The island of Tasmania, an Australian state, is located 200 km south of the eastern side of the continent, being separated from it by Bass Strait. Tasmania has a population of 484,700 (March 2005, ABS) and an area of 68 332 km² (26,383 square miles). Tasmania promotes itself as the Natural State owing to its large, and relatively unspoiled natural environment. 40% of Tasmania is formally in reserves, National Parks and World Heritage Sites.
The capital and largest city is Hobart, which also encompasses the cities of Glenorchy and Clarence. Other major population centres include Launceston in the north, and Devonport and Burnie in the northwest.
The subantarctic Macquarie Island is also under the administration of the state.
History
Main article: History of Tasmania
Between 25,000 and 40,000 years ago it is likely that humans arrived in Tasmania. Tasmanian Aboriginals lived farther southward than any other people at about 20,000 years ago. In caves in the southwestern part of the island images have been dated at about 14,000 years. Bass Strait as a land bridge appears to have been closed off about 12,000 to 13,000 years ago.
The first reported sighting of Tasmania by a European was on November 24th 1642 by the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman who named the island Anthoonij van Diemenslandt, after his sponsor, the Governor of the Dutch East Indies. The name was later shortened to Van Diemen's Land by the British.
The first penal settlement was established by the British in 1803 at what is now Hobart. The early settlers were mostly convicts and their military guards, with the task of developing agriculture and other industries. Numerous other convict-based settlements were made in Van Diemen's Land, including secondary prisons, such as the particularly harsh penal colonies at Port Arthur in the south-east and Macquarie Harbour on the West Coast.
Van Diemen's Land was proclaimed a separate colony from New South Wales, with its own judicial establishment and Legislative Council in 1825. Van Diemen's Land was renamed Tasmania (after Abel Tasman) in 1856 in order to remove the unsavoury connotations with crime associated with its former name. The last penal settlement in Tasmania at Port Arthur was closed in 1877. In 1901 Tasmania became a state in the newly federated Commonwealth of Australia.
2006-10-30 05:27:28
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answer #1
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answered by Anonymous
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Tasmania is a state of Australia and is the only state which is not a part of the mainland.
It is an island South of the State of Victoria, in South Eastern Australia. A sea called Bass Strait separates Tasmania from the mainland. The Tasman Sea separates Tasmania/Australian mainland and New Zealand.
2006-10-30 23:10:49
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answer #2
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answered by London Aussie 3
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The island of Tasmania, an Australian state, is located 200 km south of the eastern side of the continent, being separated from it by Bass Strait. Tasmania has a population of 484,700 (March 2005, ABS) and an area of 68 332 km² (26,383 square miles). Tasmania promotes itself as the Natural State owing to its large, and relatively unspoiled natural environment. 40% of Tasmania is formally in reserves, National Parks and World Heritage Sites.
The capital and largest city is Hobart, which also encompasses the cities of Glenorchy and Clarence. Other major population centres include Launceston in the north, and Devonport and Burnie in the northwest.
The subantarctic Macquarie Island is also under the administration of the state.
see here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Tasmania_locator-MJC.png
2006-10-30 04:33:43
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answer #3
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answered by Anonymous
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Tasmania is a small island South East of Australia. Its considered part of Australia.
2006-10-30 04:34:43
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answer #4
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answered by Jacob B 2
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No Tasmania is not a part of New Zealand. It is a state of Australia. The capital city is Hobart.
2016-03-28 01:44:19
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answer #5
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answered by Anonymous
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South of Main Land of Australia. David Boon is from Tasmania. Hope you 've heard about him.
2006-10-30 04:33:01
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answer #6
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answered by jay s 4
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Tasmania is an island south of main land austrlia it is beautiful wonderful forests beaches food people are friendly population of 500000.
Wonderful animals and very beautiful. Very small island you could see it all with lots of walks in 2 weeks.
2006-11-02 04:23:59
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answer #7
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answered by sexygirl 2
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Don't believe that crowd. Tasmania is a state of mind.
2006-10-30 21:53:06
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answer #8
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answered by Anonymous
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It is an island state of Australia located off the south east coast.
2006-10-30 05:11:20
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answer #9
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answered by auskan2002 4
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It is a large island off the south east coast of Australia
2006-10-30 04:36:10
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answer #10
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answered by Anonymous
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