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fiogf49gjkf0d AUSTRALIA IS SITUATED BETWEEN THE PACIFIC OCEAN AND THE
INDIAN OCEAN, COVERING AN AREA OF 7,682,300 SQ.KM.
INCLUDING TASMANIA.
AUSTRALIA IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR MAIN GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS,
THE LARGEST BEING THE WESTERN CRATON OR WESTERN SHIELD.
THIS WESTERN SHIELD COVERS ABOUT HALF THE TOTAL LAND AREA.
ELEVATIONS HERE AVERAGE 400-600M ABOVE SEA LEVEL, WITH
HIGHER PLAINS LEVELING LANDSCAPE TO HEIGHTS OF 1524M. THE
MOST REMARKABLE OF THESE BEING THE PILBARA BLOCK TO THE
WEST, THE MACDONNELL RANGE TO THE EAST AND THE ARNHEM LAND
AND THE KIMBERLEY BLOCKS TO THE NORTHWEST.
THE SECOND AREA, IS THE GREAT ARTESIAN BASIN. THIS IS
LOCATED EAST OF THE SHIELD REGION, STRETCHING FROM THE GULF
OF CARPENTARIA IN THE NORTH TO THE MURRAY RIVER MOUTH IN
THE SOUTH. THREE SMALLER REGIONS ARE ALSO CONTAINED IN THIS
AREA: THE CARPENTARIA, THE EYRE AND THE MURRAY RIVER
BASINS.
THE GREAT DIVIDE RANGE IS THE THIRD REGION. IT IS A SYSTEM
OF HIGH RIDGES, PLATEAUS AND BASINS STRETCHING FROM CAPE
YORK PENINSULA IN THE NORTH TO THE SOUTHERN BASS STRAIT.
MOUNT KOSCIUSKO IS THE HIGHEST PEAK AT 1316M.
THE FOURTH REGION IS LOCATED BETWEEN THE WESTERN SHIELD AND
THE BASIN REGION ALONG THE SOUTHERN COAST. THE FLINDERS AND
MOUNT LOFTY RANGES ARE A SMALL DIVIDE LYING BETWEEN LAKE
EYRE BASIN AND THE MURRAY BASIN. AUSTRALIA'S VOLCANOES ARE
MAINLY EXTINCT EVEN THOUGH THERE IS SOME SEISMIC ACTIVITY IN
THE HIGHLANDS.
APPROXIMATELY 20% OF THE COUNTRY IS THICKLY FORESTED,
ESPECIALLY TOWARDS THE GREAT DIVIDE.
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