Queensland

Queensland is a major state located in northeastern Australia.

It is the second-largest state in the country. It is also the third-most populous state in Australia. The state is so large that it is the sixth-largest subdivision in the world. It is larger than all but 16 individual countries. Queensland is bordered by the Northern Territory to the west. South Australia lies to the southwest. New South Wales sits to the south. To the east, the state meets the Coral Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

To the north, the Torres Strait separates the mainland from Papua New Guinea. The Gulf of Carpentaria sits to the northwest.

The geography of Queensland is incredibly diverse due to its massive size.

The tropical and sub-tropical coastal regions feature rainforests and mountain ranges. These areas also have white sandy beaches and coral reefs.

Moving away from the coast, the climate changes significantly. The interior contains semi-arid and desert climatic regions. These areas consist of deserts and savanna landscapes.

This variety of environments means the state offers many different types of scenery.

Human history in the region began many thousands of years ago. Aboriginal Australians have inhabited the land for a very long time. Some evidence suggests ownership may predate 50,000 BC. Early migrants likely arrived via land bridges or boats across the Torres Strait. Over time, these people developed into more than 90 distinct language and cultural groups. The Torres Strait Islands are also home to Torres Strait Islander peoples.

These groups are ethnically and culturally distinct from mainland Aboriginal peoples. They have a long history of interacting with both Aboriginal peoples and the peoples of New Guinea.

European contact began in the early 17th century. In 1606, the Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon landed on the west coast of the Cape York Peninsula.

This was the first recorded European landing in Australia. In 1770, James Cook claimed the east coast for the Kingdom of Great Britain.

Later, in 1788, Arthur Phillip founded the colony of New South Wales. At that time, New South Wales included all of modern Queensland. In 1824, John Oxley established a penal settlement at Brisbane.

This settlement was later transferred to the current Brisbane city centre.

The era of colonial expansion was marked by extreme violence and hardship. The Australian frontier wars were the most brutal in the country. These conflicts involved many massacres of First Nations people.

Records suggest at least 66,680 people died during 644 collisions. Aboriginal fatalities alone comprised no less than 65,180 of these deaths. The Native Police, a force of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander troopers under white officers, were involved in much of this.

Additionally, the colonial economy relied on the "blackbirding" of South Sea Islanders. This involved forced or coerced labor on agricultural plantations.

Queensland officially became a separate colony on 6 June 1859. Queen Victoria signed the letters patent to establish it as a self-governing Crown colony.

On 1 January 1901, Queensland became one of the founding states of Australia during Federation. Today, the state has a population of over 5.5 million people. Most residents live in South East Queensland. Brisbane is the capital and the largest city. It holds half of the state's entire population.

Other major cities include the Gold Coast, Townsville, and Cairns.

The economy of Queensland is the third-largest among Australian states. It relies on several different industries to stay strong. Mining and agriculture are major contributors to its wealth.

The state also focuses on transportation, international education, insurance, and banking. Because of its beautiful climate and beaches, tourism is also very important.

The state is nicknamed the "Sunshine State" for these reasons. It also remains a very popular destination for people moving from other Australian states.