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People always want to learn
interesting bits and pieces about a person, animal, place or
thing.
To indulge your appetite for knowledge, here are a
few interesting facts about the beautiful region of
Australia.
Australia is the country that makes up the mainland of the
Australian continent down the Southern Hemisphere.
Its
population for the year 2009 is estimated at 22,095,000. Australia’s capital is the beautiful
city of Canberra, which is the largest inland city with a
population of approximately 345,000.
However, more popular
to foreign people is the equally charming city of Sydney,
which is also the country’s largest. |
Sydney, which serves as the state
capital of New South Wales, has a population of around
4,399,722.
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Citizens of Australia are a happy and contented people. Men
generally have a life expectancy of 75 years while women
have 80 years. But of course, one can never live long enough
to enjoy the abundance of wealth and beauty that Australia
has to offer.
The country serves as the world’s major exporter of very
important goods such as alumina, coal, diamonds, lead,
mineral sands, sheep, and refined zinc ores. Other prime
products of Australia include beef, cereals, iron ore, lamb,
mutton, nickel and veal. Australia has a widely varied
climate, but mostly desert or semi-arid climate with
sand dunes covering around forty percent of its land
mass. |
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Nevertheless, the country offers
fairly amicable weather in most areas. Temperate climate can
be experienced in the southeast and southwest region, while
the nice tropical climate can be enjoyed in the northern
part.
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Climate here varies
from part desert, to grasslands to tropical
rainforests. The southern part has an annual
rainfall of around 100 mm, which is the lowest
annual precipitation. The highest, an annual mean of
4400 mm, occurs in Queensland.
Lakes and rivers of
this lovely place are also things of interest. Lake Gairdner
is Australia’s largest, measuring approximately
4,300 sq. km., while Lake Argyle makes it as the
country’s largest artificial lake with 700 sq. km.
Deepest of the lakes is Lake St. Claire.
Longest river in Australia is the Murray River,
extending up to 2,520 km and covering over 15% of
the continent. |
This humongous river serves water to four
Australian states plus the ACT. One third of the country’s
agricultural production, twenty-five percent of its beef and
dairy herds, and fifty percent of its croplands and sheep,
also depend on Murray River for water needs.
This massive
river carries around sixty-two percent of Australia’s
irrigated land and comprises fifty percent of the southern
region’s water supply.
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