Australia is the only country that is also a continent. In area, it ranks as the sixth largest country and smallest continent. Australia lies between the South Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. The part of the Indian Ocean south of Australia is called the Southern Ocean in the country. Australia is about 11,000 kilometers ( 7,000 miles) southwest of North America.  Australia is often referred to as being "down under" because it lies entirely within the Southern Hemisphere. The name Australia comes from the Latin word australis, meaning southern. The country's official name is the Commonwealth of Australia.

The blue spot is Wollongong, which is where we live.

Australia is a dry, thinly populated land. Only a few areas along or near the coasts receive enough rainfall to support a large population. The southeastern coastal region has the most people by far. Australia's two largest cities--Sydney and Melbourne--lie in this region. Canberra, the national capital, lies only a short distance inland. The huge interior of Australia is mostly desert or dry grassland and has few settlements. The country as a whole averages only  two persons per square kilometer (six persons per square mile). Australia is famous for its vast open spaces, bright sunshine, enormous numbers of sheep and cattle, and unusual wildlife. Kangaroos, koalas, platypuses, and wombats are only a few of the many unusual animals that live in Australia.

The country was once a group of British colonies, and most of the Australian people are of British ancestry. When people moved to Australia from Great Britain, they took many British customs with them. For example, Australians drive on the left side of the road, as do British drivers. Tea is the favorite hot drink in Australia, as it is in Britain. English, the official language of Australia, includes many British terms. But Australians have developed a way of life all their own. Australia has a warm, sunny climate. The people can therefore spend much of their free time out of doors. Australians love outdoor sports and outdoor living in general, Yep Australians sure do lovwe the outdoors esp. to have picnics.

Australia is one of the world's developed countries. It has busy cities, modern factories, and highly productive farms and mines. Australia is the world's leading producer and exporter of wool and bauxite (the ore from which aluminum is made). It also produces and exports large amounts of other minerals and farm goods. The income from these exports has made it possible for most of the people of Australia to have a high standard of living. In the past, Britain was Australia's most important trading partner. Today, Australia trades most with Japan and the United States.

The first Australians were a dark-skinned people known today as Aborigines. The Aborigines had lived in Australia for at least 40,000 years before the first white settlers arrived. Britain settled Australia as a prison colony in 1788. Since then, the number of whites has steadily increased and the total number of Aborigines has declined. Today, the vast majority of Australians are white.

Facts in Breif

Capital: Canberra.

Official Language: English.

Official Name: Commonwealth of Australia.

Form of Government: Constitutional monarchy.

Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, who is also Queen of Australia.

Head of Government: Prime minister, the leader of the party or coalition of parties holding a majority in the House of Representatives.

Current Prime Minister: John Howard