Most inhabitants live along or near the coasts where nearly all its large cities are situated. Vegetation sufficient to stand out in the landscape is confined mainly to the southeastern corner and tropical areas in the northern sectors near the equator. Semi-arid and desert conditions prevail in most of the interior. To the east lie the two islands of New Zealand.
North Island has active volcanoes.
South Island has a great mountain range, the Alps. Australia and New Zealand Most of Australia is semi-desert. Mountains are infrequent and relatively low. One region of low ranges and dissected crystalline and sedimentary rocks we will see again in a mosaic on page 17-3 . But here we will look more closely at one of the images making up that mosaic.