THE BRITISH EMPIRE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 324, 10 June 1911, Page 9

THE BRITISH EMPIRE.

POPULATION NEARLY 4Ou,m)0,000. The land surface of the earth is estimated to extend over about 52,500,0001 square miles. Of this area the British Empire occupies nearly one-quarter, extending oyer an area of about 12,000,000 square miles. By far the greater portion lies within the temperate zones, and is suitable for white settlement. The notable exceptions are the southern half of India and Burma; East, West, and Central Africa; the West Indian Colonies; the northern portion of Australia; New Guinea, British Borneo, and that portion of North America which extends into Arctic regions. The area of the territory of the Empire is divided almost equally between the southern and the northern hemispheres, the great divisions of Australasia and South Africa covering between them in the southern hemisphere 5,308,500 square mileß, while the United Kingdom, Canada, and India, including the natives States, cover between them in the northern hemisphere 5,"271,375 square miles. The alteration of the seasons is thus complete, one-half of the Empire enjoying summer while one-half is in winter. The eastern portions of Australasia border so nearly upon the western hemisphere that the distribution ,of day and night throughout the Empire is, like the alternations of the seasons, almost complete, one-half enjoying daylight while the other half is in darkness. . These alterations of time and of seasons, combined with the variety of soils and climates, are calculated to have an increasingly important effect upon the material and industrial, as well as upon the social end political developments of the Empire. This will become evident in considering the industrial productions of the different divisions, and the harvest seasons which permit the summer produce of one portion of the Empire to supply the winter requirements of its other markets, and conversely. The Empire contains or is bounded some of tha highest mountains, Ha greatest lakes, and the most important rivers of the world, Its climates may be said tq includo all the known elinUiics of the world; its soils are no Ims various, Tho effect of climate throughout the Erapiro in modifying tue type of the Anglo-Saxon race has as yet received only partial attention, and conclusions regarding it are of a somewhat empiric nature. ,The general tendency in Canada is held to be towards somewhat smaller size, and a hardy, active habit; in Australia to a tall, sligh-i, pale development, locally kiwwjj as "corn stalkers,", characterised by considerable nervous and intellectual activity. In New Zealand the type preserves almost exactly the characteristics of the British Isles. The South African, both Dutch and British, is readily recognised by an apparently sun- / dried, land, and hard habit of body. In , the tropical possessions of the Empire, where white settlement! does not take place to any considerable extent, the individual alone is affected. The type undergoes no modification. Iho white population ■of the Empire reached, in 1001, a total of over 53,04)0,000, or something over one-eighth of its entire population, which, including native rates, is estimated at about 400,000,000. SUMMARY. Nativo Populations': India 294,191,370 Ceylon and Eastern Colonies 0,i„,954 West Indies 1,012,655 South Africa 5,211,329 British Central Africa 2,000,000 East Africa 7,4i,j,0U0 West Africa !'IB,SB'S,000 Australasia and Islands 824,000 Canada 100,000 _ ■ , 4 . 335,672,317 White Populations 53,040,468 Totol 338,712,785 This is without taking into' account the population ' of the lesser Crown Colonies or allowing for the increase likely to be shown by later censuses. Ihroughout the Empire, and notably in the United Kingdom, there is among tho white races a considerable sprinkling of Jewish blood. The latest calculation of the entire population of the world, including a liberal estimate of 650,0u0,000 for peoples not brought under any census, gives a total of something over 1,500,000,000. The population of the Empire may, therefore, be calculated as amounting to something more than one-fourth of the population of the world.—From {he Encyclopaedia Britanniea.