Interesting information about Australia for schoolchildren. European settlers in Australia drank far more alcohol per capita than any other part of the world in history.

I bring to your attention a selection of interesting facts about Australia:

Name:
The name "Australia" comes from the Latin. terra australis incognita - “unknown southern land” (Latin australis - southern, south).
Australia was originally called New South Wales.
The nickname of the Green Continent is The land down under.
In simple colloquial speech, Australians use the word "Oz" to refer to Australia, and the Australian population uses the word "Aussie" to refer to the adjective "Australian".

Flag:
In addition to the Southern Cross flag, Australia has two other official flags - the Continental Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag.

Coat of arms:
The Australian coat of arms shows a kangaroo and an emu together. The reason for this was the fact that kangaroos and emus do not have the physical ability to move backwards, but can only move forward.

Language:
80% of Australians speak English.
Australia has its own dialect of English, informally called “strine”, from the Australian pronunciation of the word “Australian”.

Australia is an amazing place. A country where the culture of people differs in many ways from the usual characteristics of different peoples of the world. It is thanks to this and many other differences that Australia has become so desirable for tourists to visit.

It will be useful for every person to know basic, interesting facts about Australia, allowing you to look at this amazing place from an unusual angle. After all, we know so little about one of the largest countries, occupying the sixth largest area in the world, and at the same time being an independent continent.

Adults will be interested in learning about the political and economic foundations of the country. While children will definitely be interested in the local landscapes and animal fauna. These interesting facts include, first of all:

The country has three official flags, the most common and famous of which has the image of the Southern Cross. The remaining two flags have a symbol representing the Torres Strait People and a flag representing the local Aboriginal people respectively.
More than 75% of Australia's population speaks its own dialect of English, locally nicknamed "Strine", a word that is of native Australian origin and means Australian or Aussie.
Most of the population lives in large cities such as Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, etc. It is noteworthy that Sydney and Melbourne have neighborhoods with blocks intended for the residence of Russian migrants.
The Australian dollar is the world's first currency made of plastic, which allows it to retain its appearance even after falling into water, which is very important in the realities of this country.
At the moment, only 1.5% of indigenous people live on the mainland, and the majority of the population are descendants of British exiles.
The main method of replenishing the state treasury is to provide leisure activities for foreign tourists, because every year about one million people come to Australia from different parts of the world.
The Queen of Britain is the official official of Australia and the head of this state.
A citizen of the country who, for an unjustifiable reason, ignored events related to the population census, or did not take part in the elections, is subject to punishment in the form of a large fine.
The country's road traffic standard is left-hand drive.
There is no metro in any place in the country, and therefore the only broad way to travel around the country is the tram system, which is striking in its scale and recognized by the international community as the largest in the world.
Phillip Island is a striking island that attracts the attention of tourists with a parade of penguins that begins off the coast when the last rays of the sun descend on the earth.
Tourists, in order to look at the untouched fern forests of Australia, have to travel by air from the outskirts of the village of Kuranda to their destination.
The capital of the country is Canberra, the cultural capital is Melbourne, and the most recognizable place is Sydney.

Since Australia is so remote from other countries, the inhabitants here have developed traditions and characteristics that are different from most peoples, which makes this place one of the most mysterious for tourists who, once here, return again, hoping to understand this world even more deeply.

Animals of Australia

Australia is also home to hundreds of species of animals and insects, many of which are found nowhere else other than on this continent. Amazing data about their physiology evokes conflicting feelings, since some of the representatives of the local fauna are unique and amazing creatures, but at the same time they may turn out to be the most dangerous creatures on the planet.

For example, kangaroos, the incredible facts about which read:

Australia's kangaroo population is more than twice the continent's human population.
Bags for carrying kangaroo chicks are an exclusive attribute of the female.
The red kangaroo is the largest representative of its kind, since the weight of an adult can reach 90 kg.
Also, the Australian kangaroo is capable of reaching speeds of more than 55 km/h, easily jumping over obstacles up to 3 meters and jumping 13 meters in length.
Kangaroo cubs are born as embryos, after which, with the help of their mother, they enter her pouch, where they are nurtured and fed for another 6 months before they mature enough to be released into the wild for the first time and become independent.

The forests of Australia are an excellent habitat for some of the most dangerous insects in the world - the funnel-web spider and the red-backed spider. However, since 1981, not a single local resident has died, since an antidote was invented for their poison.

The Australian outbacks are home to a huge population of camels (more than 750,000), which cause enormous damage to local farmers. In order to preserve their plantations, local residents are forced to use repellent devices, build fences and even hunt pests.

The wombat is one of the brightest representatives of the local fauna. The animal is small in size, externally resembling either a rodent or a bear cub. It lives in burrows and can weigh up to 45 kg. Since they often have to fight for their lives defending themselves from dingoes, nature has awarded them with a kind of shield located on the back of the body.

Also among the fauna you can find such inhabitants as platypuses, Tasmanian devils and koalas. Since Australia had little contact with other continents for quite a long time, the creatures inherent in the local fauna are difficult to find in other parts of the globe. On other continents there are simply no mammals, rodents and insects characteristic of Australia.

Facts about Australia for kids

The geographical features of the mainland have influenced many factors in Australia and made it unique and incredibly charming for those who have never been there. Here are some useful facts for school students that will most likely come in handy:

Australia produces more gold and precious stones than other countries.
It is also the driest continent, which is also inhabited by people and animals. The dryness is caused by natural phenomena, due to which only 50 cm of precipitation falls here per year.
Farm ranches are known for raising herds of sheep, and collectively the number of these livestock is more than 150 million.
In 1933, 5.9 million square meters of Antarctica became the property of Australia.
A huge problem in the country is the overpopulation of rabbits, whose population has exceeded 2 billion. For more than 150 years, Australians have been fighting their population.
2.3 thousand km - this is the distance the Australian barrier reef stretches. Moreover, it is visible from space.
The mainland's most important agricultural crop is wheat. Every year, more than 20 billion tons of crops are harvested in Australia. But only a few are engaged in growing corn.
Holden is a brand of the local automobile industry. Cars produced under this brand cost Australians 2-3 times less than a similar car in Russia. It is interesting that the cost of gasoline changes throughout the day. That is, in the morning you can fill up the tank at one price, and in the evening of the same day at another.
The main architectural landmark of the country is the Sydney Opera House. Inside it there are 1000 halls that simultaneously accommodate 5000 people. It is noteworthy that the roof of the building weighs 161 tons, which is a record.
Local doctors and engineers earn an average of 100,000 to 140,000 local dollars, which translates to more than 700,000 in rubles.
Australia is the only tourist country in which unusual buildings, untouched nature and unique customs are combined together, making it one of a kind.

Plants of Australia

The vegetation of the mainland is striking in its beauty and versatility. Among these there are plant species that cannot be found on other continents. There are many legends and myths about these places, which are not always true. However, there are confirmed and truly unusual facts:

Eucalyptus is a common plant in Australian forests, which is also the tallest in the world. The light eucalyptus forest will be an interesting attraction for tourists. Why light? The fact is that the leaves of this plant do not block light as they are always turned parallel to the direction of the sun's rays.
Eucalyptus absorbs more than 300 liters of moisture from the soil daily. Compared to the birch we are used to, it absorbs no more than 40 liters of water per day. So if residents suddenly need areas for development, and the place they like is swampy, then eucalyptus is planted next to it, which dries out the required area of land over a certain period of time.
The bottle tree is a bright representative of the flora. Outwardly it resembles a giant bottle with branches. The fact is that the tree absorbs moisture and stores it in the trunk. During droughts, moisture evaporates and the tree becomes smaller, but the first rain causes the plant to “swell” again.
Eucalyptus grows at an incredible rate. In one decade, it can grow up to 18-20 meters, while the trunk diameter will be around one meter. The lifespan of this green giant is 300-400 years.
The leafless Casuarina shrub grows exclusively in Australia. Local residents dubbed it the “Christmas tree” - since in appearance it looks like a spruce, although features characteristic of horsetail are slightly visible. The branches of the tree are devoid of leaves, but they have flowing hair-like shoots. Casuarina wood is red in color and is used to make furniture.
In the desert areas of the mainland, farms have sprung up to grow crops, the most important of which is wheat. The value of this plant is due to the need to produce food for people and animals, as well as for export profits.
Local residents often mention the legend of a plant that hunts people, but, fortunately, this is just a fiction.

Indeed, the flora and fauna of the local forests and deserts are incredible and amazing. They are rich in a variety of plant and animal species, which often causes surprise.

30 interesting facts about Australia

Australia is an amazing country. When it snows in much of the world, Australians bask on sunny beaches. The most unique and deadly animals live here, which cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

The name Australia from the Latin “Terra Australis Incognita”, which means “Unknown Southern Land”, appeared during the reign of the Roman Empire.

Australia consists of 6 states: Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia. In addition, there are two main mainland territories: the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory, as well as a number of fairly independent islands.

The capital of Australia is Canberra, the largest city within the country and the 8th largest in Australia.

1. Australia is the largest island and smallest continent in the world, completely occupied by one state.

2. Australia is the driest inhabited continent on Earth, the driest is Antarctica.

One third of Australia is desert, the rest is also quite arid.

3. The Australian Snowy Mountains receive more snow each year than the Swiss Alps.

4. Australia is the only continent without an active volcano.

5. 6 of the 10 most venomous snake species in the world live in Australia. The Australian fierce snake or coastal taipan is the most venomous snake in the world. The poison from one bite can kill 100 people.

6. More than 750,000 wild dromedary camels roam the Australian deserts. This is one of the largest herds on Earth.

7. Kangaroos and emus were chosen as symbols of the Australian coat of arms because, unlike most animals, they are rarely seen moving backwards.

8. The longest living structure in the world, the Great Barrier Reef, is also located in Australia. Its length is 2600 km. By the way, the Great Barrier Reef even has its own mailbox.

9. Australia has 3.3 times more sheep than people.

10. The excrement of wombats, marsupials of Australia, is cube-shaped.

11. Kangaroo meat can be easily found in Australian supermarkets and restaurants. Here it is considered a healthy alternative to beef or lamb: the fat content in kangaroo meat does not exceed 1-2 percent.
12. Koalas and humans are the only animals in the world that have unique fingerprints. Koala fingerprints are almost impossible to distinguish from human fingerprints.

13. The largest species of earthworm on earth, Megascolide australis, reaches a length of 1.2 meters.

14. Population density in Australia is calculated in square kilometers per person, rather than in people per square kilometer as in other countries.

It has one of the lowest levels of population density in the world, which is 3 people per kW. km. The average population density in the world is 45 people per kW. km.

More than 60% of its residents live in five cities: Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

15. Australia is home to a huge number of emigrants from all over the world. According to statistics, every fourth (more than 20 percent) resident of Australia was born outside of Australia.

16. Australia has been the homeland of the Aboriginal people for more than 40,000 years. They spoke more than 300 different languages.

17. Australians are the most gambling people in the world. More than 80 percent of the adult population gambles, the highest rate in the world.

18. The straightest road in the world runs through the Australian Naallarbor Plain: 146 kilometers without a single turn!

19. The air in Tasmania is considered the cleanest on the planet.

20. The longest wall in the world is not the Great Wall of China, but the so-called “Dog Fence”, which divides the Australian mainland into two parts, one of which is the habitat of wild dingoes. The fence was built primarily to protect southern Queensland grasslands from voracious dingoes. Its total length is 5614 kilometers.

21. Australians are required by law to vote in elections. An Australian citizen who fails to turn up to vote without a valid reason faces a fine.
22. Houses in Australia are poorly insulated from the cold, so in the winter months, at temperatures below +15 degrees, the rooms are quite cool. It is not surprising that the fashion for “ugg boots” - warm, soft and cozy shoes - came from Australia. Australians wear them right at home.
23. Australians almost never leave tips. Some, however, note that this has a negative impact on the quality of Australian service.
24. Australians sometimes call their English relatives with the word “pome” - an abbreviation for “Prisoners of Mother England”.
25. Canberra became the capital of Australia as a result of a compromise between Sydney and Melbourne: the Australians could not decide which of these cities to give the palm to, and eventually located the capital between two competing cities.

26. Although many indigenous Australians are descendants of prisoners, genetics do not indicate exemplary behavior.
27. The greatest football victory in history belongs to the Australian team, which beat American Samoa 31-0 in 2001.
28. In South Australia there is a farm called Anna Creek Cattle Station, which is larger in area than Belgium.
29. One of the most unusual opera houses in the world
The Sydney Opera House is one of the most prominent and recognizable opera houses in the world. It is one of the symbols of Sydney and Australia.

30. Australia owns the largest part of Antarctica
The Australian Antarctic Territory is part of Antarctica. It was claimed by Great Britain and transferred to Australian administration in 1933. It is the largest portion of Antarctica ever claimed by any nation, covering an area of 5.9 million square kilometers

1. Australians are required by law to vote in elections. An Australian citizen who fails to turn up to vote without a valid reason faces a fine.
2. Houses in Australia are poorly insulated from the cold, so in the winter months, at temperatures below +15 degrees, the rooms are quite cool. It is not surprising that the fashion for “ugg boots” - warm, soft and cozy shoes - came from Australia. Australians wear them right at home.

3. Australia is the only continent on the planet that is completely occupied by one state.

4. Australians almost never leave tips. Some, however, note that this has a negative impact on the quality of Australian service.

5. Australians sometimes call their relatives – the English – the word “pome” - an abbreviation for “Prisoners of Mother England” - “Prisoners of Mother England”.

6. Canberra became the capital of Australia as a result of a compromise between Sydney and Melbourne: the Australians could not decide which of these cities to give the palm to, and eventually located the capital between two competing cities.

7. Kangaroo meat can be easily found in Australian supermarkets and restaurants. Here it is considered a healthy alternative to beef or lamb: the fat content in kangaroo meat does not exceed 1-2 percent.

8. Australia is home to the most poisonous snake in the world: the coastal taipan, the poison from one bite of which can kill 100 people at once!

9. Australia is home to a huge number of expats from all over the world. According to statistics, every fourth resident of Australia was born outside of Australia.

10. Although Australia is associated with a sunny, snow-free country, there is more snow in the Australian Alps than in all of Switzerland!

11. The Great Barrier Reef has its own mailbox. Having reached it by ferry, you can send your family a postcard with views of the reef.

12. The greatest football victory in history belongs to the Australian team, which beat American Samoa 31-0 in 2001.

13. The straightest road in the world runs through the Australian Naallarbor Plain: 146 kilometers without a single turn!

14. Australians are crazy about gambling. According to statistics, about 80% of Australians gamble at least occasionally.

15. Although many indigenous Australians are descendants of prisoners, this has no effect on genetics: according to statistics, the Australian population is the most law-abiding in the world.

16. The longest wall in the world is not the Great Wall of China, but the so-called “Dog Fence”, which divides the Australian mainland into two parts, one of which is the habitat of wild dingoes. The fence was built primarily to protect southern Queensland grasslands from voracious dingoes. Its total length is 5614 kilometers.

17. Australia has a very low population density. More than 60% of its residents live in five cities: Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

18. The very first Australian police unit consisted of 12 people. All of them were promoted to police officers from prisoners who distinguished themselves by exemplary behavior.

19. In South Australia there is a farm called Anna Creek Cattle Station, which is larger in area than Belgium.

20. The air in Tasmania is considered the cleanest on the planet.

Australia is a very diverse country and many of the residents are not only of English descent, but also from other different parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. It is the sixth largest state in the world and the only one that is also a continent. Summer here lasts from December to the end of February.

Besides all this, Australia is full of curiosities and details that are not so well known. You can read about it in this post.

Let's look at some interesting facts about Australia:

1. There isThe longest dingo fence in the world. Its construction began around 1880 and was completed five years later in order to keep dingoes away from the fertile land in the southeast of the continent, as well as to protect livestock. The length of the fence is 5.614 km.

2. 'Flying' doctors. Literally called "Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia". This is a service that allows medical care to be provided to those living in remote and isolated areas of the continent. It is a non-profit organization that helps those who cannot get to a nearby hospital. She has become a symbol and icon of Australian culture.

3. Australia is home to 100 million sheep. In 2000, the estimated number of sheep reached 120 million. According to the latest research results, the number seems to have dropped to 100,000,000. Interestingly, there are approximately 5 times more sheep than humans.

4. Why is Canberra the capital? The capital is Canberra, although Sydney is the most populous city, followed by Melbourne. Canberra was chosen as the capital after a fierce rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne to take the title. Ultimately, the city, which is 248 km from Sydney and 483 km from Melbourne, was chosen as the capital's commitment.

5. She has the largest ranch. Let's talk about "Anna Creek Station" in South Australia. This is the largest and busiest ranch in the world. Its size is about 34,000 square kilometers. For example, it is larger than the size of Belgium. In the USA, the largest ranch has 6,000 sq km.

6. Australia has the most innovative restaurants. The country has restaurants for every type of person and food preference, from European to Chinese cuisine.

7. The largest organic formation on earth. We are talking, of course, about , which extends approximately 2000 km. The reef attracts thousands of tourists who come to admire this delicate natural ecosystem and marine life.

8. Sydney Opera House. In addition to the city, it is considered an icon of the country. Set against the backdrop of Sydney Harbour, the theater is a thriving center of arts, culture and history. It is one of the most distinctive buildings, attracting millions of visitors from all over the world.

9. Australia was home to 160,000 prisoners. Britain "exploited" her territory to hold many of its prisoners. We are talking about 160 thousand political prisoners. An interesting fact is that today, about 25% of Australians are descendants of prisoners.

10. Australian Antarctic Territory. This territory is part of Antarctica and, obviously, it is the largest territory claimed by any country (5.9 million square kilometers).