Queensland

views updated Jun 27 2018

Queensland State in ne Australia; the capital is Brisbane. Queensland was originally part of New South Wales and served as a penal colony (1824–40). It became a separate colony in 1859, and a state within the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. Nearly 50% of Queensland lies n of the Tropic of Capricorn and there are rainforests in the n. The Great Dividing Range separates the fertile coastal strip from the interior plains. Its chief crops are sugar cane, wheat, cotton, and tropical fruits. Beef cattle are important. The main industry is mining, and there are are valuable mineral deposits (copper, lead, zinc, bauxite, oil, and natural gas). Area: 1,727,530sq km (667,000sq mi). Pop. (2001) 3,642,400.

http://www.qld.gov.au

About this article

Queensland

All Sources -
Updated Aug 24 2016 About encyclopedia.com content Print Topic