TORRES STRAIT ISLANDS


Meaning of TORRES STRAIT ISLANDS in English

Island group (pop., 1981: 6,000), in the Torres Strait .

They are inhabited by a mixture of Polynesians, Melanesians, and Aborigines. They comprise three clusters: Western (high, rocky, and barren), Central (coral), and Eastern (volcanic, with dense vegetation); each has its own local government. The islands may be remnants of a land bridge that once linked Asia and Australia. They were annexed by Queensland in the 1870s. Pearls, fishing, and tourism are the main sources of income.

Britannica English dictionary.      Английский словарь Британика.