Australia
Flag of Australia
Australia's flag is also called the Commonwealth Blue Ensign
It has three main design elements on a deep blue background.
They are:
The British Union Jack flag is in the upper left corner - noting Australia's ties to Great Britain
The Southern Cross constellation (5 stars) is on the right side of the flag
The Southern Cross is a major navigational constellation in the Southern Hemisphere
The large, white, seven-pointed Commonwealth Star (also called the Star of Federation) -is symbolic of the original states of Australia
Interesting Facts
Australia is the driest inhabited continent on earth
The Australian federation consists of six States and two Territories
The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 through the federation of six states under a single constitution
Australia is one of the most cosmopolitan and dynamic societies in the world
Over 200 languages are spoken, with English the common language
The nation has thriving ethnic media, an international business reputation, an innovative artistic community, diverse religious and cultural activities
Australia is the driest inhabited continent on earth
Australia was the second country to give women the vote
Almost three-quarters of the land cannot support agriculture in any form
The 'dingo fence' in Australia is the longest fence in the world, and is about twice as long as the Great Wall of China
The capital of Australia is Canberra
The population of Australia in 1992 was 17,562,000
The average Australian will consume 165,000 eggs in his or her lifetime
The Great Barrier Reef is the longest reef in the world at over 2010 kilometers
Australia is known as the smallest continent in the world
There are over 6000 species of flies, about 4000 species of ants, and there are about 350 species of termites in Australia
Australia has the world's largest population of wild camels with one hump
There are more than 150 million sheep in Australia, and only some 20 million people.
The Tasmanian Devil does exist, and it has the jaw strength of a crocodile
Map of Australia
Her Majesty Elizabeth II
Queen of Australia
Australia’s Head of State is Queen Elizabeth II
Prime Minister: Kevin Rudd
Rudd is the Prime Minister of Australia and the head of the Australian Government
Rudd is the 26th and current Prime minister of Australia
He is federal leader of the center-left Australian Labor Party (ALP)
In the Commonwealth of Australia the Prime Minister holds the most powerful political position
The Prime minister is the leader of the political party and gains the majority of support from the House of Representatives.
Rudd is the first Prime Minister to make no mention of the Queen in his oath of office
Government
The formal name of Australia’s government is the Commonwealth of Australia
The form of government used in Australia is a Constitutional Monarchy – ‘Constitutional’ because the powers and procedures of the Commonwealth Government are defined by a written constitution, and ‘Monarchy’ because Australia’s Head of State is Queen Elizabeth II
The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 when six independent British colonies agreed to join together and become states of a new nation
The Politics of Australia take place within the framework of parliamentary democracy
Parliaments and councils are legislating (law-making) bodies
Australia’s parliaments make laws according to federal and state constitutions
xecutive governments devise and administer the law
Local by-laws are administered by council officers
The House of Representatives has 150 members and they serve a three year terms
The Senate has 76 members Electors chose territorial senators for three-year terms
The state senators serve a six-year term
Australian Capital Building
*The capital of Australia is Canberra
It is located in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
Australian Currency:
Australia was the first country in the world to have a complete system of bank notes made from plastic (polymer)
These notes provide much greater security against counterfeiting
They last four times as long as conventional paper (fibrous) notes
In 1963, Australia initiated the change to decimal currency
The $2 coin, which replaced the two dollar note in 1988
The Australian dollar, which divides into 100 cents, is the national currency
The $1 coin, which replaced the $1 note in 1984
Australia’s colorful bank notes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollars
Australian Coins:
The $2 coin replaced the two dollar note in 1988
The $1 coin replaced the $1 note in 1984, depicts five kangaroos
The standard $1 design, along with the 50, 20, 10 and 5 cent designs, was created by the Queen’s official jeweler, Stuart Devlin
The Australian dollar, which divides into 100 cents, is the national currency
Coins represent 5, 10, 20, and 50 cent values and 1 and 2 dollar values
Religions in Australia
*Christianity is the highest at 67 percent
*Buddhism and Islam both at around 1.5 percent
*Around 18.7 percent of Australians have no religion
*Of the Christian denominations -
the Catholic Church is the largest,
followed by the Anglican
and the Uniting Church
Australia is an open/democratic multi race society. ALL religions are welcomed and most are represented. The majority religions are Christian
Agricultural Products
of Australia
*Australia is a major agricultural producer and exporter
*dairying
*prime lamb
*beef
*wheat
*wool
*wool production
Famous Landmarks in
Australia
Ayers Rock
*Uluru is the world's largest monolith
*It is a dedicated Aboriginal sacred site
*It is located in the Northern Territory near the city of Alice Springs
*Was once known as the Ayers rock
*This most striking landmark changes its color and perception
depending on the time of day and the season
Sydney Harbour Bridge
*The Sydney Harbor Bridge was opened in 1932
*It took nine years to build
*The Sydney Harbor Bridge is the largest single arch bridge in the world
*It is nicknamed the coathanger because of its unique look
*The Sydney Harbor Bridge is over a kilometer long
*The Sydney Harbor Bridge was opened in 1932
*It took nine years to build
*The Sydney Harbor Bridge is the largest single arch bridge in the world
*It is nicknamed the coathanger because of its unique look
*The Sydney Harbor Bridge is over a kilometer long
*The Great Barrier Reef is located to the East of the State of Queensland
* It is the largest coral reef in the world
*The coral reef has several thousand organisms (living things) living together
*It takes 100 years for 1 inch of coral to grow
It gives life to over 1500 types of fish
*There are very strict laws regarding fishing within the reef
*It is one Australia's largest tourist attractions
*About 1.5 million people visit the reef annually
Sydney Opera House
*The Sydney Opera House was opened by Queen Elizabeth the Second on the 20th of October 1973
*It located close to the heart of Sydney
*It is easily recognized by its multiple "sail" roof
*It is said to be the busiest performing Arts Center in the world with over 3000 events per year
Australia Arts
Aboriginal cave art
Australia is known for their international recognition in:
*films
*music
*opera
*painting
*theater
*dance
*crafts
They are also known for their:
*galleries (even in small towns)
*ballet
*symphony orchestras
Music in Austraila
Aboriginal Music
*Aboriginal song was and remains an integral part of
Aboriginal culture since time immemorial
*Didgeridoo is a wooden instrument used by the Aboriginals
Pop
Rock
Classical
Jazz
Country
Metal
Pub Rock
Click on the arrow and listen to some
Aboriginal Music of Australia
Australian Foods
*Fresh produce
*Seafood
*Barbecues
*Sausage Sizzles
*Pasta
*Pizza
*Casseroles
*Focaccias
*Risotto
*Curry dishes
*Steak
*Chicken
*Roast turkey
*Ham
*Steamed or
Stir-fried vegetables
and
Kangaroo