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Informative Information about Australia
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AUSTRALIA
GEOGRAPHICS
DEMOGRAPHICS
TOPOGRAPHY
GLOSSARY
AUSTRALIA
Australia is a unique place.
An island continent, close to the size of the continental United States.
Population - 22 million.
Political system - parliamentary democracy
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GEOGRAPHICS
Australia is situated in the southern hemisphere midway between South America and Africa.
Near neighbours include our close ally - New Zealand.
To our immediate north lies Papua New Guinea - which is financially supported by Australia.
To the north west is Indonesia, a Moslem country with a population of about 245 million.
Australia is about 70% dessert - with arable lands confined to the east coast and other southern coastal regions.
The north of Australia is sub-tropical with high rainfall areas.
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DEMOGRAPHICS
Australia was first settled in 1788 as a British Penal colony. By 1822 no further prisoners were accepted and Australia became an inndependent nation on 1st. January 1901.
Australia's population is 22 million. Primarily caucasion. With immigrants from over 170 nations having been accepted, the country is a multi cultural democracy. The vast majority of population is city based and over 85% of the population is domiciled on the eastern side of the country.
Ethnic population within Australia now numbers about 4 million or 20% of the population.
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TOPOGRAPHY
Australia is the flattest continent on earth - except for Antarctica. With about 7.7 million km, Australia is the sixth largest nation on earth, behind Russia, Canada, China, USA, and Brazil.
About 70% of the continent is desert, with arable land confined to the east coast regions and southern coastal districts.
Rainfall in desert regions is very low - but in the tropical north can be as high as one metre or more a year.
The Great Dividing Range runs from South to North, along the east coast.
During winter there is more snow in the mountains of Australia than there is in Switzerland.
However, it should be recognised that all capital cities on the mainland rarely if ever see any snow.
Snow is a novelty to Australians as it is rarely seen, except in the mountainous snow fields, which are extensive in winter.
Major Cities:
| Sydney |
4.39 million |
Capital of New South Wales |
| Melbourne |
3.89 million |
Capital of Victoria |
| Brisbane |
1.95 million |
Capital of Queensland |
| Adelaide |
1.17 million |
Capital of South Australia |
| Perth |
1.60 million |
Capital of Western Australia |
| Hobart |
209,000 |
Capital of Tasmania |
| Darwin |
120,000 |
Capital of the Northern Territory |
| Canberra |
345,000 |
National Capital |
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Populations by States - 2008 Census Data
| New South Wales |
7,041,000 |
| Victoria |
5,364,000 |
| Queensland |
4,349,000 |
| Western Australia |
2,204,000 |
| South Australia |
1,612,000 |
| Tasmania |
500,000 |
| Australian Capital Territory |
347,000 |
| Northern Territory |
221,000 |
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GLOSSARY of Uniquely Australian Terms
| Barney |
A dispute or argument |
| Dunny |
A toilet |
| Fair Dinkum |
Truthful |
| Cobber |
A friend |
| Donga |
Any sparsely populated rural area |
| Drongo |
A fool |
| Dunny |
A toilet |
| G'Day |
Good day - a Greeting |
| Hard Yakka |
Hard work |
| Outback |
Out in the bush |
| Plonk |
Cheap Alcohol |
| Ratbag |
Likeable rogue |
| Roo |
Kangaroo |
| Skite |
To boast |
| Sly-grog |
To sell liquor illegally |
| Smoko |
A Work Break |
| Squib |
Someone who shirks the issue |
| The Big Smoke |
A city |
| To jack up |
To stubbornly refuse to budge |
| Tucker |
Food |
| Willy Willy |
A small upward spiraling dust storm |
| Woop Woop |
Outback |
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