Where is the Gulf of Carpentaria and what are its features? It is this topic that I would like to touch on in our article. Let's start from the beginning.
What is this water area? This is not a very deep bay of the Indian Ocean. In terms of its area, it occupies an area of about 300 thousand square meters. km. Where is the Gulf of Carpentaria located? And it is located off the northern coast of Australia. Deepens into the mainland for more than 600 km. The bay is connected to the Arafura Sea. It also has access to the Coral Sea through the Torres Strait.
Characteristic
The first thing to notice: this water area belongs to mainland Australia. The Gulf of Carpentaria covers an area of about 328 thousand square meters. km. Its shelf has a length of 900 km. It cuts into the Australian mainland for almost 700 km. As we have already said, the bay is relatively shallow, with average values reaching 40-60 m. The deepest zone is around 70 m.
The tides in Carpentaria are wrong,are semi-diurnal. Their height varies between 3-4 meters. Significant tidal currents are observed along the coastlines of the bay. Islands of the water area: Wellesley and Groot Island, seaports: Weipa, Groot Island, Mission.
Hydrological and climatic regimes
Given that the Gulf of Carpentaria is located in the Indian Sea, the climate is monsoonal, with tropical rains. As a rule, most of the precipitation falls between December and March. The weather here is mostly hot and humid. During the rainy season, the main water flow enters the bay from the rivers of the southern and eastern coasts. Salinity at the end of the dry season is higher, then decreases (34.8 ‰).
Dry season lasts from April to November. During this period, dry southeastern and eastern air currents prevail. The rainy season starts in December and continues through March. It is characterized by the fact that lowlands are filled during this period. Tropical typhoons last from November to April. They are observed on average 3 times a year. The average water temperature in summer is +29 oC, in winter - +24 oC. The amount of precipitation is 1570 mm. Relative humidity is 30% during dry season and 70% during rainy season.
Fauna
Inherent for the fauna of this region are representatives of low-organized mammals, marsupials and monotremes. The latter are the platypus and the echidna. There are over 150 marsupial species in Australia. Of them inpredatory species, marsupial bears and moles, kangaroos have come down to our days. The higher mammals are represented by bats and some types of land mice.
The Gulf of Carpentaria is a great habitat for many birds, reptiles and reptiles. Of the birds known: lyrebirds, cassowaries, birds of paradise, parrots. Of the reptiles, the population of crocodiles, tree frogs, poisonous snakes, and lizards is significant. The Moloch lizard lives here, which has spike-like outgrowths that absorb moisture, which helps it survive in drought.
Moist forests are home to climbing species such as the koala. The platypus lives along the rivers. Arthropods can be found in tropical forests: endemic ants, butterflies. In the north, earthworms live, the length of which reaches several meters. Waterfowl live on the rivers. Only here you can find such ancient forms of ichthyofauna as catfish. In areas with an abundance of grass, several species of marsupials live, such as the wallaby kangaroo. Echidna is also considered a local endemic. Of the harmful insects, locusts, mosquitoes, and mosquitoes are common.
Flora
The Gulf of Carpentaria along the coastline is not deprived of vegetation. Mostly dry-loving species are found here: cereals, eucalyptus trees, umbrella acacias, representatives with a special fabric for storing water, such as a bottle tree. Southern beech, ficus, pandanus also grow. Thanks to the northwest monsoons, which bring moisture, this area is covered with tropical forests with giant eucalyptus, ficus, and palm trees. In flat and siltyalong the banks there is mangrove vegetation. To the south, the forest cover gradually decreases. Horsetails and ferns grow here, the height of which reaches 20 meters. Many European crops were brought here, which adapted perfectly: grapes, cotton. From cereals, wheat, oats, rice, corn, vegetables and fruits grow well.
Economy
Manganese stocks on the island of Grunt Island account for a quarter of the world fishery. Here are rich mines of lead and silver. MacArthur zinc deposits are solid on a global scale. The settlement of Waipa is famous for bauxites. In the field of agriculture, cattle breeding is quite developed. A developed industrial sector is fish production.
The Gulf of Carpentaria is famous for its salmon resources, oyster fishing, and shrimp fishing. Passenger transportation is at the stage of development, and the region is a leader in the field of sea freight transportation. Tourists from all over the world come here for extreme tourism, including underwater fishing.
Memorable places
- On the peninsula of Arnhem Land is the UNESCO-listed Kakadu Park.
- The pristine rainforests and savannahs of Cape York amaze visitors with their natural beauty.
Interesting events
From the beginning of September to October, in the early morning hours, the Gulf of Carpentaria will surprise you with the natural miracle cloud "Morning Gloria". The phenomenon is accompanied by gusts of wind and pressure surges.
The Flinders River, named after the explorer of the continent, flows into the bay.
Grunt Island is the largest island in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Representatives of the Anindilyakva tribe have long lived here. Being on the island is allowed only with the permission of local authorities. To permit the extraction of manganese in copies, money must be paid. The local population of Grunt Island has an amazing vocabulary. It has no words or gestures to indicate numbers greater than 20.
