South Australia
State of south-central Australia, including Kangaroo Island and other
islands in the Indian Ocean; bounded on the northeast by Queensland,
on the east by New South Wales, on the southeast by Victoria,
on the south by the Indian Ocean, and on the west by Western Australia
Area:
984,381 sq km/379,971 sq mi
Capital:
Adelaide (chief port)
Towns:
Whyalla, Mount Gambier, Port Pirie, Port Augusta
Features:
Murray Valley irrigated area, including wine-growing Barossa Valley;
salt lakes Eyre and Torrens; Mount Lofty, Musgrave, and Flinders
ranges; parts of the Nullarbor Plain, and Great Victoria and Simpson
deserts; experimental rocket range in the arid north at Woomera
(Woomera Prohibited Area)
Products:
Meat, wool, wine, wheat, barley, almonds, oranges and other citrus
fruits, dried and canned fruit, coal, copper, uranium, silver,
zinc, gold, steel, jade, slate, opals, marble, granite, household
and electrical goods, vehicles, oil, natural gas
Population:
(1996) 1,428,000
History:
Possibly known to the Dutch in the 16th century; surveyed by Dutch
navigator Abel Tasman in 1644; first European settlement in 1834;
became a province in 1836 and a state in 1901.
Physical
Much of the north and west of South Australia is desert or arid wasteland,
chiefly the Great Victoria, Simpson, and Tirari deserts, which
are covered by sand ridges. There are also wide expanses of flat
or undulating land, particularly the treeless Nullabor Plain,
which stretches along the southwest coast into Western Australia.
The state is generally low- lying, with several low mountain ranges.
Most of South Australia is under 600 m/2,000 ft in height, and
the eastern half of the state is under 150 m/500 ft. The area
around Lake Eyre lies below sea level and is the lowest elevation
of the Australian continent. The Mount Lofty Ranges (maximum height
727 m/2,385 ft) rise east of Adelaide, the Flinders Ranges (maximum
height 1,165 m/3,822 ft) run north from Port Pirie, and the Musgrave
Ranges, with South Australia's highest peak (Mount Woodroffe 1,440
m/4,724 ft), lie in the northwest of the state. The Murray is
the only navigable river. Apart from the Murray river system,
most of South Australia's rivers, including Cooper Creek and the
Warburton, flow intermittently, feeding into salt lakes such as
lakes Eyre, Torrens, Frome, and Gairdner. These huge salt lakes,
dry for most of the year, are a feature of South Australia's interior.
Climate
South Australia has a mild climate. The rainfall at Adelaide averages
530 mm/21 in annually, most of it falling between May and October.
The mean temperature is 17ºC/63ºF, the extreme range being 1ºC/34ºF
to 44º C/111ºF. Further inland rainfall decreases considerably,
and the interior has an arid climate with very high temperatures.
Economy
Agriculture is concentrated in the southeast of the state, on the Yorke
peninsula and north of Adelaide as far as Peterborough, where
there is fertile land irrigated by the River Murray. (Elsewhere
in the state agriculture is severely restricted by unreliable
rainfall, and land is used for grazing sheep and cattle.) Wheat
is the main crop, but barley, hay, almonds, and vegetables are
also grown, and dairy products are produced. Vines are grown extensively
for wine production, and they also yield raisins and currants
for export. The Barossa Valley, 55 km/ 34 mi north of Adelaide,
produces almost one third of Australia's wine, and has more than
55 wineries producing a wide range of wine varieties, generally
of high quality. Olives and almonds are also grown in the Barossa
area. Oranges, other citrus fruit, and peaches are other important
crops.
Tourism
Tourism makes a major contribution to South Australia's economy. 249,000
tourists from overseas visited the state in 1995-1996. Major attractions
include the Adelaide Hills (including the town of Handorf, built
by Prussian and German migrants); the wine-producing Barossa Valley;
the Flinders ranges, which are known for their wildlife and include
sites of Aboriginal art and ceremonial significance; Kangaroo
Island, which has 16 national and conservation parks, including
Flinders Chase, a wildlife sanctuary; the Murray River; and the
towns of the Riverina district. The opal fields at Cooper Pedy
also attract many visitors.
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