South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent and with a total land area of 984,377 km² (380,070 sq mi), it is the fourth largest of Australia's states and territories. It is bordered to the west by Western Australia, to the north by the Northern Territory and Queensland, to the east by Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, and along the south by the Great Australian Bight and the Southern Ocean. With 1.5 million people, the state comprises less than 10 per cent of the Australian population and ranks fifth in population among the states and territories. The majority of its people reside in the state capital, Adelaide, with most of the remainder settled in fertile areas along the south-eastern coast and River Murray.

The state's origins were unique in Australia as a freely-settled, planned British province. Official settlement began on 28 December 1836 when the state was proclaimed at The Old Gum Tree by Governor Hindmarsh. The guiding principle behind settlement was that of systematic colonisation, a theory espoused by Edward Gibbon Wakefield that was later employed by New Zealand. The aim was to establish the province as a centre of civilisation for free immigrants, promising civil liberties and religious tolerance. Although its history is marked by economic hardship, South Australia has remained politically innovative and culturally vibrant. Today, the state is known as a state of festivals, and of fine wine.

The state's economy centres on the agricultural, manufacturing and mining industries and has an increasingly significant finance sector as well.

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NEWS.com.au | South Australia

Ban saves 200 million bags from landfill
Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:34:00 -0000
A BAN on single-use plastic shopping bags in South Australia has been hailed a success with 200 million bags stopped from ending up in landfills in the first six months.
Man dies after car explosion, fire
Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:27:00 -0000
A 53-YEAR-OLD man has died after an explosion and fire engulfed his car at North Adelaide.
Road rage murder charge dropped
Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:38:00 -0000
PROSECUTORS have dropped a murder charge against a man who was linked to a road rage bashing in Adelaide by a DNA sample.
Priest outside pub died naturally - police
Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:04:00 -0000
POLICE no longer believe suspicious circumstances surround the death of 53-year-old man whose body was found outside an Adelaide hotel.
Dead man outside hotel 'suspicious'
Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:50:00 -0000
THE death of man found outside an Adelaide hotel appears suspicious, police said.
Seven-month babies 'can learn to read'
Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:35:00 -0000
PARENTS say babies as young as seven months can read using a program which gives them an edge in life.

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