World Regional Geography

Ten Geographic Qualities

1. Land is fragmented into numerous islands and one continent

2. Lowest Population of any World Region

Ten Geographic Qualities 3. Australia is a continent

and a country

4. Australia is the most urbanized country

5. New Zealand and the island countries are volcanic landforms

Ten Geographic Qualities 6. The continent of Australia is dominated by desert hence

the low population density and high urbanization rates 7. Isolation from the rest of the world has dominated this

regions history

8. Most of the dominant cultural landscapes have been imported from Europe

Ten Geographic Qualities 9. New Zealand is

dominated by mountains

10. Tropical Climates dominate the remaining island countries

Relative Location of Oceania

Remotely located south of Southeast Asia, and surrounded by the Pacific Ocean

Physical Geography of Oceania

Physical Geography Plate Tectonics

– Collision of the Australian plate with the Eurasian, Indian and Philippine Plates have created the Indonesian archipelago

– Australia was once a part of the southern part of Pangea

Physical Geography of Oceania

Rivers – Barossa

River Valley

– Snowy River

– Murray River

Physical Geography of Oceania

Landforms – Ayers Rock– Olga Mountains

Physical Geography of Oceania

Landforms – Great Bite– 12 Apostles

Physical Geography of Oceania

Landforms – Pancake Rocks New Zealand

Physical Geography of Oceania

Landforms – Volcanic Landforms

Physical Geography of Oceania

Landforms – Great Diving Range– Blue Mts.

Physical Geography of Oceania

Landforms – Nullabor Plain

Physical Geography of Oceania

Landforms – Southern Alps of New Zealand

Physical Geography of Oceania

Climates– Tropical

Rainforest Climate dominates South Pacific Islands & northern Australia

Physical Geography of Oceania

Climates– Tropical Savanna

Climate dominates drier areas south of the tropical rainforest regions

Physical Geography of Oceania

Climates

– Desert Climate Dominates the Australian interior

Physical Geography of Oceania

Climates– Steppe

Climates surround the interior desert regions

Physical Geography of Oceania

Climates found in New Zealand and the coasts of Australia

Physical Geography of Oceania

Climates– Higher

Elevations Great Dividing Range

Cultural Geography of Oceania

Population– Very low population

numbers 30 million in region

– No significantly large concentrations

– concentrations on coasts & rivers and in cities

Oceania Population Characteristics

– Birth rates 18/1000– Death rates 7/1000– Natural Increase 1.1 %– Infant Mortality 28/1000– Doubling Time 63yrs– Pop <15 27%– Pop > 65 10%

Cultural Geography of Oceania Languages

– Indo European dominates the region

– Aborigine languages dominate interior of the Australia continent, Papua New Guinea and smaller islands

Cultural Geography of Oceania Religion

– Protestant Christianity Dominates the region

– Aboriginal animistic religions dominate remote areas

Cultural Geography of Oceania Religion

– Religious landscapes

Cultural Geography of Oceania

Commercial Agriculture– World’s largest sheep ranches are in Australia– There are 20 sheep for every person in New

Zealand

– Commercial Ranching– Commercial Diarying

Economy– resource rich– manufacturing of

textiles – skilled & educated

labor force

Cultural Geography of Oceania

Cultural Geography of Oceania

Cities are centers for manufacturing (secondary), services (tertiary) and information industries (quaternary)

Cities as Economic Centers

– Australia Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Perth Adlaide

– New Zealand Auckland Wellington Christchurch