Australia (continent)

The continent of Australia, sometimes called Sahul, is located in the Southern and Eastern hemispheres near Maritime Southeast Asia. It includes mainland Australia, Tasmania, the island of New Guinea (Papua New Guinea and Western New Guinea), the Aru Islands, the Ashmore and Cartier Islands, most of the Coral Sea Islands, and some other nearby islands. It is the smallest of the seven traditional continents, and lies in the region of Oceania, more specifically in Australasia.

During ancient times, when sea levels were lower, Australia was joined with New Guinea and Tasmania as one landmass called Sahul. As sea levels rose over the past 18,000 to 10,000 years, they separated into today’s islands. With an area of 8.56 million square kilometres, Australia is the smallest, lowest, flattest, and second-driest continent after Antarctica.

Papua New Guinea is one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse countries in the world. Australia, the largest landmass of the continent, is highly urbanised and has the world's 14th-largest economy and the second-highest human development index. It also has the world's 9th largest immigrant population.

Terminology

The continent of Australia is sometimes called by other names like Sahul, Australinea, or Meganesia to make it clear we are talking about the whole landmass, not just the country of Australia. It includes mainland Australia, the island of Tasmania, and the island of New Guinea—which is made up of Papua New Guinea and Western New Guinea, which is part of Indonesia.

Long ago, people used the name Oceania to describe this area. Today, Oceania usually means the area around the Australian continent, Zealandia, and many islands in the Pacific Ocean. It is one of the world’s continents.

History

Main articles: History of Australia, History of Western New Guinea, and History of Papua New Guinea

The Australian continent and Sunda were important places where early humans traveled after leaving Africa. Scientists believe that hundreds of people made a planned journey using bamboo rafts, eventually reaching the land known as Sahul.

Main articles: Netherlands New Guinea, European exploration of Australia, and History of Australia (1788–1850)

Indigenous Australians, including Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders, were the first people to live on this continent and nearby islands. They moved from Africa to Asia about 70,000 years ago and reached Australia at least 50,000 years ago, perhaps even earlier. They are among the earliest human migrations out of Africa. There is evidence of trade and connections between people in northern Australia and New Guinea.

In 1606, a Dutch sailor named Willem Janszoon was the first European to see and land on Australia, at a place called Cape York Peninsula. Another Dutch explorer, Abel Janszoon Tasman, later discovered islands such as Tasmania, New Zealand, and Fiji. In 1770, British explorer James Cook was the first European to meet Aboriginal people on the east coast of Australia. Later, in 1788, a British group arrived and began a new colony in Sydney.

Main articles: History of Australia (1901–1945), History of Australia since 1945, Military history of Australia during World War II, and Pacific War

In 1901, several areas came together to form the Commonwealth of Australia. During World War II, Australia defended itself against Japanese attacks, especially in places like Port Moresby and along the Kokoda Track in New Guinea. After the war, many people from different countries moved to Australia, helping the population grow. Australia also became friends with the United States and increased its trade with Asian countries.

Geography

Main articles: Geography of Australia, Geography of Papua New Guinea, and Geology of Australia

The Australian continent is the lowest, flattest, and oldest landmass on Earth. It includes mainland Australia, Tasmania, the island of New Guinea, and several smaller islands. Unlike New Zealand, which is part of the separate continent of Zealandia, the Australian continent has a stable geological history with no active volcanoes today.

Rising sea levels over thousands of years separated the continent into today’s landmasses. The continent sits on the Indo-Australian Plate, which protected it from active volcanic activity. Over millions of years, unique plants and animals developed here because of its long isolation. The climate varies widely, from deserts in Australia to tropical rainforests in New Guinea. Some high mountain areas even experience snowfall.

Politics

Main articles: Politics of Australia and Politics of Papua New Guinea

Australia is a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. King Charles III serves as the monarch, represented by a Governor-General at the federal level and Governors at the state level. The two main political groups are the Australian Labor Party and the Coalition, which includes the Liberal Party and the National Party.

Papua New Guinea is also a Commonwealth realm with King Charles III as its sovereign. The monarch is represented by a Governor-General, who is elected by the legislature.

Economy

Main articles: Economy of Australia and Economy of Papua New Guinea

Australia has the largest and most important economy in the Australia-New Guinea continent. Its economy is strong, with a high amount of money earned per person compared to many other countries. The main city, Sydney, has a big place where people buy and sell shares, and it is very nice to live there.

Papua New Guinea has many natural resources like minerals and oil, which are important for its economy. Even though it has these resources, it is still developing and growing. In fact, its mining and resource sector grew very fast at one point, making it one of the quickest-growing economies in the world.

Demographics

Main article: Immigration to Australia

Since 1945, more than 7 million people have settled in Australia. From the late 1970s, there was a significant increase in immigration from Asian and other non-European countries, making Australia a multicultural country. Sydney is the most multicultural city in Oceania, having more than 250 different languages spoken, with about 40 percent of residents speaking a language other than English at home. Furthermore, 36 percent of the population reported having been born overseas, with top countries being Italy, Lebanon, Vietnam and Iraq, among others. Melbourne is also fairly multicultural, having the largest Greek-speaking population outside of Europe, and the second largest Asian population in Australia after Sydney.

Main articles: Religion in Australia and Religion in Papua New Guinea

Christianity is the predominant religion in the continent, although large proportions of Australians belong to no religion. Other religions in the region include Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism, which are prominent minority religions in Australia. Traditional religions are often animist, found in New Guinea. Islam is widespread in the Indonesian New Guinea. Many Papuans combine their Christian faith with traditional indigenous beliefs and practices.

Main articles: Languages of Australia, Languages of Papua New Guinea, and Languages of Indonesia

"Aboriginal Australian languages", including the large Pama–Nyungan family, "Papuan languages" of New Guinea and neighbouring islands, including the large Trans–New Guinea family, and "Tasmanian languages" are generic terms for the native languages of the continent other than those of Austronesian family. Predominant languages include English in Australia, Tok Pisin in Papua New Guinea, and Indonesian (Malay) in Indonesian New Guinea. Immigration to Australia have brought overseas languages such as Italian, Greek, Arabic, Filipino, Mandarin, Vietnamese and Spanish, among others. Contact between Austronesian and Papuan resulted in several instances in mixed languages such as Maisin. Tok Pisin is an English creole language spoken in Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea has more languages than any other country, with over 820 indigenous languages, representing 12% of the world's total, but most have fewer than 1,000 speakers.

Culture

Main articles: Culture of Australia, Culture of Papua New Guinea, and Australian Aboriginal culture

Australian culture has been shaped mainly by Anglo-Celtic and Western culture since 1788, with influences from Indigenous traditions. In recent times, American popular culture has also played a big role, especially through TV and movies. The Australian Museum in Sydney and the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne are the oldest and largest museums in the continent.

Papua New Guinea is known for its rich cultural diversity, with over 7,000 different groups, each with its own language and traditions. The country is famous for its carved wooden sculpture, including masks and story-boards. Australia has a long tradition of Aboriginal art, including rock art that is thousands of years old, found in places like Uluru and Kakadu National Park.

Sport

Main articles: Sport in Australia and Sport in Papua New Guinea

In Papua New Guinea, popular sports include rugby league, rugby union, soccer, and cricket. Rugby league is especially loved in the highlands. In Australia, cricket is the most popular sport, while netball is favored by many women, and Australian rules football draws huge crowds. Australia has hosted big events like the Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne 1956 and Sydney 2000, as well as several Commonwealth Games.