Convicts and settlers worked to clear
land and to establish farms. They were
not used to the climate, which was
different from Englands, so the
colonists struggled to survive. But soon
more convicts and settlers arrived. The
settlement grew bigger and stronger.
In the 1800s other parts of the country
were settled. Some were also penal colonies.
In 1851 the discovery of gold drew
thousands of new immigrants to Australia.
The settlements grew and became
colonies separate from New South
Wales. They became Tasmania,Western
Australia, Victoria, Queensland, and
South Australia.
The flood of settlers nearly wiped out
the aboriginal population. Many
Aborigines died while fighting for their
land or from diseases brought by the
Europeans.
Independence andWar
By the late 1800s the six separate colonies
each had an elected parliament, or
group of lawmakers. In 1901 they
became states when they joined together
to form a federation. The new Commonwealth
of Australia had a national
parliament and six state parliaments. It
kept ties with Britain, however, as part
of the British Commonwealth (a group
of former British colonies).
WhenWorldWar I began, Australians
fought alongside the British Army.
Many Australians died during the battle
of Gallipoli in 1915. Australia also supported
Britain whenWorldWar II
began in 1939. In the 1940s the Japanese
attacked several Australian cities.
Their airplanes bombed Darwin, and
submarines fired on Sydney. After the
war Australias population grew rapidly.
Many immigrants came from war-torn
Europe.
Recent Events
In the 1970s Australia started to focus
less on Europe and more on its Asian
neighbors. Many Asian immigrants
arrived, and trade increased between
Australia and Asian countries.
In the 1990s Aborigines won some
rights to land. They also won more
respect from white Australians. Many
still face hardships, however.
The British monarch is still the head of
state in Australia. Some Australians have
called for change. They want the country
to become a republic with a president
as head of state. In 1999, however,
Australians voted against a complete
separation from Britain.
..More to explore
Aboriginal Peoples Canberra Cook,
James Eucalyptus Great Barrier Reef
Great Victoria Desert Marsupial
Parliament Platypus Tasmania
Facts About
AUSTRALIA
Population
(2008 estimate)
21,338,000
Area
2,969,978 sq mi
(7,692,208 sq
km)
Capital
Canberra
Form of
government
Federal parliamentary
state
Metropolitan
areas
Sydney, Melbourne,
Brisbane,
Perth, Adelaide
232 Australia BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Austria
Located in central Europe, Austria is a
small, mountainous country. The capital
of Austria is Vienna.
Geography
Austria is bordered by Switzerland,
Liechtenstein, Germany, the Czech
Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Italy, and
Slovenia. Some of the highest
mountains of the Alps are in central
and western Austria. Grossglockner, the
highest peak, is 12,460 feet (3,798
meters) tall.
The major lowland areas lie in northern
and eastern Austria. The northern lowland
is the valley of the Danube River.
Many other rivers, including the Enns,
Inn, and Drava, flow through the valleys
of the Alps. They form several passes
through the mountains. Brenner Pass is
the most important pass. It connects
Austria with Italy.
Western Austria gets more rain and
snow than eastern Austria. The east also
has a greater range of temperatures. In
some mountainous regions there is snow
all year.
Plants and Animals
Austria is the most densely forested
country in central Europe. Beech, birch,
and oak trees grow in the warmer zones.
Firs, larches, and pines grow in the hills
and mountains.
Wild animals include brown bears, deer,
hare, foxes, badgers, eagles, falcons,
owls, cranes, swans, storks, and turkey
vultures. In Austrian rivers live trout,
grayling, pike, perch, and carp.
People
German is the official language of Austria.
More than 90 percent of the people
are Austrian. Small minority groups
include Slavs, Turks, and Hungarians.
Most of Austrias mountains are part of a
large mountain chain called the Alps.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Austria 233
Most Austrians are Roman Catholic.
About two thirds of Austrians live in
cities and towns. Vienna is the largest
city.
Economy
Services, or businesses that serve the
public, and manufacturing are the most
important parts of Austrias economy.
Tourism and banking are major areas of
the service industry. Tourists come for
Austrias famous skiing resorts, cultural
events, and scenic beauty. Manufacturers
make machinery, food products, metals,
and chemicals.
Austrias natural resources include lignite
(brown coal), iron ore, petroleum
(oil), natural gas, and magnesite (used to
make magnesium). Austria is one of the
worlds leading producers of natural
magnesite.
Austria uses less than half its land for
farming and grazing. The major crops
are sugar beets, corn, wheat, barley,
potatoes, apples, grapes, and rye. Pigs,
cattle, and chickens are the main livestock.
History
Romans, Germans, Slavs, Hungarians,
and others have invaded Austria during
its long history. A German family called
the Hapsburgs ruled Austria and other
parts of Europe from 1282 until 1918.
In the 1800s the Hapsburgs joined with
Hungary to form an empire called
Austria-Hungary, which controlled
much of central and eastern Europe.
After the collapse of the empire in 1918,
the country was reduced to one eighth
of its original size.
German leader Adolf Hitler invaded
Austria and made it a part of Nazi Germany
in 1938. Austria was divided into
four zones in 1945, after Germanys
defeat inWorldWar II. The United
States, Great Britain, France, and the
Soviet Union each occupied one of the
zones. Austrias government had limited
powers.
In 1955 Austria gained independence
after its leaders promised to keep neutral,
or stay out of foreign affairs. The
country became stable, both politically
and economically, in the 1970s. In the
1990s, however, some politicians began
to blame immigrants for crime and economic
problems. Others opposed these
views.
..More to explore
Alps, The Germany Hapsburgs
Vienna WorldWar II
A street in the Austrian city of Salzburg is
lined with shops and cafes.
Facts About
AUSTRIA
Population
(2008 estimate)
8,338,000
Area
32,383 sq mi
(83,871 sq km)
Capital
Vienna
Form of
government
Federal republic
Major cities
Vienna, Graz,
Linz, Salzburg,
Innsbruck,
Klagenfurt
234 Austria BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
The air-fuel mixture that enters the
engine cannot ignite by itself. It needs
an electric spark. This comes from
devices called spark plugs. They get their
electric current from a battery. The battery
also powers the automobiles lights,
horn, turn signals, windshield wipers,
starter, and instruments such as the
gasoline gauge.