Portal:Tasmania
The Tasmania PortalIntroduction
Tasmania is an Australian island and state of the same name. It is located 240 kilometres (150 mi) south of the eastern side of the continent, being separated from it by Bass Strait. The state of Tasmania includes the island of Tasmania, and other surrounding islands. Tasmania has a population of 484,700 and an area of 68,332 square kilometres (26,383 sq mi). Tasmania promotes itself as the Natural State and the "Island of Inspiration" owing to its large, and relatively unspoiled natural environment. Formally, almost 37% of Tasmania is in reserves, National Parks and World Heritage Sites. The island is 364 kilometres long from the northernmost point to the southernmost point, and 306 kilometres from west to east. The state capital and largest city is Hobart, which encompasses the local government areas of City of Hobart, City of Glenorchy and City of Clarence. Other major population centres include Launceston in the north, and Devonport and Burnie in the northwest. Selected Article Access from the south (Lake St. Clair) is usually from Derwent Bridge on the Lyell Highway. Northern access (Cradle Valley) is usually via Sheffield, Wilmot or Mole Creek. The Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is a bastion of Tasmania's endemic species – 40-55% of the park's documented alpine flora is endemic. Furthermore, 68% of the higher rainforest species recorded in alpine areas in Tasmania are present in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. The park's alpine vegetation is very diverse and, fortunately, has largely escaped forest fires that have caused neighboring regions to suffer. Selected Picture The Thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) was the largest known carnivorous marsupial of modern times. The Thylacine (also known as the Tasmanian Tiger) became extinct on the Australian mainland thousands of years before European settlement of the continent, but survived on the island of Tasmania along with a number of other endemic species, including the Tasmanian Devil. Intensive hunting encouraged by bounties is generally blamed for its extinction, but other contributory factors may have been disease, the introduction of dogs, and human encroachment into its habitat. Despite being officially classified as extinct, sightings are still reported. In The News
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