Australia

When we hear the word Australia, we imagine boomerang, kangaroo, crocodiles, snakes, etc.

Australia is the only country in the world that is also a continent. It is the sixth large country and the smallest continent. Australia lies between the South Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. It is situated about 11 000 km southwest of North America and about 8200 km southeast of mainland Asia. The name of the country comes from Latin word «australis» which mean southern. The country's official name is Commonwealth of Australia.

Australia is a vast sub-continental land. It is today an independent member of the Commonwealth, self-governing since January 1, 1901. There are 6 states and an island Tasmania: New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia. The capital of the country is Canberra.

Australia is a constitutional monarchy like Great Britain. The? nation is administered under written constitution. The British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, is also queen of Australia and country's head of state. But the queen has little power in the Australian government. She serves mainly as a symbol of long historical tie between Great Britain and Australia. Australia is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations which is an association formed by Britain and some of its former colonies.

Australia is one of the world's developed countries. Australia has modern factories, highly productive mines and farms, and busy cities. It is the world's leading producer of wool and bauxite <the ore from which aluminium is made). It also produces and exports large amounts of other minerals and farm goods. Income from the export enables Australians to have high standard of living. The most important trading partners of Australia are Japan and the United States.

The biggest city of Australia is Sydney. It is located in the state of New South Wales. It's the best-known place in Australia. But New South Wales has more than cities. There are, for example, the Blue Mountains. They are covered with forests of blue colored eucalyptus trees. The air above the forest contains millions of microscopic drops of eucalyptus oil. When the sun shines, the air of the Blue Mountains is a real, beautiful blue colour.

South Australia is the driest of all the states. The only big river in this place is the Murray River. In the early of the Australian history, the Murray River was South Australia's main road. Before real roads and railways came, the river carried people and goods from the east up into the country. Some towns on the Murray still keep the old riverboats, and visitors can ride them.

Tasmania is an island in the south of Australia. It s not big. It's the same size as England. It also differs from the other Australian states. There are no deserts in Tasmania. It often rains, both in winter and summer. Only half a million people live in Tasmania, and a large part of the island is still covered with wild, beautiful wild forests. These forests are full of wonderful flowers and interesting animals. Once upon a time, there was living a nation of Tasmanian people. They spoke their own language, had own culture. In a few decades after arrival of white people, they disappeared as a nation.

Talking about the history of Australia, I should add that Australia as a whole has always been within the British sphere of influence. Firstly, it was the big colony for prisoners. It is a ridiculous fact but it is true. Later, it became an ordinary south country.

Every year, thousands of tourists visit Ayers Rock that is located in the Northern Territory and a strange group of huge red stones, which are holy to the aboriginals.