Australia in Asia and the Pacific Level 3 key terms

A sea area extending up to 200 nautical miles from a country's coastline where that country holds special rights to explore and use marine resources, including fish, minerals and energy.

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, a treaty setting rules for ocean use, including territorial seas, exclusive economic zones, navigation rights and dispute settlement between coastal states.

A line dividing ocean space between neighbouring states, fixing where each country's fishing, resource and enforcement rights begin and end, often the source of long-running regional disputes.

A country made up entirely of islands and surrounding waters, treated under international law as a single unit whose sea lanes must remain open to foreign shipping.

The horseshoe-shaped belt around the Pacific rim where tectonic plates meet, producing frequent earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions across Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines and neighbouring states.

A seasonal reversal of prevailing winds that brings a pronounced wet season and dry season to South and Southeast Asia, shaping farming calendars, water supply and flood risk.

A periodic warming of surface waters in the central and eastern Pacific that disrupts rainfall patterns worldwide, often bringing drought to Australia and Indonesia and heavy rain to Peru.

The economic boost a country gains when a large share of its population is of working age and dependency on others is low, provided enough jobs and skills training exist.

A population trend in which the proportion of older people rises while the working-age share falls, raising pressure on pensions, health systems and the size of the labour force.

The growing share of a population living in towns and cities, typically driven by rural-to-urban migration and natural increase, and often outpacing housing, transport and sanitation infrastructure.

A metropolitan area with more than ten million residents, several of which now exist in the Asia-Pacific, creating concentrated demand for water, transport, housing and disaster planning.

Housing areas where residents lack secure tenure and basic services such as piped water, sanitation and waste collection, common in rapidly growing cities across the region.

A condition in which all people have reliable physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food, affected by climate, trade policy, conflict and transport links.

The movement of workers between countries or regions in search of employment, including seasonal, skilled and temporary migration schemes that shape remittance flows and labour markets.

Money sent by migrants back to their home country, often a major source of household income and foreign currency for Pacific island states and parts of Southeast Asia.

A policy approach that recognises and supports ethnic and cultural diversity within a society, encouraging equal participation rather than forced assimilation into a single dominant culture.

The capacity to recognise, interpret and respond respectfully to cultural differences and similarities, supporting effective communication and cooperation across diverse communities and countries.

The strength of relationships and shared values that hold a community together, reflected in trust, participation and low levels of conflict between different groups.

Systems of understanding, practice and belief developed by First Peoples over generations, including land management, seasonal calendars and ecological observation used in contemporary environmental planning.

Tangible and intangible elements inherited from past generations, such as sites, languages, stories and crafts, that communities value and seek to protect and transmit.

A binding arrangement between countries that reduces or removes tariffs and other barriers on goods and services, and often covers investment, rules of origin and intellectual property.

A tax imposed on imported goods, usually calculated as a percentage of value, used to protect domestic producers or raise government revenue and a central issue in trade negotiations.

A strategy of spreading exports and import sources across many products and partners to reduce vulnerability to downturns or political pressure affecting any single market.

The ability of production and distribution networks to withstand shocks such as natural disasters, port closures or geopolitical tension, and to recover quickly without prolonged shortages.

Investment by a firm or individual in productive assets or businesses located in another country, typically bringing capital, technology, management skills and jobs to the host economy.

Aid given by governments to support economic, social or institutional progress in lower-income countries, delivered as grants, loans, technical advice or infrastructure partnerships.

The direct diplomatic, economic and security ties between two countries, managed through embassies, treaties, ministerial meetings and agreements on trade, defence or migration.

Cooperation among three or more states through shared institutions and rules, used to address problems such as trade, health, climate change and maritime security that no single country can solve alone.

A regional political grouping of Pacific island states and Australia and New Zealand that coordinates policy on climate, security, fisheries and development through consensus decisions.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a ten-member bloc promoting economic integration, political consultation and regional stability, with which Australia maintains a strategic partnership.

The ability to influence other countries through attraction rather than coercion, exercised via education, culture, media, aid and diplomacy rather than military or economic pressure.

Government efforts to build understanding and goodwill abroad through cultural exchange, scholarships, broadcasting and community engagement, aiming to shape how foreign publics view the country.

Adjustments in systems and behaviour to reduce harm from actual or expected climate effects, such as sea walls, drought-resistant crops, early warning systems and relocated infrastructure.

Actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or enhance carbon sinks, including renewable energy uptake, efficiency standards, forest protection and emissions pricing.

The shift from fossil fuels towards renewable and low-emission energy sources, involving new generation, storage, transmission and workforce change across regional economies.

Raw materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and rare earths essential to batteries, magnets and electronics, whose supply security drives regional investment and trade strategy.

A danger arising from movement of the earth's plates, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and resulting tsunamis, requiring building codes, land-use planning and regional warning systems.

A network of seismic and sea-level sensors, communication links and public alert procedures that detects large undersea disturbances and warns coastal communities to evacuate.

Aid provided to people affected by conflict or disaster to save lives and meet basic needs, governed by principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.

Deployment of military, police and civilian personnel under international mandate to monitor ceasefires, protect civilians and support political settlements in conflict-affected areas.

The set of alliances, treaties, forums and informal arrangements through which states in a region manage disputes, share intelligence and coordinate responses to threats.

Policies and practices that lessen the damage caused by hazards before they strike, through planning controls, infrastructure standards, insurance, education and community preparedness.