Around the world

• Name: Commonwealth of Australia

• Government: Democracy

• Population: 23, 6 million (2013)

• Capital: Canberra with 380,000 people (2013)

• Language: English

• Currency: 1 Australian Dollar=100 Cents

Australia Geography

Australia is the smallest inhabited continent of the seven continents can also be considered the largest island in the world. In fact it is an island continent.

The country is divided into six states (Southern Australia, Western Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania) and two self-governing territories: Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory (which is around Canberra, the capital city). 

The main cities in Australia are: Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Darwin, Adelaide, Hobart and Canberra (capital city)

The highest mountain of Australia is Mount Kosciuszko with 2.228metres or 7,310ft. Ayers Rock also called 'Uluru' which is in the centre of the country is the largest alone standing rock in the world.

The Great Barrier Reef in Eastern Australia is the biggest coral reef in the world. The reef consists of more than 3,000 reefs in which live more than 350 species of corals and over 1,500 species of fish.

Did you know? Two thirds of the country consist of desert landscape which is referred to as 'outback'.

Australia Facts:

There are many great attractions in the country. Some of these are:

• Sydney: The iconic Opera House was opened in 1973 and was designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon

• Canberra: The capital city of Australia 

• Perth: the biggest city in Western Australia with lovely Fremantle nearby

• Adelaide: the main city in South Australia and is known for one of the largest Christmas parades in the world. 

• Brisbane: centre of the Gold Coast with numerous resorts for an exciting beach holiday

• Great Barrier Reef: Great for snorkelling and diving. Cairns is a popular beach resort town on the Northern Coast.

Aborigines make up 2% of Australia's population today. The 'aborigines' are the indigenous Australians who originally settled on the continent and are said to have migrated there from the Australasian continent over 60,000 years ago.

Today aborigines live in all main centres but most of them still live in the desert areas of the Australian outback. The 'outback' is the vast, dry and remote inland parts of the Australian continent. Some aboriginal people live still in the sacred area around Ayres Rock, a huge rock formation in the centre of the continent. The aborigines call this sacred mountain 'Uluru'.

They also settle in the Northern Territory in Kakadu National Park, which they call 'Arnhem Land', the land of their ancestors.

On the image above, you can see a man playing the digeridoo, a kind of wooden trumpet, which is really difficult to play.

Australian Animals

Australia is home to many animal species. On the image above you can see a wombat, a marsupial. Like the kangaroos, they carry their young in their pouch. Wombats have sharp teeth, but are herbivores that means they eat grasses, bark and roots. They mainly are night-active, but can also be seen out looking for food on cool and overcast days.

Zdroj: http://www.kids-world-travel-guide.com/australia-facts.html