Evening star., 1942-03-13
By the. National Geographic Society.

BY the, National Geographic Society.
AS the Japanese move closer to
Australia certain outstanding fea-
lures of the Southern Hemisphere's S
great island continent become in
creasingly significant.
Australia is approximately the
size of continental United States.
Yet within its nearly 100000 square
miles of land only about 100000
people live, compared with more
than 130,0O0,000 United States in
habitants.
Most of the people of Australia
are found within a narrow coastal
belt. Nearly half of the population
Is concentrated in the nations half
dozen big cities, led by Sydney with
more than 1,25O,00 inhabitants, and
Melbourne with little over l ,0O0, 900
people.
Big Cities Far From Front.
Since both Sydney and Melbourne
lie on the southeast coast of Aus
tralia. many hundreds of miles still
separate them from the active thea
ter of war. To Melbourne from
the island of New Guinea, where
the Japanese have gained footholds,
Is a matter of some 1000 air miles.
Sydney, directly south of the south
east tip of this Netherlands-Aus-
tralian possession, is about l,700
miles away. Canberra. the coun-
try's 15-year-old, made-to-order
capital, lies about 100 miles south
west of Sydney, between that port
and Malbourne.
Island territories of the now over
run Netherlands Indies lie within a
few hundred miles of the coast OF
North Central Australia. Any drive
in this direction by way of the out
back" base of Port Darwin would
lead first through Australias least
settled regions. Population density
Is lightest in the centralized north
ern territory, with an average OF
only about one person to each lOO
square miles of land. In the lonely
reaches of Western Australia some
IS persons are counted for each 100
square miles. while Queensland, in
the northeast, has 14l people for
similar unit. In sharp contrast with
these figures, the southeastern VIC
toria State contains more than 1000
inhabitants for every 100 square
miles.
Australias generally spare settle
ment is due to two main factors,
its distance from European sources
of immigration and the restrictive
laws against importation of nom
white peoples. More than SO per
cent of the population is European.
largely of British extraction. There
is small group of aboriginal blacks.
between $4,000 and 10000. but they
are decreasing in numbers.
A Continent Spread Thin
The Commonwealth of Australia
Is a self governing nation sharing
allegiance, along with the other Brit
ish Dominions. to the British King.
It comprises the six colonies, now
called Original States" of New
South Wales. Victoria, Queensland,
South Australia, Western Australia
and the island of Tasmania, plus
the Northern Territory and the
Canberra Capital Territory.
Studied in relief, the continent
as a whole spreads itself thin" in
vast plains and plateaus. Its i'm
portan mountain ranges are found
only along the east coast and re-
semble the Appalachian Mountains
of United States. With its rolling
grasslands. low brush and open
spaces, Australian offers little nat
ural obstruction to overland in
vasion.
A striking feature Of the trans
portation system which may play
a part in the present emergency is
tending inland from the coast come
to an abrupt end. Also. between
one line and another. there is often
a difference of gauge, handicap
to transcontinental service.
Continental air service links the
coasts. and an eaSt-West railway
runs across the southern portion of
the nation. but there is no COM
pleted north-south rail communl-
cation. This gap was filled by the
Defense highway within the last two
years.
Geography Nodded Economy.
The economic life of peacetime
Australia is a clear example Of the
influence of climate and terrain.
With more rainfall the continents
vast level stretches and mild sea-
sons could have provided the foun-
dation for one of the worlds richest
farm areas. AS it is. Australia S
arid and semi-arid conditions more
than a third of it is desert limited
the development of varied crops