AUSTRALIA

Fast Facts  Australia has six states and two territories  Australia is the sixth largest country in the world. It's about the same size as the 48 mainland states of the USA, but has the lowest population density in the world - only two people per square kilometre.

Fast Facts  History – Captain Cook (1788) Aboriginal Australians (around years ago)  Capital - Canberra, specifically built as a capital city  Population - Around 20 million people (80/20)  Prime Minister – PM Julia Gillard

 Australia — both ancient continent and recent nation — is represented by many symbols.  National symbols are often used to represent a distinctive national identity. Some symbols endure, others fade away and new symbols develop as attitudes and values change.

The Australian Flag

The Great Barrier Reef  Includes the air above and the earth beneath the sea  This unique and diverse marine ecosystem comprises about: 2900 reefs 600 continental islands 300 coral bays 1500 species of fish The reef is between 60 kilometres and 250 kilometres in width and stretches from the tip of Queensland down to Bundaberg (2300km)

Kangaroo  The kangaroo first appeared as a symbol of Australia in 1773 with the publication of an account of Captain Cook's first voyage to the Pacific.  Kangaroos have been known to be aggressive if their young is threatened - hence the name The Boxing Kangaroo

Koala  The koala is found in coastal regions of eastern and southern Australia  The word ‘koala’ comes from a traditional Aboriginal word meaning ‘doesn’t drink’  Koalas spend 90% of their time sitting in trees and only come down to the ground to move from tree to tree.  Mother koalas carry their young babies in pouches on their front (like the kangaroo).

Snakes and Spiders  Australia definately has its fair share of some of the world's most painful and poisonous creatures. We have deadly spiders, and of the top ten most deadliest snakes of the world, Australia has six on the list

Uluru  For Aboriginal Australians, Uluru forms a part of Dreaming stories. The centre of Australia represented a challenge for colonial explorers, who named the monolith Ayers Rock, after an early colonial official

Uluru

Symbols