Welcome to the Island of

Australia

Australia is an island continent located southeast of Asia

and forming, with the nearby island of Tasmania, the
Commonwealth of Australia.

The Commonwealth of Australia is made up of six states-

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia,
Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia-and two
territories-the Australian Capital Territory and the
Northern Territory.

The external dependencies of Australia are the Territory

of Ashmore and Cartier Islands, the Australian Antarctic
Territory, Christmas Island, the Cocas Islands (also called
the Keeling Islands), the Coral Sea Islands, the Heard
Island and McDonald Islands, and Norfolk Island.

The first people to live in Australia, called Aborigines,

migrated there about 40,000 years ago. The continent
remained relatively unknown by outsiders until the 17th
century. The first European settlement by British convicts
occurred in 1788 at Botany Bay in southeastern Australia.
Australia grew as a group of British colonies during the
19th century, and in 1901 the colonies federated to form
a unified independent nation.

Today, Australia is a federal parliamentary democracy, an

independent self-governing state and a member of the
Commonwealth of Nations. The constitution of Australia,
which became effective in 1901, is based on British
parliamentary traditions, and includes elements of the
United States system. The head of state is the British
sovereign, and the head of government is the Australian
prime minister, who is responsible to the Australian
Parliament. All powers not delegated to the federal
government are reserved to the states. Australia is a
founding member of the United Nations.

Australia is one of the world's flattest landmasses. The

average elevation is about 300 m (about 1,000 ft). The
interior, referred to as the outback, is predominantly a
series of low plateaus, which are generally higher in the
northeast. Low-lying coastal plains, averaging about 65
km (about 40 mi) in width, fringe the continent. In the
east, southeast, and southwest, these plains are the most
densely populated areas of Australia.

The coastline of Australia is generally regular, with few

bays or capes. The largest inlets are the Gulf of
Carpentaria in the north and the Great Australian Bight in
the south. The several fine harbors include those of
Sydney, Hobart, Port Lincoln, and Albany.

The climate of Australia varies greatly from region to

region, but the continent is not generally subject to
marked extremes of weather. The climate ranges from
tropical in the north to temperate in the south. The
tropical region, which includes about 40 percent of the
total area of Australia, essentially has only two seasons: a
hot, wet period with rains falling mainly in February and
March, and a warm, dry interval characterized by the
prevalence of southeastern winds. In central and northern
Australia average summer temperatures range between
27° and 29°C (80° and 85°F).

The warm, temperate regions of southern Australia have

four seasons, with cool winters and warm summers.
Because Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, seasons
there are the reverse of those in the Northern
Hemisphere. January and February are the warmest
months, with average temperatures varying between 18°
and 21°C (65° and 70°F). June and July are the coldest
months, with an average July temperature of about 10°C
(about 50°F), except in the Australian Alps, where
temperatures average 2°C (35°F). The eastern coastal
lowlands receive rain in all seasons, although mainly in
summer. The warm temperate western and southern
coasts receive rain mainly in the winter months.
Tasmania, lying in the cool temperate zone, receives
heavy rainfall in summer and cyclonic storms in winter.
Over the greater part of the lowlands, snow is unknown;
however, in the mountains, particularly the Australian
Alps in southern New South Wales and the northern part
of Victoria, snowfall is occasionally heavy.

The continent of Australia has a distinctive flora that

includes many species not found elsewhere. Of the
22,000 species of plants in Australia, more than 90
percent occur naturally there.

Australia's vegetation is predominantly evergreen,

ranging from the dense bushland and eucalyptus forests
of the coast, to mulga and mallee scrub and saltbush of
the inland plains. The tropical northeastern belt, with its
heavy rainfall and high temperatures, is heavily forested.
Palms, ferns, and vines grow prolifically among the oaks,
ash, cedar, brush box, and beeches. Mangroves line the
mud flats and inlets of the low-lying northern coastline.
The crimson waratah, golden-red banksias, and scarlet
firewheel tree add color to the northern forests.

The animal kingdom of Australia is both unique and

primitive. Seven families of mammals and four families of
birds are classified as native to the country. About 70
percent of the birds, 88 percent of the reptiles, and 94
percent of the frogs are unique to Australia.

One aspect of Australia's mammal life is the absence of

representatives of most of the orders found on other
continents. However, the primitive, egg-laying mammals
known as monotremes are found most abundantly in
Australia. One of them, the platypus, a zoological
curiosity, is an aquatic, furred mammal with a bill like
that of a duck and with poisonous spurs. It lives in the
streams of southeastern Australia. Another monotreme of
Australia is the spiny anteater, or echidna.

Most native mammals are marsupials, the young of which

are nourished in an external marsupium, or abdominal
pouch. The best-known marsupials of Australia are the
kangaroos, which include about 50 species. The kangaroo
is vegetarian and can be tamed. The large red or gray
kangaroo may stand as high as 2 m (7 ft) and can leap up
to 9 m (30 ft). The wallaby and kangaroo rat are smaller
members of the kangaroo family. The phalanges’ are
herbivorous marsupials that live in trees; they include the
possum and the koala, a popular fur-bearing animal that
is protected throughout Australia. Other well-known
marsupials are the burrowing wombat, bandicoot, and
pouched mouse. The carnivorous Tasmanian devil,
principally a scavenger, is found only on the island of
Tasmania.

The continent contains a variety of reptile life. It has two

species of crocodiles, the smaller of which is found in
inland fresh waters. The larger, fierce saurian crocodile of
the northern coastal swamps and estuaries attains
lengths of 6 m. There are more than 500 species of
lizards, including the gecko, skink, and the giant goanna.
About 100 species of venomous snakes are found in
Australia. The taipan of the far north, the death adder,
the tiger snake of southern Australia, the copperhead,
and the black snake are the best known of the poisonous
snakes.

The waters surrounding Australia support a wide variety

of fish and aquatic mammals. Several species of whales
are found in southern waters, and seals inhabit parts of
the southern coast, the islands in Bass Strait, and
Tasmania. The northern waters supply dugong, trepang,
trochus, and pearl shell. Edible fish and shellfish are
abundant, and the oyster, abalone, and crayfish of the
warmer southern waters have been exploited
commercially.

Australia is the home of 751 known species of birds,

ranging from primitive types, such as the giant, flightless
emu and cassowary, to highly developed species. The
fan-tailed lyrebird has great powers of mimicry. The male
bowerbirds build intricate and decorative playgrounds to
attract females. The kookaburra, or laughing jackass, is
noted for its raucous laughter. Many varieties of
cockatoos and parrots are found; the budgerigar is a
favorite of bird fanciers. The white cockatoo, a clever
mimic, is a common feature of the Australian jungles.
Black swans, spoonbills, herons, and ducks frequent
inland waters. Smaller birds include wrens, finches,
titmice, larks, and swallows. Gulls, terns, gannets, mutton
birds, albatrosses, and penguins are the most common
seabirds.
Australia's flora includes many species not found
elsewhere. Of the 22,000 species of plants in Australia,
more than 90 percent occur naturally there.

The island's vegetation is predominantly evergreen,

ranging from the dense bush land and eucalyptus forests
of the coast, to mulga and mallee scrub and saltbush of
the inland plains. The tropical northeastern belt, with its
heavy rainfall and high temperatures, is heavily forested.
Palms, ferns, and vines grow prolifically among the oaks,
ash, cedar, brush box, and beeches. Mangroves line the
mud flats and inlets of the low-lying northern coastline.
The crimson waratah, golden-red banksias, and scarlet
firewheel tree add color to northern forests.

The Aborigines were the first inhabitants of Australia.

Most anthropologists believe they migrated to the
continent at least 40,000 years ago, and that most of the
continent was occupied 30,000 years ago. Although
Chinese, Malaysian, Indonesian, and Arab seafarers may
have landed in northern Australia well before ad 1500,
Australia was essentially unknown in the West until the
17th century.

Aborigines have made mysterious and beautiful rock

paintings for tens of thousands of years. This prehistoric
rock painting depicts a large serpent and precisely drawn
geometric shapes on a background of red ochre, a natural
pigment. The meaning of such symbols from the past is
not entirely clear, but Aborigines continue to make rock
paintings today with similar themes.

Aboriginal folklore claims that the Aborigines were always

in Australia. However, most anthropologists believe that
the Aborigines migrated from Southeast Asia at least
40,000 years ago, probably during a period when low sea
levels permitted the simplest forms of land and water
travel. A rise in sea level subsequently made Tasmania
an island and caused some cultural separation between
its peoples and those on the mainland.

These original Australians were essentially hunter-

gatherers without domesticated animals, other than the
dingo, which was introduced by the Aborigines between
3,000 and 4,000 years ago. The Aborigines employed a
type of "firestick farming" in which fire was used to clear
areas so that fresh grazing grasses could grow, thereby
attracting kangaroos and other game animals. Aborigines
also may have harvested and dispersed selected seeds.
Those widespread operations may have been responsible
for extensive tracts of grassland. There is evidence of
careful damming and redirection of streams and of
swamp and lake outlets, possibly for fish farming.

Although the Aborigines were nomadic or semi nomadic,

their sense of place was exceptionally strong and they
had an intimate knowledge of their home landscapes. A
growing historical record points to the existence of some
permanent or semi permanent stone villages. The most
recent 3,000 years of Aboriginal history were
characterized by accelerating changes based on the use
of stone tools, the exploitation of new resources, the
growth of the population, and the establishment of long-
distance trading.

By the time of the first notable European settlement in

1788, Aboriginal people had developed cultural traits and
ecological knowledge that showed an impressive
adaptation to Australia's challenging environments. They
also had developed many complex variations between
regional and even local communities. The total Aboriginal
population at that time was about 300,000. More than
200 distinct languages existed at the beginning of the
19th century. Bilingualism and multilingualism were
common characteristics in several hundred Aboriginal
groups. These groups were linguistically defined and
territorially based.

During the first century of white settlement, there were

dramatic declines in the Aboriginal population in all parts
of the country. The declines resulted from the
introduction of diseases for which the Aborigines had no
immunity; social and cultural disruptions; brutal
mistreatment; and reprisals for acts of organized
resistance.

Until the 1960s the Aboriginal population was mainly

rural. Over the next two decades Aborigines began
moving in greater numbers to urban areas. In fact, the
Aborigines' social and political status was so low that they
were omitted from the official national censuses until
1971.

More than 70 percent of the Aborigines live in urban

areas. Traditional ways of life are still maintained in small
enclaves in the more remote locations, especially in the
north and center of the continent. Every region of the
country is represented by its own Aboriginal land council,
and most regions run cultural centers and festivals.

The Commonwealth of Australia comprises six states and

two territories. The states and their capitals are New
South Wales (Sydney), Victoria (Melbourne), Queensland
(Brisbane), South Australia (Adelaide), Western Australia
(Perth), and Tasmania (Hobart). The territories and their
chief cities are the Australian Capital Territory (Canberra)
and the Northern Territory (Darwin).

The major cities of Australia are Sydney, a seaport and

commercial center; Melbourne, a cultural center;
Brisbane, a seaport; Perth, a seaport on the western
coast; and Adelaide, an agricultural center. Canberra is
the national capital.

"Custom, then, is the great guide of human life," wrote

Scottish philosopher David Hume. Knowing the customs
of a country is, in effect, a guide to understanding the
soul of that country and its people.
Initially, the way of life in Australia substantially reflected
the heritage of the British settlers. Customs were
modified as the settlers adapted to the new country and
its exceptionally fine climate. A culture evolved that,
although based on the British tradition, is unique to
Australia.

Popular culture is dominated by an emphasis on leisure

activities and outdoor recreation. Great pleasure is taken
in traditional backyard barbecues, bush picnics, and a
wide range of organized sports, including soccer,
Australian Rules football, cricket, tennis, baseball,
basketball, volleyball, netball (a game similar to
basketball, played by women), athletics, cycling, boating,
swimming, horseback riding, and horse racing. Fishing
and gardening are popular as well.

Australian fashion generally follows Western styles of

dress, but is distinctive for the lightweight, colorful casual
wear that reflects the absence of harsh winters. Food and
drink preferences are influenced by global fashions, but
also mirror the rise of ethnic diversity and the country's
capacity to produce most kinds of food, wine, and other
beverages in abundance.

Tourism grew rapidly in the late 20th century, and it now

represents one of the most dynamic sectors in the
Australian economy.

The strong growth in domestic tourism has tapped the

expanding range of attractions in each state and
territory-amusement and theme parks, zoos, art galleries
and museums, certain mines and factories, national
parks, historic sites, and wineries. Some of the most
popular attractions are Queensland's spectacular Great
Barrier Reef, the Northern Territory's Kakadu National
Park, and the famous beach resorts in the Brisbane,
Cairns, and Sydney regions.

Australia has about 913,000 km of roads. The capital

cities are connected by bus services. A comprehensive
network of airline service links major cities and even
remote settlements. Because of the long distances
between cities and the country's ideal flying conditions,
Australians are especially accustomed to air travel.
International airports are located near each of the
mainland capitals and near Cairns and Townsville. Coastal
and transoceanic shipping is vital to the Australian
economy. Major ports include Melbourne, Sydney, and
Fremantle, in Western Australia.

Source: syl.com