South Australia

South Australia, state in south-central Australia, bounded on the north by the Northern Territory, on the northeast by Queensland, on the east by New South Wales and Victoria, on the south by the Indian Ocean, and on the west by Western Australia. South Australia covers an area of 984,000 sq km (379,900 sq mi). Included in this area are Kangaroo Island and other islands in the Indian Ocean. The terrain of South Australia consists largely of arid wasteland, with several low mountain ranges and salt lakes. The Woomera Prohibited Area, a weapons testing ground, extends from the center of the state into Western Australia. The nearly treeless Nullarbor Plain, which stretches along the southwestern coast into Western Australia, is home to a variety of wildlife, including camels, dingoes, emus, and kangaroos. The Mount Lofty and Flinders ranges are in the southeastern part of the state. The Mount Lofty Ranges rise east of the city of Adelaide, and the ancient, colorful mountains of the Flinders Ranges extend north from near the city of Port Pirie. The Murray is South Australia’s only navigable river. Adelaide is South Australia’s capital and largest city. Port Adelaide and Port Pirie are the chief ports. The interior of South Australia is sparsely populated; most of the state’s population is concentrated in the fertile coastal areas and in the valley of the Murray. Most of the people are of British, Irish, or other European descent. A number of people are descendants of German Lutherans who immigrated to the Barossa Valley in the 1800s to escape religious persecution. Aboriginal Australians make up a small percentage of South Australia’s population; some of them live on Aboriginal lands in the northwest corner of the state. The total population in 2000 was 1,497,600. Education is compulsory in South Australia for children ages 6 to 15. Institutions of higher learning in the state include the University of Adelaide (1874), Flinders University of South Australia (1966), and the University of South Australia (1991). The principal agricultural products and exports of South Australia are wheat, wine, and wool. More than half of Australia’s wines are produced in South Australia. The best-known wines come from the Barossa Valley. Industries in South Australia include the smelting of lead and silver (both exported), the quarrying of marble and granite, and the mining of coal and iron. There are also large reserves of uranium at Roxby Downs, near Woomera. Executive authority in South Australia is nominally vested in a governor appointed by the British crown; actual power is exercised by a premier and a cabinet. The state legislature consists of a parliament of two houses: the Legislative Council with 22 members and the House of Assembly with 47 members. The area of South Australia became a British colony in 1836. It became a state of the Commonwealth of Australia when the commonwealth was formed in 1901. Microsoft ® Encarta ® Reference Library 2004. © 1993-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.