoining island groups in the Pacific Ocean are called Australasia or Oceania.
* What is Pangea?
= About 200 million years ago, all the continents of the world were joined together to form a huge land mass called Pangea.
* Write few lines about the Political Divisions of Australia.
= Australia is a federation of six states and two mainland territories. The six states of the Australian federation are Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania. The two mainland territories of the Australian federation are the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory. Canberra is the national capital of Australia.
Facts about Australia:
The Australian Alps is the highest mountain range in Australia. It is located in southern Australia, eastern Victoria and southern New South Wales. Its height is 2,228 m.
The Great Barrier Reef, located on the north-east coast of Australia, is the world's largest coral reef system. It covers an area of 348,000 square kilometres. In 1981, the Great Barrier Reef was selected as UNESCO's World Heritage Site.
Australia has the largest number of sheep in the world. In Australia, the owner of a sheep station is called a grazier or pastoralist. A station includes homesteads for the grazier's family, sheds for sheep, a windmill, a dam to collect drinking water, silos, and also a landing strip for helicopters which carry the flying doctors.