A HUMAN PERSPECTIVE In 1788, Great Britain founded Sydney,Australia, as a penal colony—that is, a place to send prisoners. By the endof the 20th century, Sydney had overcome its origins and earned a rep-utation as a fun and fascinating international city. That has been due, inpart, to a unique combination of physical and cultural geographic assets.

Sydney is located on a deep, beautiful harbor that not only allows thecity to function as a port but also provides an arena for sailing andswimming. The mild climate there encourages such outdoor activities.In addition, Sydney has an increasingly diverse population. People whovisit the city can view art and dine on food from many cultures.

In 2000, Sydney hosted the Olympic Games. With a physical envi-ronment that favors sports and a culture shaped by immigrants, the cityseemed a perfect site for an international athletic event.

History: Distant European OutpostsAustralia, New Zealand, and Antarctica made up the last region to beexplored by Europeans. Australia and New Zealand became Britishcolonies, even though they were already inhabited by people withancient cultures of their own.

THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS The Aboriginal people migrated toAustralia from Asia at least 40,000 years ago. When Europeans arrivedin Australia, there were an estimated 500 Aboriginal groups, speakingperhaps 200 different languages. The Aboriginal people had complex

Australia, New Zealand,and Antarctica

Main Ideas• Both Australia and New

Zealand were colonized by

Europeans and still have a

strong European heritage.

• Because of its harsh climate,

Antarctica has no permanent

settlements.

Places & Termspenal colony

Aboriginal people

Maori

Treaty of Waitangi

pakeha

Connect to the Issues

land claims The

Aboriginal people of Australia

are trying to reclaim ancestral

lands.

718 CHAPTER 31

1769-1770Captain James Cook

(right) explores New

Zealand and Australia.

40,000 B.C.Australia is gradually settled

by Aboriginal people. Their

art includes rock paintings.

1851Gold is discovered in

New South Wales,Australia.

1788Great Britain starts

a penal colony in

Australia.

Australia and New Zealand, Prehistory to Today

religious beliefs and social structures but a simple econ-omy; they lived by hunting and gathering.

New Zealand was settled first by the Maori, who hadmigrated there from Polynesia more than 1,000 yearsago. The Maori lived by fishing, hunting, and farming.

EARLY EXPLORERS During the 1600s and 1700s, sever-al European explorers sailed in the coastal waters ofNew Zealand and Australia. Captain James Cook ofBritain was the first to explore those two lands—NewZealand in 1769 and Australia’s east coast in 1770.Antarctica was first discovered in 1820.

EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT In 1788 Britain began to col-onize Australia (called New South Wales until 1820) asa place to send prisoners. Having a colony in Australiaalso gave Britain more Pacific naval bases. New Zealandwas colonized by hunters and whalers from Europe,America, and Australia. No permanent settlements wereestablished in Antarctica because of its cold climate.

In Australia, the British colonists had violent conflictswith the Aboriginal people, many of whom were killed.Even greater numbers of native people died from dis-eases brought by Europeans.

In New Zealand in 1840, the British and several Maoritribes signed the Treaty of Waitangi, giving Britain con-trol over New Zealand. But the English and the Maoritranslations of the treaty differed. The English versiongave Great Britain complete control; the Maori versiongave Britain “governorship.” Disagreement over whoowned the land helped cause the Land Wars that lastedfrom 1845 to 1847 and from 1860 to 1872. In addition,tens of thousands of Maoris died from diseases.

Gold was discovered in Australia in 1851 and in NewZealand in 1861. Hundreds of thousands of people whodreamed of wealth flocked to the two countries, but fewminers grew rich. Most, however, stayed there.

Background

The name Australiacomes from the

Latin phrase TerraAustralis Incognita,which means

unknown southern

land.

Like many other cultures, the

Maori believed that land could

not be sold without tribal consent

because the tribe, not individuals,

owned it. When the English seized

land or tried to buy it without

tribal consent, conflicts broke

out. Differing views of the Treaty

of Waitangi, shown below, also

fueled conflicts.

The Land Wars in New Zealand

lasted from 1845 to 1847 and from

1860 to 1872. A law passed in

1862 let people buy native lands,

and the Maori lost most of their

territory. In recent years, the Maori

made land claims, and in the

1990s, they won some awards

of cash and land.

Australia, New Zealand, and Antarctica 719

1861Gold is discovered

in New Zealand.

1893New Zealand

gives women

the vote.

1901Australia becomes

a Commonwealth

nation.

1939-1945Australia and New

Zealand fight in World

War II with the Allies.

2000The Olympic games are held in Sydney.

+ South Pole INDIANOCEAN

PACIFICOCEAN

ATLANTICOCEAN

AntarcticCircle

80°S

0°20°W 20°E

140°E160°E180°160°W

140°W

100°W

120°W

80°W

40°S 40°S

60°S

60°S

60°W

80°E

100°E

120°E

40°W

AUSTRALIA

ARGENTINA

CHILE

South GeorgiaIs. (U.K.)

South SandwichIs. (U.K.)

Falkland Is.(U.K.)

unclaimedterritory

unclaimedterritory

France

Chile

ArgentinaUnited Kingdon

Norway

A u s t r a l i a

New Zealand

Australia

0

0 500 1,000 kilometers

500 1,000 miles

Stereographic Projection

720 CHAPTER 31

Modern NationsOriginally, several colonies existed in Australia, but in 1901,they joined into a single, independent nation. New Zealand

became self-governing in 1907. Both Australia and New Zealandremained in the British Commonwealth, which is a free association ofGreat Britain and several of its former colonies.

RIGHTS AND LAND CLAIMS New Zealanders have a long tradition ofconcern for equal rights and the welfare of its citizens. In 1893, NewZealand became the first country to grant women the vote. It was alsoone of the first nations to provide pensions for its senior citizens.

In both Australia and New Zealand, native people generally have lesseducation and higher rates of poverty than other citizens. Attemptingto improve their lives, the Aboriginal people and the Maori have madeclaims for the return of their former lands. (See Chapter 32.)

ISSUES A recent issue in Australia was a movement to withdraw fromthe Commonwealth. In 1999, Australia held a referendum on becomingan independent republic, but voters defeated the proposal, becauseAustralians could not agree on how to choose a head of state.

Antarctica remains unsettled. In 1959, 12 countries drafted a treatypreserving the continent for research. By 2000, 18 countries had scien-tific research stations there. Seven countries have claimed territory inAntarctica, but many other countries do not recognize those claims.

Connect to

the Issues

land claims

How might

land ownership

improve

Aboriginal and

Maori lives?

National Claims to Antarctica

REGION Eighteen

nations have scientific

research stations in

Antarctica. This one is

run by U.S. scientists.

SKILLBUILDER: Interpreting MapsREGION Which country has claimed the largest territory in Antarctica?

LOCATION Why doesn’t this map have a compass rose?

Some nations, such as Chile, claim territory close

to their borders. Others, such as the United

Kingdom, claim territory close to other possessions.

Norway’s claim is based on past explorations.

Economy: Meat, Wool, and ButterAs Commonwealth members, Australia and New Zealand prospered byexporting food products and wool to the United Kingdom. So neithercountry developed much industry. But, since 1950, their exports to theUnited Kingdom have declined. To continue to prosper, Australia andNew Zealand must either develop industry or find other trading part-ners, such as the nations of nearby Asia.

AGRICULTURE Australia and New Zealand are major exporters offarm products. New Zealand earns much of its income by selling butter,cheese, meat, and wool to other countries. Ranching is so widespread inNew Zealand that in 1998 the number of farm animals (including 47.6million sheep and 8.8 million cattle) was 15 times greater than the num-ber of people! Crops include vegetables and fruits. For example, NewZealand is the world’s largest producer of kiwi fruit.

Sheep ranching is also important in Australia, which is the largestexporter of wool in the world. Because so much of Australia is arid, lessthan ten percent of the land is used to grow crops.

MINING Australia earns a large part of its income from mining. It isthe world’s top producer of diamonds, lead, zinc, and opals. In addition,it is a major producer of bauxite, coal, copper, gold, and iron ore.

The mining industry faces one difficulty. Many deposits lie in the out-back, far from cities. As a result, it is expensive to build the roads andbuildings necessary for the mines to operate. Because of the high costs ofmining and because Australia has historically lacked capital (money orproperty invested in business), Australian companies have had to rely onforeign investment. Foreign investors control about half the miningindustry, so not all the profits stay within Australia.

MANUFACTURING AND SERVICE Unlike most developed coun-tries, Australia does not rely heavily on manufacturing. One of

the major industries in both Australia and New Zealandis the processing of food products. Because of its

forests, New Zealand also produces wood andpaper products.

PLACE Sheep ranches

dot the New Zealand

landscape—here by

Mount Egmont.

Why are moreranches than farmsfound in mountainousareas?

721

Seeing PatternsWhat are the

pros and cons of

foreign investment

in industry?

722 CHAPTER 31

As in all developed countries, service industries have been growing.For example, nearly 65 percent of Australia’s jobs are in service indus-tries such as government, communications, and tourism.

THE ECONOMIC FUTURE Both Australia and New Zealand want todevelop a more diversified economy that is not so dependent on agri-culture. But it will be difficult to develop manufacturing plants that cancompete with those in nearby Asia, where the cost of labor is generallylower. Finding a way to maintain prosperity in the face of global eco-nomic change is a major issue for these two nations.

Distinctive CulturesThe British colonial past has shaped the cultures of Australia and NewZealand, but they also have developed in distinctive ways.

AUSTRALIA’S CULTURE Most Australians are of British descent, but thatproportion is changing because of high rates of immigration from placeslike Greece, Italy, and Southeast Asia. More than 20 percent of Australiansare foreign born. Only about one percent are of Aboriginal descent.

Like the British, Australians drive on the left side of the road, andmany enjoy drinking tea. Christianity is the major religion. Australiansspeak English but also have many colorful terms that are all their own.For example, they call ranches “stations” and wild horses “brumbies.”

Australia’s environment and history have influenced the arts, too.The Aboriginal people have an ancient tradition ofpainting human and animal figures. Some of thoseworks can be seen on rock walls around the country.Many Australian painters of European descent haveportrayed the landscape. For example, Russell Drysdaleis known for his pictures of the outback. SeveralAustralian novelists have written adventure storiesabout life in the bush country.

NEW ZEALAND’S CULTURE The majority of NewZealanders are of European, mostly British, descent.They are called pakehas, a Maori term for white people.The Maori of New Zealand fared somewhat better thanthe Aboriginal people of Australia; about 15 percent ofNew Zealand’s people are descended from the Maori.

New Zealand’s culture blends British and Maoriways. For example, both English and Maori are officiallanguages. Christianity is the main religion, but somechurches combine biblical and Maori teachings.

Both cultures have shaped New Zealand’s art. Maoriart, including intricate woodcarvings and poetic leg-ends, still survives. Western art also thrives. Well-known New Zealand authors have included the novelist

Janet Frame and the mystery writer Ngaio Marsh. New Zealand film-makers Jane Campion and Peter Jackson have made movies that werepopular in many countries. And the opera singer Kiri Te Kanawa isadmired internationally.

REGION The tradi-

tional facial markings

of the Maori, shown

here, are called moko.

MakingComparisons

How are the

experiences of

the Aboriginal

people and the

Maori similar

and different?

Australia, New Zealand, and Antarctica 723

Modern LifeAustralians and New Zealanders have similar lifestyles.For example, about 70 percent of Australians and 70percent of New Zealanders own their own homes—usually single-family homes with enough land to growa small garden.

CITY AND COUNTRY Australia and New Zealand aretwo of the most urbanized countries in the world; about85 percent of their people live in cities and towns.Australia’s large cities have the usual problems of pollu-tion and traffic jams. In contrast, New Zealand’s citiesare relatively quiet, uncrowded, and pollution-free becauseof its small population and lack of industry.

In both Australia and New Zealand, many rancherslive far away from settlements. New Zealand has a goodsystem of roads, even in rural areas, which aids travel.In Australia, many wealthy ranchers own private air-planes to help them cross the vast distances in the coun-try. Some of the largest ranches in Australia can have atotal land area of thousands of square miles.

RECREATION Both countries have climates that allowpeople to spend a great deal of time outdoors. As aresult, aquatic sports, tennis, and team sports, such asrugby, cricket, and soccer, are very popular. Australiahas developed its own form of football, called Australian rules football.Because New Zealand is mountainous, skiing and mountain climbingare common there.

In Chapter 32, you will read about Aboriginal land claims in Australia,industrialization in Southeast Asia, and global environmental change.

Places & TermsIdentify these terms and

explain their importance

in the region’s history or

culture.

• penal colony

• Aboriginal people

• Maori

• Treaty of Waitangi

• pakeha

Taking Notes MOVEMENT Review the notes

you took for this section.

• What mineral lured colonists to

Australia and New Zealand?

• To which country did Australia

and New Zealand export wool?

Main Ideas a. How did the Treaty of

Waitangi cause a

misunderstanding over

land ownership in New

Zealand?

b. Who owns Antarctica?

c. What are some of the

British cultural influences

in Australia?

Geographic ThinkingIdentifying and SolvingProblems How do you think

Australia and New Zealand

can solve their economic

problems? Think about:

• their need for new markets

• Asia’s large population and

its relative closeness

• the Asian nations that have

thriving industries

EXPLORING LOCAL GEOGRAPHY Do research to learn which farm animals and minerals (if

any) are major products of your state. Create a Venn Diagram showing those farm animals and

minerals that your state has in common with Australia and those that are unique to each.

SE

AS

IA &

OC

EAN

IA

A “Green” OlympicsFor the 2000 Olympics, Sydney

used the latest technology to

try to build facilities that would

harm the environment as little

as possible. For example, the

Olympic Stadium, shown below,

was built with very few harmful

PVC plastics. In addition, its

playing field was designed to

be watered only with rainwater

collected on the roof.

The Region

Australia and New Zealand