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Happy Easter everyone. Unfortunately here in the states, there is no long weekend with Friday and Monday being working days. So while my friends and family in Australia are relaxing in the southern hemisphere sunshine, I thought I would take this opportunity to provide some historical background and facts about Australia to my American, European and Asian readers. If you have any questions about Australia, just leave a comment on this post and I will try and get you an answer.
Historical background : Aborigines probably first settled in Australia around 40,000 years ago, having moved down from South-east Asia. A British settlement was established at Port Jackson (now Sydney) in 1788. Initially, the settlement was intended to be a penal colony only, but free settlers soon began arriving in substantial numbers. The transportation of convicts from Britain to New South Wales continued until 1840. Sustained UK investment in urban development, farming and mining resulted in rapid economic growth during the second half of the 19th century. Further impetus was provided by several gold rushes in the 1850s, which boosted immigration. Individual states established their own constitutions and democratic forms of government.
The Commonwealth of Australia (a federation of the states) was established in 1901. Its legislative, constitutional and financial structures were developed in the years leading up to the first world war. A mass immigration programme commenced in 1947, focusing on the displaced peoples of Europe. The result was sweeping demographic, cultural and social change. Defence ties between Australia and the US were deepened, leading to Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam war during the 1960s and 1970s and the Gulf war during the early 1990s. More recently, Australia has participated in the US-led war in Iraq following the terrorist attacks on the US on September 11th 2001. Over the past few decades Australia has also tried to forge stronger commercial and cultural ties with its Asian neighbors. Australia has been enjoying sustained economic growth for the last 15 years.
Country Statistics
Land Area : 7,682,400 sq km (61% agricultural, 5% forest) – This is larger than mainland America!
Population : 21,017,200 (June 2007)
Population by Major City in ‘000 (June 2006):
- Sydney 4,284 – Still the biggest!
- Melbourne 3,471
- Brisbane 1,629
- Perth 1,393
- Adelaide 1,108
- Canberra (capital) 319
Climate : Temperate in the south; subtropical or tropical in the north; hot and dry inland. Hottest months, January and February, 13-28°C; coldest month, July, 0-11°C. Best times to visit are March – Jun & September – December.
Official Language : English
Currency : Australian dollar=100 cents. Current Exchange Rate : $1A = $0.90 US (or A$1.11:US$1)
Public holidays : January 1st (New Year’s Day); January 26th (Australia Day); March 21st-24th, (Easter), April 25th (Anzac Day); second Monday in June (June 9th 2008, the Queen’s Birthday, except Western Australia); December 25th (Christmas Day); December 26th (Boxing Day,)
Fiscal Year : July 1st-June 30th.
Political Landscape : Australia is governed by the Labor Party, which came to power in a federal election held on November 24th 2007. It replaced a coalition of the Liberal and National parties that had been in power since March 1996. The main opposition party is the Liberal Party.
Education Levels: In 2006, 24% of Australians in the 25-64 age group held a university-level qualification, while 30% of Australians in their late teens and early 20s attended universities.
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