Australia
A web-based facility for storing and access of sub-national agricultural statistical data files from the country source. National focal points are responsible for maintaining the database.
Geography of Australia
POSITION AND AREA
Australia comprises a land area of almost 7.7 million square kilometres (sq km) (table 1.1). The bulk of the Australian land mass lies between latitudes 10 degrees 41 minutes (10°41´) south (Cape York, Queensland) and 43°38´ south (South East Cape, Tasmania), and between longitudes 113°09´ east (Steep Point, Western Australia) and 153°38´ east (Cape Byron, New South Wales). The most southerly point on the mainland is South Point (Wilsons Promontory, Victoria) at 39°08´ south. The latitudinal distance from Cape York to South Point is about 3,180 kilometres (km), and to South East Cape 3,680 km, while the longitudinal distance between Steep Point and Cape Byron is about 4,000 km.
In a jurisdictional and economic sense, Australia extends well beyond the mainland continent and Tasmania, including about 12,000 islands. There are many near-coastal islands which are parts of states or the Northern Territory, the largest being Melville Island (Northern Territory) at 5,786 sq km. Other major near-coastal islands include Kangaroo Island (South Australia), King and Flinders Islands (Tasmania), Bathurst Island and Groote Eylandt (Northern Territory) and the Torres Strait Islands (Queensland).
Australia also has jurisdiction over a large number of islands remote from the coast. Some of these, such as Macquarie Island (Tasmania) and Lord Howe Island (New South Wales) are legally parts of states, but many are included in separate territories such as the Cocos Islands, Heard and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, the Coral Sea Islands and Ashmore and Cartier Islands. Australia also administers a portion of Antarctica, the Australian Antarctic Territory. While most of these islands are small, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea allows Australia jurisdiction over large tracts of the ocean and seafloor that surround them.
Australia has an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that is 200 nautical miles (370.4 km) wide, and also incorporates areas of the continental shelf outside the 200-mile boundary. This is measured from the lowest astronomical tide, defined as the lowest level that sea level can be predicted to fall to under normal meteorological conditions. Where the boundary overlaps with potential boundaries of other countries (such as Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, East Timor and some French island territories), a boundary has to be negotiated. The EEZ gives Australia jurisdiction over a marine area of some ten million sq km.
The land area of Australia is almost as great as that of the continental United States of America (excluding Alaska and Hawaii), about twice the size of the European Union, and 32 times greater than that of the United Kingdom.
USTRALIA'S TOPOGRAPHY
Australia is the lowest, flattest and, apart from Antarctica, the driest of the continents. Unlike Europe and North America, where some landscapes date back to only around 10-20,000 years ago, when great ice sheets retreated, the age of landforms in Australia is generally measured in many millions of years. This gives Australia a very distinctive physical geography.
Map 1 shows the elevation of the Australian continent. Most of the continent is at a relatively low elevation, with less than 1% of the country above 1,000 metres elevation. Elevations exceeding 2,000 metres are found only in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, with the highest peak being Mt. Kosciuszko (2,228 metres). Higher peaks are found in some external territories, with Mawson Peak on Heard Island reaching 2,745 metres, and much of the Antarctic plateau is above 3,000 metres.
1 ELEVATION
Source: Australian Surveying and Land Information Group, 1996.
Agriculture - Introduction
Climate, soil type, topography and the availability of irrigation water, are the main factors which influence the type of land use undertaken by Australian farmers. These factors, together with access to markets and technological advances, all contribute to the continuing evolution of Australian agriculture. Australian agriculture is fundamentally based on extensive pastoral and cropping activities, however diversification into intensive livestock and horticultural industries is increasing. Improved farming practices and technology continue to increase farm productivity in response to external market signals.
While Australian agriculture no longer contributes a large share to gross domestic product - averaging around 3% in recent years - it utilises a large proportion of natural resources, accounting for 70% of stored water use and almost 60% of Australia's land area. In addition, the dependence of agriculture on Australia's unpredictable climate means it often significantly affects regional economies and the national economy on a scale far greater than most other industries of similar size. The widespread drought experienced in 2002-03 severely affected the production of crops and stock numbers.
Until the late-1950s, agricultural products accounted for more than 80% of the value of Australia's exports. Since then, despite increasing agricultural output, the proportion has declined markedly as the Australian economy has become more diverse. The quantity and value of production have expanded in the mining, manufacturing and, in recent years, the service industries. For the five years prior to June 2002, exports from the agriculture industry averaged 9% of the total trade. However, the 2002-03 drought severely reduced agricultural production and the amount of agricultural product available for international trade, resulting in Australian agricultural exports dropping to 7.4% of total exports in 2002-03. Improved climate conditions during 2003-04 saw agriculture exports rise slightly to 7.7% of total trade in 2003-04. Australian agriculture occupies a significant place in global rural trade, with wool, beef, wheat, cotton, dairy products and sugar being particularly important. Australia is also an important source of fruit, rice and flowers.
The agricultural environment
Australia's average elevation is the lowest of any continent, with a mean elevation just exceeding 200 metres. The dominant topographical feature of the continent is the Great Dividing Range, which spans the length of the eastern seaboard and has a profound influence on regional weather patterns and land use.
Australia's agricultural landscapes support a wide range of soils. Most are ancient, strongly weathered and infertile by world standards, with deficiencies in phosphorus and nitrogen. Those on floodplains are younger and more fertile. Very few are considered good quality soils for agriculture. To offset nutrient deficiencies, superphosphate and nitrogenous fertilisers are widely used, particularly on pasture and cereal crops. Fragile soil structure and a susceptibility to waterlogging are other common features of Australian soils, while large areas are naturally affected by salt or acidity. These soil characteristics restrict particular agricultural activities, sometimes ruling out agricultural activity altogether.
With the exception of Antarctica, Australia is the world's driest continent. More than a third of the continent is effectively desert; over two thirds of the continent is classified as arid or semi-arid. The wet summer conditions of northern Australia are suited to beef cattle grazing in inland areas and the growing of sugar and tropical fruits in coastal areas. The drier summer conditions of southern Australia favour wheat and other dry land cereal farming, sheep grazing and dairy cattle (in the higher rainfall areas), as well as beef cattle. Within regions there is also a high degree of rainfall variability from year-to-year, which is most pronounced in the arid and semi-arid regions. Rainfall variability is very high by global standards and often results in lengthy periods without rain. The seasonality and variability of rainfall in Australia requires that water be stored, and 70% of stored water use (including groundwater) is accounted for by the agricultural sector. Under normal seasonal conditions, the ability of primary producers to store water ensures that there are adequate supplies of water for those agricultural activities requiring a continuous supply. The development of large scale irrigation schemes has opened up areas of inland Australia to agricultural activities which otherwise would not have been possible.
Evaporation is another important element of Australia's environment affecting agricultural production. Hot summers are accompanied by an abundance of sunlight. This combination of climatic variables leads to high rates of evaporation. Areas that have been cleared for crop and pasture production tend to coincide with areas that receive five to nine months of effective rainfall (where rainfall exceeds evaporation) each year. In areas of effective rainfall of more than nine months, generally only higher value crops or tropical crops and fruits are grown, while in areas with effective rainfall of less than five months, cropping is usually restricted to areas that are irrigated.
Since European settlement the vegetation of Australia has altered significantly. In particular, large areas of Australia's forest and woodland vegetation systems have been cleared, predominantly for agricultural activity. The areas that have been altered most are those which have been opened up to cultivation or intensive grazing. Other areas, particularly those semi-arid regions previously cleared of timber and scrub to allow extensive grazing of native grasses, now show signs of returning to their previous condition. In recent years various state and territory legislation has seen restrictions applied to the area of old growth and regrowth forest and woodland that can be cleared without a permit.
Contact address of Food and Agricultural Statistics in Australia
Agriculture, Mining and Manufacturing
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Locked Bag 10
Belconnen ACT 2615
Tel: (61 2) 6252 5339
Fax: (61 2) 6252 6470
Email: client.services@abs.gov.au
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