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The continent is the smallest
in the planet, but the country is one of the
biggest.
Australia as a whole is about as large as
the entire mainland of the United States, excluding
Hawaii and Alaska. The capital city is Canberra,
which also serves as the seat of government. The
biggest cities in the country are Sydney (NSW),
Melbourne (Victoria), Brisbane (Queensland), Perth
(Western Australia) and Adelaide (South Australia).
The main language used throughout the continent is
English, which is spoken by abut 79% of the total
population. There are other native and minority
languages, mostly in the bush. |
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Are you
traveling to Australia? You certainly need to know
many things about this great continent-nation. There
is so much about Australia that often goes unnoticed
and unremembered.
But business travelers, tourists,
immigrants and guests are always sure: Australia is
a very good place to go to.
The following Australia information are listed to
give anyone a crash course about what the country
and the continent is. Some of the most modern and
progressive cities are in the Australia.
Many
industries are also active, luring in more
prospective jobseekers. The history is one of a
kind, unlike any other in the world. |
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In terms of race and ethnicity,
Australia is dominated by Caucasians, which comprise of 92%
of the population. Asians consist of 7% and Aborigines and
other races take 1% of the pie. Roman Catholicism is the
biggest religion, comprising of 26%, followed by Anglican
(about 21%), Christian (21%), Buddhism and Islam. About 15%
of the population does not observe any religion.
Major industries are mining, industrial equipment,
agriculture, food processing, chemicals and steel.
Australian agriculture is best known for the best quality
and high export volume of wheat, sugarcane, barley, cattle,
poultry, sheep and fruits.
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In mining,
the continent has a significant reserve of coal,
iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, silver, copper,
tin and nickel.
The country is a major importer of
transport machines, computers, crude oil and
telecommunication equipment. Major trade partners
are the US, China, Japan, Germany and Singapore.
Aborigines first migrated from Southeast Asia into
Australia about 42,000 years ago. In the 17th
century, different portions of the continent were
discovered and sighted by Dutch, Spanish, and
Portuguese explorers. |
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In 1688, the British arrived in
Australia and claimed the vast island its possession,
coining the name New South Wales. In 1788, Britain set up a
penal colony in Sydney, where hundreds of thousands of
English convicts were transported from Europe. In 1839, the
territory stopped being a penal colony.
Today, Australia is significant as a highly progressive
nation, a strong military force and a reliable trade and
economic partner. The country is currently well noted for
its free compulsory education, liberal legislation,
maternity allowances, old-age pensions, women’s suffrage and
protected trade unionism. |
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