The Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the biggest connected coral reef formation of the world. It`s like a garden under the sea. There are 1,500 different kinds of fish. There are also snails and shells. Some shells are danger for people because they are toxic. The coral reef is very colourfull and there are over 400 kinds of corals. Many people said that the coral reef is the 8th world miracle. The Great Barrier Reef are over 20 million years old. It consists of lime skeletons of billion small coral polyps,they have them deposit billion years ago. To growing up they need warm shallow water with many minerals. The name "Great Barrier Reef" came from Matthew Flinders , he made a map of the coral reef in the 19th century. It consist 3000 reef groups. Around the Barrier Reef are 900 isles. It´s not surprising that many holiday-makers come to Queensland every year. For the protetion of the reef are just a few isles release for the tourists. The beach of the Great Barrier Reef are 2000km long and goes between 30 to 260 kilometres in the ocean. Reef will die, because a starfish is eating up the corals. The scientists said that the coral reef will die in 20 or 30 years cause the coral reef bleach. For examle you can see giant clams, clownfish, beaked coralfish, coral groupers, butterfly fish, sea slugs, angelfish and anemone to name a few. The Great Barrier Reef stretches from Cape York, near East Timor right down to Bundaberg. The people Most settlers in Queensland during the 19th century were from Britain and Europe. In the follow years there has been an growing number of new settlers from South-East Asia. About one-third of Queenslanders are migrants or the children of migrants. The warm climate, a relaxed way of life, attract residents from other parts of Australia. More than half of Queensland's population lives outside the greater metropolitan area of Brisbane. The south-east corner is the most densely populated part of the State. Tropical Rainforest More than 18,000 known plant species exist. Some trees are more than 2,500 years old. The Daintree Rainforest is a dense jungle area in Far North Queensland. It is part of the Australian Wet Tropics environment protected by World Heritage Listing, United Nations. The Daintree occupies an area between Cairns and Cooktown, and has the crocodile infested Daintree River flowing through its north. Much of the Daintree is inaccessible wilderness. Only experienced hikers penetrate its heart. Over 800 different species of trees have been identified here. At least 90 species of the exquisite orchid family are found in Queenslands wet tropics, nearly half of these cannot be found anywhere else. Geography Queensland lays in the north-east of Australia. In the north-west terrotory of Queensland you can find there minerals. Economy Mining, tourism and agriculutre, are the 3 major industries. Queensland accounts for 24 % of the the total Australien mining production, 37 % of Australias beef production, and almost all of Australia's sugar production. Sugar is the main exoport crop from Queensland. Other crops are wheat, cotton, tobacco and peanuts. Tropical frutis grow along the coast. Beef cattle and sheep dominate the livestock industries. Coal ist the most important mineral followed by copper, lead, bauxite and zink Facts about Queensland Queensland is Australia's second largest state with 1 722 00 km² an the third most populous with more than 3 000 000 inhabitants - 17% of the nation's people-. The capital of Queensland is Brisbane. 40% of the population in Queensland live in and around Brisbane. Tourism Queensland has got a number of tourist attraction like the Great Barrier Reef, the tropical islands, the rainforest and beautiful beaches. October to March is the hottest time, and temperatures are often 40°. Mild winter temperatures and generally clear skies with lot of sun makes Queensland very popular for holidays.The coast areas and beaches with surf and clear blue water are excellent for swimming and diving. Brisbane Brisbane is the capital of the Australian State of Queensland. At for sea-goingvessels passable the underflow of the Brisbane River, in the hillcountry, 1.45 million inhabitant; University (based 1909); Port,export of wool, wheat and tropical fruits; Shipyards, refineries,heavy and light alloy industry, consumer goods industry. - 1824 aspenal colony Edenglassie based, 1834 after the governor of new southWales, Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane, renamed in Brisbane; since 1842free settlement; 1859 cap
