South Australia

South Australia

flag	coat of arms
( Details )	( Details )
Basic data
Capital :	Adelaide
Area :	983,480 km²
Residents :	1,728,100 (Dec 2017)
Population density :	1.72 inhabitants per km²
ISO 3166-2 :	AU-SA
The highest point:	Mount Woodroffe 1,435 m
Official Website:	www.sa.gov.au
politics
Governor :	Le Van Hieu
Prime Minister :	Steven Marshall (Liberal)
Parliament seats:	11 ( House of Representatives ) 12 ( Senate )
map

South Australia [ ˌsæɔθ əˈstræɪliə ] (German: Südaustralien , abbreviation: SA ) is an Australian state with the capital Adelaide .

geography

The state of South Australia extends from the south coast of Australia ( Great Australian Bight ) into the continent to the Great Artesian Basin and to the Musgrave Ranges (up to 1440 m high); the land area is 983,480 km ² . The arid parts of the country bordering the Northern Territory and Western Australia belong to the indigenous people, the Aborigines .

Kangaroo Island , which belongs to South Australia, is the third largest island in Australia.

Cities in South Australia

The Australian Bureau of Statistics defines urban centers as urban centers with more than 1,000 inhabitants.

rank	City / center	Residents	area
1.	Adelaide	1,103,979	Adelaide Plains
2.	Mount Gambier	25.199	Limestone Coast
3.	Gawler	23,957	Adelaide Plains
4th	Whyalla	21,736	Eyre Peninsula
5.	Murray Bridge	15,967	Murraylands
6th	Stirling - Bridgewater	14,617	Adelaide Hills
7th	Mount Barker	14,452	Adelaide Hills
8th.	Port Lincoln	14,088	Eyre Peninsula
9.	Port Pirie	13,819	Mid North
10.	Port Augusta	13,504	Eyre Peninsula

Administrative division

South Australia is divided into 68 Local Government Areas (LGAs), 19 of which are in the capital Adelaide. These make up 99.8 percent of the state's population, but only 40.2 percent of its area. The remaining almost 60 percent do not belong to any LGA, but to the Outback Communities Authority (formerly Outback Areas Community Development Trust ).

Regions

Overall, the fourth largest state in Australia is divided into eight main regions, which are Adelaide, Adelaide Area, Kangaroo Island, Limestone Coast, Yorke Peninsula, Murray River, Flinders Ranges & Outback and Eyre Peninsula & Nullarbor. The individual regions are made up of other subordinate areas. Adelaide is the federal capital of South Australia and with around 1.3 million inhabitants the fifth largest city on the continent. The Adelaide area consists of the Adelaide Hills , Barossa Valley , Clare Valley and Fleurieu Peninsula sub-regions . These are known for a Mediterranean climate and numerous wineries. To the south is Kangaroo Island , one of the state's most popular destinations. The coastal section in the southeast of South Australia, known as the Limestone Coast, is shaped by the valuable tourist site of Mount Gambier with the Blue Lake, stalactite caves, beaches and nature reserves. The Yorke Peninsula region is characterized by beaches, surfing areas, agricultural areas, the Innes National Park and isolated settlements.

Part of the 2375-kilometer Murray River flows through South Australia. The region around the river that flows into Adelaide is used by water sports enthusiasts and has wine-growing areas. In contrast to the agricultural areas in the south are the dry plains in the west and north, which are separated by the agronomic dry line of the Goyder's Line. The foothills of the Flinders Ranges and the Flinders Ranges & Outback region begin in the north of the Adelaide area . This area is characterized by deserts, mountain ranges and salt lakes. Examples of top attractions include Coober Pedy , Lake Eyre, and Flinders Ranges National Park . The south-west is formed by the Eyre Peninsula & Nullarbor region. The Eyre Peninsula is a large peninsula that merges into the partly treeless Nullarbor Plain in the west. Highlights include sea lion colonies, the Gawler Ranges , the Great Australian Bight, and the Eyre Highway, which runs through the karst desert .

climate

In summer, South Australia lies in the subtropical high pressure belt and remains largely free of precipitation apart from a few heat thunderstorms . Here there are mostly high temperatures (around 30 ° C during the day), similar to the Mediterranean. Cooler ocean currents such as the West Australian Current and the West Wind Drift do not allow the water temperatures to rise above 20 ° C in summer and bring rain in winter. But it remains mild (around 10 ° C).

population

The people are very proud of their past as South Australia is the only Australian state that was built by free settlers , not convicts .

economy

The main settlement and economic area is the fertile southeast of the state with the cultivation of wheat , fruit , vegetables and wine (founded by German settlers). The famous South Australian wines have been grown in the Barossa Valley along the Murray River for over 100 years ; The focus of fruit growing is the Riverland region . Sheep farming is also important for wool production. There are iron ore, coal and natural gas deposits that are being exploited. The manufacturing industry is concentrated around Adelaide . The main ports are Port Adelaide and Whyalla , the airport is Adelaide Airport (ADL). The number of inhabitants is comparatively small at around 1.6 million.

history

Adelaide tram decorated for the centenary (1836–1936)

The coast was first discovered by the Dutch in 1627. In 1792 the Frenchman d'Entrecasteaux sailed past the coast on his way to Tasmania . In the years 1798 to 1802 the British captain Matthew Flinders explored the coastal region very thoroughly. However, it was not until the expedition of Captain Charles Sturt in 1830, who drove the Murray from its source in New South Wales down to the mouth of the Murray , that a colony was established . In 1836, South Australia became a British colony and the first European settlement was established in Kingscote on Kangaroo Island. The settlement began with the proclamation of the province on December 28, 1836; at that time there were around 15,000 indigenous people. The South Australian Company played an important role in the further settlement of the colony .

Universities

• Flinders University , Adelaide
• University of Adelaide , Adelaide
• University of South Australia , Adelaide

literature

Monteith, P. (Ed., 2011): Germans: travelers, settlers and their descendants in South Australia . Wakefield Press, Kent Town, South Australia. ISBN 978-1-86254-911-1

See also

• List of governors of South Australia
• National parks in South Australia

Web links

• Official Website of South Australia (English)
• Website for tourism in South Australia

Individual evidence

1. ↑ 3101.0 - Australian Demographic Statistics, Dec 2017 , accessed June 16, 2015.
2. ↑ Former refugee Hieu Van Le sworn in as South Australia's governor during the official ceremony , ABC News , September 1, 2014.
3. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics: 2011 Population Statistics , accessed April 9, 2016.
4. ↑ Overview of South Australia with all regions