The Outback from the air

Over half of Australia lies above the Tropic of Capricorn, but it is home to only five percent of the population. It is a frontier land with little infrastructure, populated by cattle barons, crocodile hunters and aboriginal tribes. Geologists say the Northern Territory, which is the size of South Africa, has abundant diamond, gold and uranium reserves. However, a fifth of the Northern Territory is owned or controlled by aboriginal groups and many Aborigines have joined environmentalist to discourage mining. (REUTERS)