Dry, large and empty:

Australia is the smallest, flattest, and driest continent in the world. It is the only country that makes up a whole continent. Over 90% of Australia is dry and almost three-quarters of the land cannot support agriculture in any form. The average world population density is 117 people per square mile, that of the United States 76 and that of Macao is 69,000. Australia's is only 6. Lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m, highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m.

Settlements:

The first humans in Australia travelled across the sea from Indonesia about 70,000 years ago. These people are called 'Robust' by archaeologists because of their heavy-boned physique. 50, 000 years ago, the more slender 'Gracile' people; the ancestors of Australian Aborigines, arrived in Australia. Archeology also found that, at the time of their settlement, the Gracile were the most technologically advanced people in the world.

New Holland:

The first European explorers to set a foot on Australian soil were the Dutch in 1606. They left again because the country was barren and had nothing to trade. Until mid nineteen century the country was called `New Holland. The name Australia comes from the Latin `Terra Australis Incognito` which means the Unknown Southern Land. In the eighteenth century scientists were convinced that there would be a huge unknown landmass in the southern hemisphere. This landmass was considered necessary to keep the earth in balance, as most `heavy land` was in the Northern part of the globe.

Australia Day:

This public holyday on January 26^th, celebrates the anniversary of Captain Arthur Phillip raisning the British flag at Sydney Cove and proclaiming British sovereignty over the eastern seaboard of Australia on 26 January 1788.

Capital:

Sydney is Australia's first and largest city. Over hundred years ago Sydney tried to become the Capital of Australia but its convict history counted against it. Also Melbourne wanted to be the Capital of Australia on the basis that it was rich because of the gold rush, it was home to the Australian establishment, and was not founded by Convicts. (Founded by John Batman; son of a Convict). Because Sydney and Melbourne could not agree over which city should be the capital, it was decided that a new capital would be built in the middle: Canberra.

Stolen baby:

On August 17, 1980, Lindy Chamberlain, the wife of a Church minister, told authorities that a dingo took her baby Azaria from their campsite near Uluru. Curiously, the Australian public was more inclined to place faith in the character of a wild dog rather than in a minister's wife and as a consequence, Lindy was convicted of murder. Some years later, her conviction was undone. Yet still, some Australians are adamant that the dingo was innocent. Years later, Meryl Streep played Lindy in the successful movie `A cry in the dark`.

Interesting way of saying things:

Australian English developed from the day the first fleet reached the shores of Sydney. The language is sometimes quite different from American or British English and it can take some time to find out what people mean. Not only do Australians use a lot of slang, like cuppa (cup of tea) or cozies (swim suit) but some words have a different meaning all together. For Example: If you go into an hotel and expect to find a warm bed, you may be at the wrong address as Australians often call pubs/bars `hotels`. More at: Link

Obese:

Australia is the most obese country in the world, surpassing the USA in 2007. So a large proportion of Australians love to eat, but a similar large proportion love sports and exercise. Australia was sixth in the Beijing Olympics medal table (46 Medals), a great achievement for a country with only 21 million people. However many also eat a lot of junk food and who can resist beer or ice-cream on a hot summer day?

Lost Prime Minister:

In 1967, Harold Holt, the Prime Minister of Australia went for a swim at the beach and was never seen again. Theories about his disappearance include kidnapping by a Russian submarine, eaten by a shark or being carried away by the tide.

Great Australian inventions:

1934: Ute- The utility vehicle, with a front like a car and a rear like a truck was designed by Lewis Brandt at the Ford Motor Company in Geelong, Victoria. 1958: Black box flight recorder - The 'black box' voice and instrument data recorder was invented by Dr David Warren in Melbourne. 2005: Two Australian scientists were awarded the Nobel prize for medicine for their discovery that stomach ulcers can be caused by a bacterial infection. Robin Warren and Barry Marshall showed the bacterium Helicobacter pylori plays a key role in the development of both stomach and intestinal ulcers.