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SURFACE
AREA
7,617,930 sq km (square
kilometres)
CAPITAL
CITY - Canberra
309,500 inhabitants
Main airport : Canberra
International Airport
MAJOR
CITIES
(state or territory)
Sydney (NSW)
Melbourne (VIC)
Brisbane (QLD)
Perth (WA)
Adelaide (SA)
Gold Coast (QLD)
Canberra (ACT)
NICKNAME
The
"Land Downunder"
GEOGRAPHY
6
states and 2 territories
Highest
point : Mount Kosciuszko
(2,229 m)
6
STATES
New South Wales (NSW)
Queensland (QLD)
South Australia (SA)
Tasmania (TAS)
Victoria (VI)
Western Australia (WA)
2 TERRITORIES
Australian
Capital Territory
(ACT)
Northern
Territory
(NT)
MAPS
political
relief
MOTTO
Coat
of Arms
FLAG
In 1901, the Commonwealth
of Australia was formed.
Until this time, Australia
used Britain's flag, the
Union Jack.
In the top left hand corner
is the Union Jack. This
shows that Australia is
part of the British Commonwealth.
Beneath the Union Jack is
a large white star with
seven points. The points
represent the six states
and the territories. Originally
this star had six points.
The seventh point, for the
territories was added in
1908.
On the right hand side are
the stars of the Southern
Cross. The southern Cross
was chosen because it can
always be seen in the Australian
sky at night.
The Aboriginal Flag was
designed by Harold Thomas,
an artist and an Aboriginal,
in 1971. The flag was designed
to be an eye-catching rallying
symbol for the Aboriginal
people and a symbol of their
race and identity. The black
represents the Aboriginal
people, the red the earth
and their spiritual relationship
to the land, and the yellow
the sun, the giver of life.
The Aboriginal flag is increasingly
being flown by both Aboriginal
and non-Aboriginal people.
In view of its increasing
importance in Australian
society, the Government
initiated steps in 1994
to give the flag legal recognition.
After a period of public
consultation, the Government
made its own decision in
July 1995 that the flag
should be proclaimed a "Flag
of Australia" under
section 5 of the Flags Act
1953. The flag was so proclaimed
by the Governor General
of Australia, William Hayden,
on 14 July 1995.
NATIONAL
ANTHEM
Advance
Australia Fair
lyrics
& melody
It
was declared the national
anthem in 1984. It is a
revised version of a song
written by Peter Dodds McCormick
(also known as Amicus) in
the late 1900s.
More
information
NATIONAL
EMBLEMS
Green
and gold were proclaimed
Australia's national colours
by the Governor-General
in 1984.
Kangaroo holding
a boomerang
the Southern Cross, a constellation
that shines brightly in
the Southern Hemisphere.
gemstone (pierre précieuse)
: opal
AUSTRALIA
DAY
January
26th
EDUCATION
education
system
ECONOMY
AGRICULTURE
World
Factbook CIA
CURRENCY
The
Australian Dollar
Exchange
rate online
GOVERNMENT
democratic,
federal-state system recognizing
the British monarch as sovereign
Chief of state : Queen of
Australia ELIZABETH II (since
February 6th 1952), represented
by Governor General Maj.
Gen. (Ret.) Michael JEFFERY
(since August 11th 2003).
Head of government : Prime
Minister John Winston HOWARD
(since March 11th 1996);
Deputy Prime Minister John
ANDERSON (since July 20th
1999).
Cabinet : Prime Minister
nominates, from among members
of Parliament, candidates
who are subsequently sworn
in by the Governor General
to serve as government ministers.
No elections. The monarch
is hereditary.
Governor General appointed
by the monarch on the recommendation
of the Prime Minister; following
legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party
or leader of a majority
coalition is sworn in as
prime minister by the Governor
General.
PRIME
MINISTER
John
Howard (since 1996) - Liberal
Party official
site
POLITICAL
PARTIES
Australian Democrats (Lyn
ALLISON)
Australian Labor Party (Kim
BEAZLEY)
Australian Progressive Alliance
(Meg LEES)
Australian Greens (Bob BROWN)
Liberal Party (John Winston
HOWARD)
The Nationals (John ANDERSON)
One Nation Party (Len HARRIS)
Family First Party (Steve
FIELDING)
RELIGION
(2001
census)
Catholic
26.4%
Anglican 20.5%
other Christian 20.5%
Buddhist 1.9%
Muslim 1.5%
other 1.2%
unspecified 12.7%
none 15.3%
HISTORY
wikipedia
NATIONAL
PARKS
official
site
FUN
STUFF
Australia
in focus
Australia
for kids jigsaws, quiz,
map...
Sydney
webcams & 360° virtual
tour
SELECTION
of LINKS
worldatlas.com
wikipedia.org
The
World Factbook (CIA)
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