“information ABOUT AUSTRALIA”

1. “information ABOUT AUSTRALIA”

2. “THE Australian animals” Australian animals are a fascinating group that includes some of the most unusual creatures on Earth. The continent of Australia has vast expenses of desert and semi-arid land in its interior, sub-tropical rain forest in the Northeast, and grasslands and mountain ranges along the perimeter. Approximately 90% of the animals native to Australia are found nowhere else, including the kangaroo, koala, echidna, dingo, platypus, wallaby and wombat. Australia is the smallest continent and is sometimes referred to as the worlds largest island. This relative isolation has created an ecology like no other.  The vast majority of Australian animals are marsupials - animals whose young develop in a pouch instead of a placenta. Australia is also home to the only egg-laying mammals in the world, the amazing echidna and the extraordinarily odd duckbill platypus. Bats and dingos are the only placental mammals to have reached Australia on their own. Dingos arrived from China via the Indonesian land bridge about 12,000 years ago and are the largest carnivores on the continent. Other dogs, cats, horses, cows, sheep and rabbits were all imported by human beings. 

3. “Indigenous Australians” • Indigenous Australians are the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia, descended from groups that existed in Australia and surrounding islands prior to European colonisation. The earliest definite human remains found in Australia are those of Mungo Man and Mungo Lady, which have been dated at about 40,000 years old, although the time of arrival of the first Indigenous Australians is a matter of debate among researchers, with estimates including thermoluminescence dating to between 61,000 and 52,000 years ago,as well as a suggestion of up to 125,000 years ago. • There is great diversity among different Indigenous communities and societies in Australia, each with its own mixture of cultures, customs and languages. In present-day Australia these groups are further divided into local communities. At the time of initial European settlement, over 250 languages were spoken; it is currently estimated that 120 to 145 of these remain in use, but only 13 of these are not considered endangered. Aboriginal people today mostly speak English, with Aboriginal phrases and words being added to create Australian Aboriginal English (which also has a tangible influence of Indigenous languages in the phonology and grammatical structure). The population of Indigenous Australians at the time of permanent European settlement has been estimated at between 318,000 and 1,000,000 with the distribution being similar to that of the current Australian population, with the majority living in the south-east, centred along the Murray River. • Since 1995, the Australian Aboriginal Flag and the Torres Strait Islander Flag have been among the official flags of Australia.

4. “Australia facts” • As of 2012, Australia has an estimated population of over 22 million people. • Australia is the world's 6th largest country by area. • Due to its large size and isolation from the rest of the world, Australia is sometimes known as the ‘island continent’. • The largest cities in Australia are Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. • A desert area known as the ‘outback’ covers much of the land. • The name ‘Australia’ comes from the Latin word ‘australis’, meaning southern. • It is estimated the humans have lived in Australia for around 45000 years. • The indigenous people of Australia are Australian Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. • The highest mountain on mainland Australia is Mt Kosciuszko, standing 2228m (7310ft) above sea level. • The world's largest reef system, the Great Barrier Reef, is found off the north-eastern coast of Australia. • Australia has a range of different landscapes, including urban areas, mountain ranges, deserts and rain forests. • Australia is home to a variety of unique animals, including the koala, kangaroo, emu, kookaburra and platypus. • Although they usually keep to themselves, there are a range of dangerous snakes in Australia, such as the Brown Snake, Tiger Snake and Taipan. • Australia has over 750 different reptile species, more than any other country in the world. • Australia is a relatively wealthy country with a high life expectancy. • Australia hosted the 1956 (Melbourne) and 2000 (Sydney) Summer Olympics. • For more information, check out maps of Australia or take a closer look at the Australian flag.