The continent of Africa is enormuous. It has got an area of more than 30 milion km2 and it covers about on fifth of the world's land mass. Only the continent of Asia is bigger than Africa.
A large part of the continent consists of a high plateau and mountain ranger, including the Atlas an Rwenzori. The highest mountain is Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Its peak is permanently covered in snow.
The continent has got some of the world's longest rivers, including the Nile, Niger, Zaire and Zambezi. The Nile is the longest river in Africa and flows through Sudan and Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. In the east of the continent, there are many huge lakes. The largest lake is Lake Victoria, the second biggest lake in the worls.
The smallest country on the continent is Gambia. Sudan is the biggest country, while Madagascar is the larges insland.
The continent has got a wide varety of vegetation. Central Africa, on the equator, has got thick tropical rainforests. North of the rainforests is the worls's largest desert, the Sahara. Between the Sahara and the Mediterranean Sea is the fertile northern coast. A large part of the southern part of Africa is savannah, a dry plain with few trees and bushes; here, elephants, lions and other wild animals wander freely.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
AUSTRALIA
Australia is the larges island in the worls, but it is the smallest continent. Most of the population lives along the southeastern coastline, while the interior of the country is largely unopolutate.
The first Europeans reached Australia when the Spanish explorer Luis Váez de Torres sailed through the Torres Strait in 1606.
The most famous British explorer to reach Australia was James Cook. in 1770, Captain Cook arrived at bay on the eastern side of the island. The bay had many unusual plants and flowers, so he named it Botany Bay.
The Britich decided to colonise the island for a number of reasons. First, British prisons were full. The government decided the best solution was to send prisoners to this faraway island. In addition, it was important for the British to have a navy base in the part of the worls. Finally, the Britich wantes yo strenghten economit ties between Britain and the region.
On 18th January, 1788, eleven ships carryng 732 prisoner landed at Botany Bay.
The British later moved north and built a settlement.
They called the new settlement Port Jackson. This was the beginning of modern Sydney, the most populated city in Australia.
Most Autralians are descendants of the early Europeans settlers. fter Worls War II, Australia began a programme to increase it number of immigrants. It still encourages immigration as a way to keep this enormous country populated.
The first Europeans reached Australia when the Spanish explorer Luis Váez de Torres sailed through the Torres Strait in 1606.
The most famous British explorer to reach Australia was James Cook. in 1770, Captain Cook arrived at bay on the eastern side of the island. The bay had many unusual plants and flowers, so he named it Botany Bay.
The Britich decided to colonise the island for a number of reasons. First, British prisons were full. The government decided the best solution was to send prisoners to this faraway island. In addition, it was important for the British to have a navy base in the part of the worls. Finally, the Britich wantes yo strenghten economit ties between Britain and the region.
On 18th January, 1788, eleven ships carryng 732 prisoner landed at Botany Bay.
The British later moved north and built a settlement.
They called the new settlement Port Jackson. This was the beginning of modern Sydney, the most populated city in Australia.
Most Autralians are descendants of the early Europeans settlers. fter Worls War II, Australia began a programme to increase it number of immigrants. It still encourages immigration as a way to keep this enormous country populated.
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