What is the name given to the vast rural area in the center of the Australian continent?

What natural features explain the very sparse population of this area?

Please help i'm very confused and all the websites have different info.

1 answer

It's called the Outback.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outback

http://www.google.com/search?q=outback+australia&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=ZDBCUvubLcTw2gWVl4G4Dw&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=711&bih=453&dpr=1