MT8: Oceania & Antartica Flashcards
What are the three main islands of Oceania?
New Zealand
Australia
Papua New Guinea
What are the three large island groups of Oceania?
Melanesia
Micronesia
Polynesia
what is the difference between an island and a continent?
size
Name two things about the Australian outback.
Interior of Australia
low plateaus and plains
What is Melanesia?
a cluster of islands north and east of Australia and just south of the equator
It means Black islands. It is named after the native people to the area.
What is Micronesia
a cluster of islands on both sides of the equator
means tiny islands. named after the size of the islands
they are also made out of coral reefs
What is Polynesia
the largest grouping of islands
means many islands because of the number of islands
includes New Zealand, Tahiti, Samoa, Hawaii…
separated by hundreds of miles of sea
What is Antarctica covered with?
ice sheets
What are some of the climates that Australia and Oceania have?
Arid, semi-arid, tropical wet and dry, humid subtropical, marine west coast, Mediterranean, Highland (if there are mountains).
what is the coldest recorded temperature in Antarctica?
-129º Fahrenheit
What are two ways chaparral plants adapt to fires
resisting
growing back quickly.
How do historians believe that people came to Oceania and Australia?
Traveled by land bridge and water when necessary and possible.
who are Aborigines
first people to live in Australia
nomadic herders who were there about 50,000 years before Europeans.
Most south pacific islands were once colonies to what countries?
European
How was Australia colonized?
In 1788 Great Britain used Australia as a prison- ended in 1868.
1851- gold was discovered and people rushed in to get their share.
What percentage of people in Oceania live in urban areas?
70%
What is the predominant religion of Oceania?
christianity
European settlers brought what animals to Oceania
sheep and cattle
what is the sheep to people ration in New Zealand
12 to 1
what are the precious metals of Australia
gold
silver
copper
what is copra
dried coconut meal
cash crop
what is commercial fishing
when people fish to make money to support their families.
how much of earth does the pacific ocean cover
70%
What are volcanic islands?
Give an example.
an island formed when an underwater volcano builds up enough lava and ash to rise above sea level.
Hawaii
What are Atolls?
Give an example
a ring of coral island and reefs that surround a shallow body of ocean water called a lagoon.
Bikini Atoll
What are continental islands?
Give an example
an island that was once part of a continent but now the land bridge is covered in water.
Madagascar
how many islands are in the Pacific Ocean
20,000+
how many countries are located on the Pacific islands
14
how do ocean currents work?
winds blow across the water and move it in circular patterns like the wind. water near the equator is warmed. when the warm water is close to land it heats up the air around.
what is a tsunami
a giant sea wave caused by underwater earthquakes and volcanic eruptions: cause major flooding and destruction.
what is a typhoon
a tropical storm in the region of the Indian or western Pacific oceans
what are different resources that come from the Pacific ocean
- many different plants and animals
- medicines from different species
- pearls
- metals such as nickel, copper, and manganese
- oil and natural gasses
- tourism
Physical features of New Zealand
2 large continental islands about the size of California volcanos rivers, lakes, hot springs, geysers, hot mud pools the southern Alps fjords
climate of New Zealand
marine west coast mostly sunny uneven but regular rain west of the southern alps get the most east of the southern Alps is located in a rain shadow
Economy of New Zealand
farming- fertile land Meat and dairy from cows' wool from sheep Tuna and other types of fish tourism
Human adaptations of New Zealand
a few large cities on the north island with a lot of people
summer= light jackets
winter= warm clothes
skiing, hiking, surfing, swimming, white water rafting
natural spas
cars and trains to get around the islands
planes to get to the mainland
Physical Features of Tahiti
the largest island of French Polynesia
402 square miles
1/3 the size of Rhode Island
Big and Small Tahiti connected by an isthmus
many cliffs and waterfalls and sleeping volcanos
Climate of Tahiti
wet and dry seasons
Tropical wet and dry
Economy of Tahiti
breadfruit, coconut palms, citrus fruits, orchids
most foods were grown but now is imported
tourism
black pearls
fishing
Human adaptations of Tahiti
home to 1/2 population of French polynesia
Housing is more advanced now but still not as advanced as the U.S
variety of recreation
modern airport
open air busses
Physical Features of Kwajalein
largest coral atoll in the world 97 islands 6.5 square miles in total 600 square miles of lagoon between the islands only 12-15 feet above sea level floods easily rivers and springs bring freshwater desalinisation plants
Climate of Kwajalein
Tropical wet
80-88º
rain every day
the difference between seasons is the length of storms
coral protects the islands from large waves
Economy of Kwajalein
not good for farming coconut palm, breadfruit, arrowroot fishing U.S military base tourism
Human Adaptations of Kwajalein
people live on only 14 out of the 97 islands
the rain and salty air rusts everything
cars only belong to the U.S military
Mostly ferries, planes, and bikes are travel options
U.S army owns all the housing
they dress like us.
what is the average temperature of the south pole?
-74º Fahrenheit
Define Global Warming
a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere
define the greenhouse effect
a process that occurs when gasses in the atmosphere prevent heat from the surface of the earth from escaping
why does Antarctica get so cold
most distant from the equator
receives less sun
what percentage of Antarctica is a covered in glaciers or ice sheets
how thick are they
98%
well over a mile
what is the antartic treaty
stated that antartica is a peaceful place for scientific investagatioins
what are the three key ideas of global warming
climate is getting warmer
caused by humans
harmful to both humans and biomes
what are the 3 most common greenhouse gasses
carbon dioxiode
methane
water vapor
what is the reason that greenhouse gas levels are rising
humans burn fossil fules such as coal oil and natural gas
name three pieces of evidence to support the global warming theory.
climate records
glacier records
rising levels of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere
name three terrible consequences that scientist warn of global warming
some places will lose plants and animals not adapted to the warmer
crop-failure will lead to worldwide hunger
ocean temps will rise and melt the glaciers: coastal cities will be flooded
list the counter arguments to global warming
temeratures show little signs of warming
most surface temps are measured in big cities which are warmer because of buildings and concrete
some glaciers are growing
how do researchers study ice shelves
placing satellites to track them
spend time at observation posts examining temperature changes
name two facts about penguins of Antarctica
the most common are the Adelie penguins
nest in places with no ice or snow
What is the capital of Australia
Canberra
What is the capital of Papua New Guinea
port Moresby
What is the capital of Fiji
suva
What is the capital of Samoa
Apia
What is the capital of Vanuatu
port vila
What is the capital of New Zealand
Wellington
