General info:

• Area : 7,69 sq. km
  
• Inhabitants : 17,3 mil
  
• Capital : Canberra (310,000)
  
• Other cities : Sydney (3,6 mil), Melbourne (3,1 mil), Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane (1,1 mil)
  
• Inner parts :
  

• Borders on :. Nearest countries are : New Zealand, New Guinea, Indonesia, USA Pacific islands.
  
• Currency : Australian dollar (100 cents) Australia

  General info:
  ╖ Area : 7,69 sq. km
  ╖ Inhabitants : 17,3 mil
  ╖ Capital : Canberra (310,000)
  ╖ Other cities : Sydney (3,6 mil), Melbourne (3,1 mil), Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane (1,1 mil)
  ╖ Inner parts :
  States: New South Wales (Sydney), Victoria (Melbourne), Queensland (Brisbane), South Australia (Adelaide), Western Australia (Perth), Tasmania (Hobart)
  Territories: Northern Territory (Darwin), Australia Capital Territory (Canberra)
  ╖ Borders on :. Nearest countries are : New Zealand, New Guinea, Indonesia, USA Pacific islands.
  ╖ Currency : Australian dollar (100 cents)
  ╖ Languages : English (of.), Aboriginal

  
  Geography : The world s smallest continent and largest island. It is also the flattest continent on average 200m above sea level
  ╖ Mountains : Australian Cordilleras (along eastern coast), Great Dividing Range, Australian Alps (S, highest peak Mt. Kosciusco - 2,230m)
  ╖ Basins and lowlands : Great Western Plateau, Central-Eastern Lowland - with tropical climate and covered with savannahs is Australia s agricultural base
  ╖ Deserts : cover almost whole central-western part. Great Sandy Desert, Gibson Desert, Great Victoria desert
  ╖ Rivers and Lakes : most of Australia s rivers and lakes become dry during summer (creek), two biggest rivers are Murray and Darling; Lake Eyre, Lake Torrens, Lake Gairdner
  ╖ Surrounding gulfs, seas and oceans : Australia is surrounded by two oceans : Pacific on the east and Indian on the west. Seas: Coral Sea (NE), Arafur Sea (N), Tasman Sea (SE), Timor Sea (NW). Gulfs: Great Australian Bight (S), Gulf of Carpentaria (N).

  Political system : Australia is British Dominion, that means that the head of state is the British monarch - now Queen Elizabeth II. She is represented by Governor General. The executive power lays in hands of the Prime Minister and his Cabinet. The legislative power belongs to the Parliament of two chambers - Senate (76 men - 12 of each state, 2 of each territory) and House of Representatives (148 members individually voted). Each Australian state has its own constitution and governor. The main parties are: Australian Labour Party, Liberal Party, National Party, Australian Democrats.

  Agriculture :
  ╖ Animal breed : Australia is famous for breeding sheep. She is first on the first place at world production of wool. Australia is known for some unique animals as kangaroo, koala, platypus, dingo, opossum, Tasmanian devilà
  ╖ Growing agricultural plants : Australia belongs to world s biggest producers of wheat. Eucalyptus trees which serve as a feed for koalas can be found here.

  Industry : In connection with sheep breeding Australia has highly developed textile industry. Also food, chemical, heavy and metallurgical industry is very good. Australia has rich natural deposits - esp. coal, iron ore and bauxite (1st in the world with 32% of world production).

  Brief history :
  ╖ Native inhabitants are called Aborigines.
  ╖ First European who landed in Aust. was Spanish captain Luis De Torres (Torres Strait) - followed by others like Abel Tasman.
  ╖ 1770 - New South Wales was claimed as a British colony by Cpt. James Cook.
  ╖ 1787 - first immigrants from UK landed - most of them were convicts
  ╖ 18th century - other colonies created
  ╖ 1850 s - golden rush
  1st January 1901 - the status of Dominion (second after Canada)
  

  
  
• Languages : English (of.), Aboriginal

Geography :
The world s smallest continent and largest island. It is also the flattest continent on average 200m above sea level

• Mountains : Australian Cordilleras (along eastern coast), Great Dividing Range, Australian Alps (S, highest peak Mt. Kosciusco - 2,230m)
• Basins and lowlands : Great Western Plateau, Central-Eastern Lowland - with tropical climate and covered with savannahs is Australia s agricultural base
• Deserts : cover almost whole central-western part. Great Sandy Desert, Gibson Desert, Great Victoria desert
• Rivers and Lakes : most of Australia s rivers and lakes become dry during summer (creek), two biggest rivers are Murray and Darling; Lake Eyre, Lake Torrens, Lake Gairdner
• Surrounding gulfs, seas and oceans : Australia is surrounded by two oceans : Pacific on the east and Indian on the west. Seas: Coral Sea (NE), Arafur Sea (N), Tasman Sea (SE), Timor Sea (NW). Gulfs: Great Australian Bight (S), Gulf of Carpentaria (N).

Political system:
Australia is British Dominion, that means that the head of state is the British monarch - now Queen Elizabeth II. She is represented by Governor General. The executive power lays in hands of the Prime Minister and his Cabinet. The legislative power belongs to the Parliament of two chambers - Senate (76 men - 12 of each state, 2 of each territory) and House of Representatives (148 members individually voted). Each Australian state has its own constitution and governor. The main parties are: Australian Labour Party, Liberal Party, National Party, Australian Democrats.

Agriculture :

• Animal breed : Australia is famous for breeding sheep. She is first on the first place at world production of wool. Australia is known for some unique animals as kangaroo, koala, platypus, dingo, opossum, Tasmanian devilà
• Growing agricultural plants : Australia belongs to world s biggest producers of wheat. Eucalyptus trees which serve as a feed for koalas can be found here.

Industry:
In connection with sheep breeding Australia has highly developed textile industry. Also food, chemical, heavy and metallurgical industry is very good. Australia has rich natural deposits - esp. coal, iron ore and bauxite (1st in the world with 32% of world production).

Brief history :

• Native inhabitants are called Aborigines.
• First European who landed in Aust. was Spanish captain Luis De Torres (Torres Strait) - followed by others like Abel Tasman.
  
• 1770 - New South Wales was claimed as a British colony by Cpt. James Cook.
  
• 1787 - first immigrants from UK landed - most of them were convicts
  
• 18th century - other colonies created
  
• 1850 s - golden rush
  
• 1st January 1901 - the status of Dominion (second after Canada)