Australia is a country. Where on the map, capital, population

Australia is a country located in the Southern Hemisphere, occupying an entire continent. There is an opinion among geographers that in fact. This is not a mainland, but a giant island surrounded by the ocean and including a number of islands such as Tasmania and New Zealand.

General characteristics

The country has an area of more than 7 million square kilometers and is the 6th largest country in the world.

The flag of Australia is a blue rectangular panel on which the white British flag is located on the left towards the flagpole, and under it there is a large star and on the left there are 5 more white stars: 1 small and 4 larger.

The largest star and the smallest point to the Southern Cross, the 4 stars to the left symbolize the unity of the states. The blue and white colors of the flag indicate the azure of the sky and the whiteness of the clouds.

The coat of arms is a shield. It is supported by figures that symbolize the inhabitants of the country: on the right — an armed kangaroo, on the left — an emu ostrich without weapons. Both of these animal figures are depicted moving forward.

The official anthem of Australia is the song “Forward, Beautiful Australia”. It was written in 1878 by Peter McCarthy for a sentimental ballad, but later became perceived as an anthem.

In order to take into account the time zones for different regions of the country, a division into 3 zones was carried out:

• Western Standard Time (UTC+8);
• Central Standard Time (UTC+9:30);
• Eastern Standard Time (UTC+10).

There are also non-standard time zones:

• Cocos Islands (Keeling) – UTC+6:30;
• Lord Howe — UTC +10:30 (daylight saving time UTC+11);
• Norfolk — UTC +11:00
• in the villages of Western Australia (Eucla) – UTC +8:45.

The currency of Australia is the Australian dollar (AUD).

The economic development of the country is characterized by a high degree of industrialization and diversification, including such industries as:

• agricultural industry;
• extraction of natural resources;
• mechanical engineering;
• production of consumer goods;
• the service sector.

The political structure of Australia is a federation where power is divided between the federal and state governments.

Australia is headed by the Queen or King of Great Britain, represented by the Governor-General.

Executive power belongs to the Cabinet of Ministers, headed by the Prime Minister. Legislative power is exercised by the Parliament, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Australian judicial system is independent of the other branches.

Location

Australia is located in the Eastern and Southern hemispheres of the Earth. It is washed by the waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, as well as the Timor, Arafura and Coral Seas.

It borders on countries such as:

• East Timor,
• Indonesia,
• New Zealand;
• Papua New Guinea.

There are 10 international airports in the country, including the largest:

• Melbourne;
• Sydney;
• Brisbane;
• Perth;
• Cairns;
• Adelaide;
• Canberra.

There are also many regional airports in Australia.

There are several major railway lines in the country, including the Victorian Goods Route and the Indian Pacific Railway. There are several large railway stations located here, for example, “Whoa-Whoa” in the central part of the country. The length of the road infrastructure in Australia is about 1 million km.

Australia is a country that seaports connect with the rest of the world:

In 2024, in conditions of limited air traffic between Russia and Western countries, it is possible to get there only with transfers in other countries (Serbia, Turkey and others):

Historical facts

The history of Australia began tens of thousands of years ago with the appearance of the first aboriginal settlers who came to the continent through island chains from Southeast Asia. The indigenous population of the country is considered one of the most ancient on the planet. For the next few millennia, Australia was an isolated part of the world.

The first contacts with Europeans occurred at the end of the XVI century, when Dutch navigators discovered the mainland and named it New Holland. The 1st English colony (New South Wales) was founded only in 1788.

The British government exiled a large group of convicts to New South Wales. They founded the first settlement — Sydney, and 2 more were also created: Castlereagh and Norfolk.

In the 1850s, a gold rush began in Australia, which contributed to the rapid growth of colonies. The provinces were gradually transformed into independent entities, as a result, on January 1, 1901, an agreement was concluded on the creation of the Australian Union.

During the 1920s, a unified plan was developed for the creation of a federation. As a result, the Statute of Westminster in 1931 laid the constitutional foundations. By 1942, the process of creating the Australian Union was completed, and Stara received the status of a federal state.

Physical and geographical characteristics

Australia is a country with a unique flora and fauna. This is a state with extremely diverse landscapes: from sandy beaches to rocky mountains.

Relief

The country is located on an ancient platform — the Australian one. Because of this, the relief is characterized by the predominance of plains, low plateaus and low mountains. The central lowland in the east and the Nallarbor plain in the west occupy more than 1/2 of the entire area of the continent.

In the central part of the continent there are low mountains of ancient folding — a Large Watershed range. It stretches for 4,000 km. The average height is about 1200 m, the highest peak is Mount Kosciuszko (2228 m). Aeolian landforms are also observed in Australia: dunes and dunes.

Climatic conditions

The seasons are reversed here compared to the Northern Hemisphere: summer begins in December, and winter begins in June. Most of the continent is under the influence of trade winds — constant winds blowing from the tropics towards the equator.

In the central part, the climate is dry and hot with large temperature fluctuations. It is wetter in the north and south, but the rest of the seasons depend on the terrain and the influence of the oceans.

In general, the climate of Australia can be described as hot and arid. In summer, the average air temperature is about +20-30 °C. Winter is more often warm with temperatures around +10-15 ° C, but in mountainous areas it can be below 0 ° C.

The wet rainy season comes to the east coast in November-May, with the highest rainfall in the north. At this time, floods occur due to cyclones. The dry season lasts from June to October and is characterized by low rainfall.

Water resources

The main part of reservoirs and watercourses is located in the south-east of the country. The distribution of water resources is uneven: some areas suffer from water scarcity.

The rivers of Australia belong to the basins of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The largest are Murray and Darling – their length is more than 2500 km. The climate prevents the formation of large rivers – most of them dry up.

Many lakes are located in the western part of the continent, as well as in the area of Large Watershed Mountains. Salty drains predominate, but there are also fresh ones.

The largest ones include:

• Air;
• Torrence;
• The Grinder;
• Frome.

Geological structure and minerals

The structure has been formed over billions of years under the influence of many factors such as tectonic activity, erosion and mineral deposition.

Most rocks in Australia are formed by magmatism (solidification of magma) and metamorphism (alteration of primary rocks under the influence of temperature and pressure). Sedimentary rocks were formed later, they are represented by sandstones, limestones and shales.

There are many types of minerals in the country:

• a significant amount of black metal ores;
• non-ferrous (copper ore deposits);
• precious metals (gold ore zones);
• coal;
• diamonds and other minerals;
• oil and natural gas reserves.

Flora and fauna

About 80% of plant species and more than 90% of animals are endemic.

Among the plants, eucalyptus forests are the leaders. Various species of acacia and mangrove trees are widespread. There are grassy plains dominated by drought-tolerant perennials and cereals. The ecosystem of deserts is represented by shrubs and stunted trees.

Australia is known for marsupials such as koala, kangaroo and possum. There are also unique representatives of the animal world, such as the platypus and echidna, combining the characteristics of reptiles and mammals.

Feathered representatives of the fauna of Australia include numerous species:

• parrots;
• emu ostriches;
• cassowaries and other birds.

Aquatic ecosystems are inhabited by:

• dolphins;
• whales;
• dugongs and other types of fish.

Territorial structure and cities

Australia is a federal state, which is characterized by the division of the territory into 6 states, 2 territories and a special metropolitan region:

The outer territories of Australia are geographical features that complement the main territory of the continent:

There is also the so—called Australian Antarctic Territory, a part of the continent of Antarctica with an area of about 5.9 million square kilometers with a population of 1,000 people. This space is not internationally recognized by Australia.

There are several cities in the country with a population of more than 300 thousand people, the largest of which are:

Also worth noting are the major cities: Adelaide, Perth and Hobart.

Population

Australia is a country in which, according to data for 2023, about 26.5 million people live.

The ethnic structure of the population is dominated by:

• Australians – 31%;
• The British – 29%;
• Irish – 9%;
• Scots – 7%;
• Italians;
• Greeks;
• The Dutch;
• The Germans;
• the Chinese.

In general, representatives of more than 250 ethnic groups live in the country.

More than 1/2 of the residents profess Christianity:

• Catholicism represents almost 1/3 of the population;
• There are many adherents of Anglicanism;
• Various branches of Protestantism are widespread.

There are adherents of:

• Hinduism;
• Islam;
• Buddhism;
• Sikhism;
• Judaism.

According to WHO data for 2023, the life expectancy of an Australian is 82 years for women and 79 years for men. The country belongs to the countries with a high standard of living. The official language is English.

But native speakers of other languages also live on the territory, including:

• chinese;
• italian;
• greek;
• Arabic and many others.

Cultural features

Cultural phenomena are the result of the interaction of indigenous peoples and migrants who arrived on the continent at different times.

Among the holidays, the most significant ones can be distinguished:

• During Mardi Gras, people dress up in bright costumes, arrange carnival processions and dances. It is customary to prepare a variety of treats.
• ANZAC Day (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps). The population celebrates the anniversary of the landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula during the First World War.
• The Centenary of Federation is the day when the 6 self–governing colonies of the British Empire united into the Commonwealth of Australia.
• The Melbourne Cup is the most prestigious horse racing competition in the world.
• Celebrating Christmas.
• Easter.
• Mothers Day.

There are also festivals and national celebrations dedicated to Australia Day and many others. The Chinese Culture Festival and Chinese New Year are very popular among the residents of the country. An interesting honeymoon is celebrated: on Phillip Island, the newlyweds can see penguin parades, as well as feed these birds with their hands.

Tourism and recreation

Australia is a country that is a popular destination for tourism and recreation:

Australia is known for many attractions:

Australia is the only country that is completely located in the Southern Hemisphere. Due to its remote location and isolation, a unique flora and fauna has formed here. Australia’s natural and climatic conditions, location and culture make it one of the most unique parts of the world with a rich world.

Video about the country

The Australia you don’t know:

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