Uluru/Ayers Rock | Location, Map, & Facts

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He holds an M.A. in Japanese studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. As part of his master's program,...</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Kenneth Pletcher</span></div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-11-17T00:00:00CST" >Nov 17, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Uluru-Ayers-Rock/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-14/indigenous-desert-alliance-conference-at-uluru/104592978" rel="nofollow">Female leaders stand strong, have voices heard at Indigenous Desert Alliance conference at Uluru</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 14, 2024, 9:14 AM ET (ABC News (Australia)) </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies multiple medialist slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100" data-type="other"><div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex"><div class="rw-track d-flex align-items-center"><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="157937" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/49/137649-004-186A6C7B/Uluru-Kata-Tjuta-National-Park-Australia-Northern-Territory.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/46474/157937"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/49/137649-004-186A6C7B/Uluru-Kata-Tjuta-National-Park-Australia-Northern-Territory.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/49/137649-004-186A6C7B/Uluru-Kata-Tjuta-National-Park-Australia-Northern-Territory.jpg?w=300" alt="Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park" data-width="501" data-height="391" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/49/137649-004-186A6C7B/Uluru-Kata-Tjuta-National-Park-Australia-Northern-Territory.jpg" data-href="/media/1/46474/157937">Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park</a><span>Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park, Northern Territory, Australia.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><button disabled="true" class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span></button><button disabled="true" class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span></button></div><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref1120356"></span>Uluru/Ayers Rock</strong>, giant <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="monolith" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/monolith" data-type="EB">monolith</a>, one of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/tor-geology" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">tors</a> (isolated masses of weathered rock) in southwestern <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Northern-Territory" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Northern Territory</a>, central <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Australia" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Australia</a>. It has long been revered by a variety of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Australian-Aboriginal" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Australian Aboriginal</a> peoples of the region, who call it Uluru. The rock was sighted in 1872 by explorer <span id="ref1261164"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ernest-Giles" class="md-crosslink ">Ernest Giles</a> and was first visited by a European the following year, when surveyor <span id="ref1261165"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Gosse" class="md-crosslink ">William Gosse</a> named it for Sir Henry Ayers, a former South Australian premier. It is the world’s largest monolith. (Mount Augustus [Burringurrah] in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Western-Australia" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Western Australia</a> is often identified as the world’s largest monolith, but, because it is composed of multiple rock types, it is technically not a monolith.)</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Uluru/Ayers Rock rises 1,142 feet (348 metres) above the surrounding desert plain and reaches a height 2,831 feet (863 metres) above <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/sea-level" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">sea level</a>. The monolith is oval in shape, measuring 2.2 miles (3.6 km) long by 1.5 miles (2.4 km) wide, with a circumference of 5.8 miles (9.4 km). Composed of arkosic <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/sandstone" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">sandstone</a>, which contains a high proportion of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/feldspar" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">feldspar</a>, the rock changes colour according to the position of the Sun; it is most visually striking at sunset, when it is coloured a <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="fiery" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/fiery" data-type="EB">fiery</a> orange-red by the Sun’s rays. Its lower slopes have become fluted by the erosion of weaker rock layers, while the top is scored with gullies and basins that produce giant cataracts after infrequent rainstorms. Shallow caves at the base of the rock are sacred to several Aboriginal tribes and contain carvings and paintings.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/which-is-taller-quiz" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/61/245561-131-DFF45A20/Eiffel-Tower-and-Washington-Monument.jpg" alt="(Left) Eiffel Tower; (right) Washington Monument. Combo using assets (Eiffel Tower) 245552 and (Washington Monument) 245554." class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">Which Is Taller? Quiz</div> </div> </a><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The monolith is within <span id="ref210100"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Uluru-Kata-Tjuta-National-Park" class="md-crosslink ">Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park</a> (established in 1958 as Ayers Rock–Mount Olga National Park and renamed in 1993), which also includes the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Olgas" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Olgas</a> (Kata Tjuta), a group of tors about 20 miles (32 km) west-northwest of Uluru/Ayers Rock. The park has an area of 512 square miles (1,326 square km). In 1985 official ownership of Uluru/Ayers Rock was given to the local Aboriginal people, who thereupon leased the rock and the national park to the federal government for 99 years. The rock and the surrounding park were named a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/UNESCO" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">UNESCO</a> <span id="ref925737"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/World-Heritage-site" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">World Heritage site</a> in 1987, and UNESCO gave the park a second World Heritage <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="designation" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/designation" data-type="MW">designation</a> in 1994 for its cultural significance.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The region’s climate is hot and dry for much of the year, with considerable diurnal (day-night) temperature variation. Winters (May–July) are cool, and low temperatures at night frequently drop below freezing. Daytime highs often exceed 105 °F (40 °C) during the hottest month (December). Precipitation is highly variable and averages about 12 inches (300 mm) annually, with most falling from January to March; there are frequent periods of drought.</p><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="101044" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/41/95241-050-9F27CC94/Woma-python-desert-Uluru-Ayers-Rock-Northern-Territory.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/46474/101044"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/41/95241-050-9F27CC94/Woma-python-desert-Uluru-Ayers-Rock-Northern-Territory.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/41/95241-050-9F27CC94/Woma-python-desert-Uluru-Ayers-Rock-Northern-Territory.jpg?w=300" alt="woma python" data-width="1000" data-height="754" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/41/95241-050-9F27CC94/Woma-python-desert-Uluru-Ayers-Rock-Northern-Territory.jpg" data-href="/media/1/46474/101044">woma python</a><span>Woma python (<em>Aspidites ramsayi</em>) in the desert near Uluru/Ayers Rock, Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park, southwestern Northern Territory, central Australia.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Despite the seeming harshness of the climate, the landscape around the monolith supports a variety of flora and fauna. There are about 400 species of plants in the national park, including mulga trees (a type of acacia), desert oaks and desert poplars, and several types of eucalyptus, especially centralian bloodwoods (<em>Corymbia opaca</em>); shrubs, notably species of <em>Grevillea</em>; and dozens of types of wildflowers, including foxtails and myrtles. Wildlife includes mammals such as red kangaroos (<em>Macropus rufus</em>), a variety of rodents and small marsupials, and the rare rufus hare wallaby (<em>Lagorchestus hirsutus</em>); numerous reptiles and amphibians, particularly lizards such as geckos and skinks, snakes (including such highly poisonous varieties as the death adder), and the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="indigenous" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indigenous" data-type="MW">indigenous</a> moloch (thorny devil); and some 175 species of birds, notably falcons, buzzards, budgerigars (a species of parakeet), and honeyeaters.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="96022" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/99551-050-D8E072A4/face-Uluru-Ayers-Rock-Australia-Northern-Territory.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/46474/96022"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/99551-050-D8E072A4/face-Uluru-Ayers-Rock-Australia-Northern-Territory.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/99551-050-D8E072A4/face-Uluru-Ayers-Rock-Australia-Northern-Territory.jpg?w=300" alt="Uluru/Ayers Rock, Northern Territory, Australia" data-width="1488" data-height="980" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/99551-050-D8E072A4/face-Uluru-Ayers-Rock-Australia-Northern-Territory.jpg" data-href="/media/1/46474/96022">Uluru/Ayers Rock, Northern Territory, Australia</a><span>The northwestern face of Uluru/Ayers Rock, southwestern Northern Territory, central Australia.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Uluru/Ayers Rock is one of Australia’s best-known tourist destinations. Most visitors arrive there via <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Alice-Springs" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Alice Springs</a>, about 280 miles (450 km) northeast by road, although there are scheduled flights to a small airport at <span id="ref1120354"></span>Yulara, a <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="community" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/community" data-type="MW">community</a> just north of the national park boundary. Yulara also has hotel, hostel, and camping accommodations, as well as restaurants and other guest services; there are no overnight facilities within the park. The park is accessible by road from Yulara, and a road connects the Uluru/Ayers Rock area with the Olgas formations. Hiking around the base of the rock is a popular activity, as is climbing up the rock itself. However, the local Aboriginal people have strongly encouraged people not to climb on it. A cultural centre near the base of the monolith has exhibits that introduce visitors to Aboriginal society and <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="culture" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture" data-type="MW">culture</a>.</p><div class="module-spacing"> <DIV class="marketing-INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION marketing-content" data-marketing-id="INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION"><style> .student-promo-banner-wrapper { container-type: inline-size; margin-bottom: 15px; } @container (min-width: 475px) { .student-promo-banner { flex-direction: row; } .student-promo-banner-img-wrapper { margin-bottom: 0; margin-right: 10px; justify-content: flex-start; } .student-promo-banner-text-wrapper { text-align: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; } .student-promo-banner-button-wrapper { margin-right: 0; } }</style> <div class="student-promo-banner-wrapper"> <div class="student-promo-banner d-flex flex-column align-items-center bg-blue rounded p-20"> <div class="student-promo-banner-img-wrapper mb-20 mr-0 d-flex justify-content-center"> <img class="rounded" style="max-width: 100px; min-width: 80px" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/BlueThistle.webp" /> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-text-wrapper ml-0 mb-10 text-center text-white"> <div class="h2 mb-10">Get Unlimited Access</div> <div class="h4 font-weight-semi-bold">Try Britannica Premium for free and discover more.</div> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-button-wrapper d-flex justify-content-center align-items-center ml-auto mr-auto"> <a class="btn btn-m btn-orange" href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=black-friday-2024">Subscribe</a> </div> </div> </div> </DIV></div><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="md-signature"><a href="/editor/Kenneth-Pletcher/6746">Kenneth Pletcher</a></span><span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":1,"pageId":46474,"pageLength":701,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"A","adLeg":"A","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"MEDIUM","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Uluru/Ayers Rock | Location, Map, & Facts | Britannica