Victoria (Australia)

Victoria

State flag (In detail) Coat of Arms (In detail)
Capital	Melbourne
Area — Land — Marine — Total	227 416 km² 10 213 km² 237 629 km²
Population (2002) Density	4 888 200 21.5/km²
Time zone	UTC+10 (except during daylight saving time—UTC+11)
Highest point	Mt Bogong (1 986 m)
ISO 3166-2 code:	AU-VI

Victoria is Australia's geographically smallest mainland state, in the south-eastern corner. As of the 2001 census, the population was 4,644,950. Victoria shares the Murray River as a border with New South Wales to its north and a border with South Australia to the west. In this space are topographically, geologically and climatically diverse areas ranging from the wet, temperate climate of Gippsland in the southeast to the snow-covered Victorian alpine areas which rise to almost 2000 metres (with Mount Bogong the highest peak at 1986 metres) and extensive semi-arid plains to the west and north-west.

The state's capital, Melbourne, contains approximately 70% of the state's population and dominates its economy, media, and culture.

Other cities and towns include:

Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, the Latrobe Valley, Wodonga, Mildura, and Swan Hill, Portland, Warnambool, Echuca, Yarrawonga, Wangaratta, Bright, Mt Beauty, Benalla, Wodonga, Shepparton, Castlemaine, Lorne, Apollo Bay, Barwon Heads, Queenscliff, Portsea, San Remo, Sale, Bairnsdale, Omeo, Moe, Morwell, Tyers, Traralgon, Warragul

Outside the manufacturing and service centre of Melbourne, agriculture dominates the Victorian economy, with its comparatively rich soils and temperature and wet climates compared to the rest of Australia. Major export agricultural activities include beef and dairy cattle, wool and lamb production and wheat (primarily in the drier western half of the state), with irrigated fruit and vegetable growers around Melbourne and along the Murray River. Wine grape production grew rapidly during the 1990s.

Victoria is generally regarded as the home of Australian Rules Football, with most cities and towns having at least one team.

The state flower of Victoria is the pink heath.

• Politics of Victoria
• History of Victoria
• National Parks (Victoria, Australia)

Tourism in Victoria

Skiing in Victoria, Fairy penguins, Melbourne Casino, Ballarat, Sovereign Hill, Puffing Billy, Maldon, Beechworth, Gippsland Lakes, Buchan Caves, Bendigo, Echuca, Murray river Golf Clubs, Hang-gliding, Gliding, Hot air balloons, Whale watching, Port Fairy Folk concert

Geology

Vulcanism and geology, Gold mining, Brown coal, Offshore oil drilling

Rivers in Victoria

Murray River, Ovens River, King River, Campaspe River, Lodden River, Wimmera River, Elgin River, Barwon River, Thompson River, Snowy River, Latrobe River, Yarra River, Maribynong River, Mitta River, Kiewa River

• Local Government Areas of Victoria

External links

• Government website
• Official tourism website
• Railway map