Jack Goldstein - 101 Amazing Facts about Australia

Title Page

101 AMAZING FACTS ABOUT AUSTRALIA

Jack Goldstein

Publisher Information

Published in 2013 by

Andrews UK Limited

www.andrewsuk.com

The right of Jack Goldstein to be identified as the Author of this Work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1998

Copyright 2013 Jack Goldstein

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. Any person who does so may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

Disclaimer: All facts presented in this title were gained from common and reputable sources in print and on the internet. If any detail within this title is found to be incorrect, the author will be happy to publish a corrected version.

Introduction

In this amazing eBook you can find more than one hundred facts about the country of Australia. Separated into sections such as its geography, its people, its wildlife, famous Australian figures from history and many more you will find some fascinating information inside!

Whether you are planning on visiting Australia, working on a geography project or just want to know more about this beautiful country, this is an excellent addition to your bookshelf. Find the information you need, fast!

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Key Facts and Figures

1. The Countrys full title is the Commonwealth of Australia.
2. The capital of Australia is Canberra.
3. Australia was colonised by the British in the late 18 th century, and celebrates Australia Day on the 26 th of January, the day in 1788 when the flag was raised at Sydney Cove, Port Jackson.
4. Originally, the British used the country as a penal colony, sending convicted criminals to the Eastern side of the island.
5. Australia has six states; these are New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.
6. Australia has a population of over 23 million.
7. The currency used in Australia is the Australian Dollar.
8. Australia boasts the worlds twelfth largest economy.
9. It has a GDP of around 1.5 billion Australian Dollars - thats around 1.4 US Dollars at the time of writing.
10. Australias neighbouring countries include Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and New Zealand.

Famous Australian Figures

1. Dr David Ronald de Mey Warren (1925-2010) - invented the flight data recorder, also known as an airplanes black box.
2. Ned Kelly (1854-1880) - bushranger and outlaw.
3. Eddie Mabo (1936-1992) - campaigner for indigenous land rights.
4. Steve Irwin (1962-2006) - wildlife expert also known as The Crocodile Hunter.
5. Robert Burke (1821-1861) and William John Wills (1834-1861) - explorers who led an ill-fated expedition across Australia.
6. Germaine Greer (1939-) - feminist academic and journalist.
7. Dr Victor Chang (1936-1991) - pioneer of modern heart transplantation.
8. Heath Ledger (1979-2008) - actor whose life was tragically cut short in his prime.
9. Sir Donald Bradman (1908-2001) - Crickets greatest ever test batsman.
10. Rupert Murdoch (1931-) - media mogul.

General Facts

1. The wattle is the national floral emblem of Australia; it was adopted so in 1912.
2. Australia has a fantastic 19 properties inscribed on the World Heritage list, including both cultural and geographical sites.
3. In Australia, it is compulsory to vote.
4. The country has some of the most amazing place names in the world. These include Humpybong, Woolloomooloo, End Of The World, Mount Buggery and Ozenkadnook!
5. Shockingly, it used to be legal to hunt and kill Aborigines. The indigenous people received appalling treatment from the white settlers, something that only recently received an official apology.
6. Aborigines now only make up around one and a half percent of the population.
7. The Aborigines actually invented four types of boomerang; only one actually comes back!
8. Because of the threat of skin cancer, if Australian children do not bring a sun-hat to school, they are not allowed to play outside.
9. The Australian city of Melbourne has the largest public tram system in the world.
10. Kangaroo meat can be found at pretty much every butchers shop in Australia!

Geography

1. Australia is the largest island in the world, covering just under 3 million square miles.
2. It is also the worlds smallest continent!
3. Australia is home to a mountain range called the Australian Alps. They receive more snow than Switzerland does!
4. The island of Tasmania has the cleanest air in the world.
5. Australia is the only continent that is not home to an active volcano.
6. Australia has the lowest population density of any country in the world - just two people per square kilometre!
7. Although you might think of much of Australia as a barren desert, vegetation actually covers 91% of the countrys land!
8. Anna Creek station in South Australia is the worlds largest cattle station. At 34,000 square miles it is larger than the entire country of Belgium.
9. Canberra was chosen as the capital of the country supposedly because Sydney and Melbourne couldnt stop arguing about which one should be it!
10. The longest straight road in the world can be found in Australia - it is on the Nullarbor Plain and is 146km long.

Landmarks to Visit

1. The Great Barrier Reef - coral reef home to some of the worlds most beautiful marine species.
2. Uluru - also known as Ayers Rock, this amazing landmark stands 348 metres high.
3. Sydney Opera House - one of the worlds most recognisable buildings.
4. Sydney Harbour Bridge - an iconic bridge spanning Port Jackson.
5. Bondi Beach - surf, sand and party on this incredible beach.
6. The Barossa Valley - some of the countrys greatest wines are produced here.
7. The island of Tasmania - too much to see to list in one line!
8. The Kimberleys - breath-taking mountains, canyons, waterfalls and lakes.
9. Kakadu National Park - a fascinating trip through thousands of years of Aboriginal culture.
10. The Twelve Apostles - Limestone stacks in Victoria.

Australias People

1. The average Australian drinks 83 litres of beer every year.
2. More than 25% of people living in Australia today were born in another country.
3. The indigenous people of Australia - the Aborigines - have inhabited the island for at least 40,000 years.
4. It is believed that more than one in five Australians is descended from a convicted criminal.
5. More than 80% of adult Australians take part in one or more kinds of gambling.
6. The largest Greek population in the world - besides Athens - can be found in Melbourne.
7. Over 80% of the population live within 100km of the coast.
8. In 1902, Australia became the second country in the world to give women the vote.
9. Recent statistics have suggested the Australia has the highest percentage of obese people in the world - despite it being a sport-loving nation.
10. Despite its history as a penal colony, Australia is a great place to live with low crime rates - the homicide rate is just one fifth of that of the USA.

Australias Most Dangerous Creatures

1. The Box Jellyfish - known as the worlds most venomous creature.
2. Saltwater Crocodile - can snap your head right off with its powerful jaws.