Photo Gallery Australia Dries Up
A farmer surveys a drying dam in Parkes, Australia. Over half of all Australian farmland has been struck by the drought -- including 92 percent of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state.
The Warragamba Dam outside Sydney. The image is from May 2005, but even then, the reservoir was well below capacity -- indicated by the white sign.
It's the same situation at the Pejar Dam 150 kilometers south of Sydney. The dam provides water for a region known for its sheep grazing. Farmers, though, are selling off their livestock rather than letting them die in the dried out pasture land.
A tractor in a dusty, barren field near Canberra. The drought is in its fourth year.
Not much is left of this small reservoir on John Magill's farm in Parkes, Australia. More and more farmers are committing suicide as despair and debts mount.
The drought extends all the way to the west coast. Here, salt-infested dams can be seen outside of Perth.
Australia's Prime Minister John Howard inspecting a devastated wheat crop with farmer Trevor Smith. Until recently, Howard's government has been reluctant to admit the reality of global warming.
Farmers are selling off their livestock this spring as quickly as possible. Prices have dropped by as much as 80 percent.
