1. The Commonweaith of Austrelia is a self govering federal state. It is situated in thesouth-west of the Pasific ocean, ocuping the continent of Australia and a great number ofislands of which Tasmania is the most important. Australia is a continent-island washed bythe Indian and the Pasific Oceans.
2. The country consists of 6 (six) states and 2 (two) territories. 16 million people live inAustralia. The capital is Canberra. The offical language is English.
3. Australia has a Parlament has two chambers, the house of Representatives and theSenate. the governmant of the country is headed by the Prime Minister.
4. Australia is not only far from the rest of the world, it has a bad climet, too. The climet isbetter in the east and south-east, where most big cities have grown-up. But the northencoast has too much rain, and the westen coast is too dry.
5. The highest part of Australia, and almost all the mountains are near the coast. The wholecentral part of the country is dry; it never rains, there are no large rivers and no water there.So there is no very rich plant life in Australia, except in the east and south-east.
6. Australia is an important producer and exporter of primary products: wool, meat, sugar,fruit, black, coal, iron, copper, lead, gold and so on.
7. Most of the factories are situated near big cities. There are 5 (five) big cities inAustralia: Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and bris bane. These cities are also thecountry's main ports.
8. Canberra was specially planned as a capital. It is a quriet city. All the gover-
ment buildings are situated there. There no industrial plants in the city. About 300000
people live in Canberra.
9. Sydney is the oldest and largest city in Australia. It was founded in 1788. Sydney
is a big industrial centre. About 3 million people now live in the city.
Australia is the biggest island and the smallest continent on the Earth. It received its name due to the Latin "Terra Australis Incognita" – “Southern unknown land”. Australia is the only country occupying the whole continent. Here you can see the super modern metropolises, the driest deserts, the best beaches, coral reefs and much more. Australian cities differ much from the cities in Europe. They look more like the American ones, but still have their own appearance. There are no ancient attractions; it’s a kingdom of glass, steel, modern buildings and comfortable roads.
Sydney is the largest city in Australia and the administrative centre of the New South Wales province. It is the most developed Australian city, the financial and industrial capital. The original Sydney Opera is not only an architectural sightseeing but the leading country’s stage
too. Another Sydney symbol is The Harbour Bridge. The tourist centre in Sydney is Darling Harbour with exhibition centers, shops, restaurants and cafes. Melbourne is the second biggest city and the centre of Victoria province. It has been always struggling with Sydney for the name of Australian cultural capital. Sydney is famous for its Opera, Melbourne – for its ballet. As one of the sport leading cities in the county Melbourne houses the Australian open (tennis) and one of the stages of Formula-1 Grand Prix. Melbourne is a green city with cozy streets and houses. One of the things Melbourne is associated with is tram. It is a very popular man of transport and on of the city symbols.
The capital of Australia, Canberra is a relatively small city. It’s the city of politicians and bureaucrats, but there is a lot more in Canberra. Historic attractions include Captain Cook Memorial Water Jet; New Parliament House; Old Parliament House; Telstra Tower; St. Christopher's Cathedral; the National Archives of Australia; the National Library of Australia; and Canberra's Royal Australian Mint. Another significant city in Australia is Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. It is an elegant city beside the Torrens River, between the Adelaide Hills and the Gulf of St Vincent. It is very green city with a lot of gardens and parks.
The main city of the Queensland state, Brisbane, is the perfect place to relax and have a rest. It lies on the coast and has very good beaches. All the Australian coasts are famous for its beautiful beaches, but the Gold Coast is the most famous one. It is an ideal choice for those who like sun, sand, relaxed lifestyle and surfing. It’s a very comfortable place with good hotels and other accommodation. This paradise strongly differs from the rough deserts in the middle of the country. This part of the Australia is mainly inhabited by the aborigines. There are no good roads, big cities or any comfort at all. There are farms, sands and mines. This territory has its own charm too, but you should know what to be prepared to.
Australia is separated from the other parts of the world, thus its nature is really unique. The best-known Australian animal is kangaroo. There are also duck-bills and other species you can’t meet anywhere else.
