Introduction

The reason I’ve chosen this subject is because I like the country. It is such an extensive land. So much variation the whole country, dessert, rainforest, mountains, rocks, sea etc. etc. There live animal’s which you don’t see here in Holland, like koala’s kangaroo’s crocodiles.
Another reason I’ve chosen “Australia” is because my aunt has been there on a 2 months during holiday. She visited our family and she traveled around.
In the time she was there, Australia was the most spoken subject at home.
Like I just said I’ve also family who live in Australia. I don’t have much contact with them, but I will go to Australia for backpacking after I finished my school, so I can visit them.

In this paper I would like to set myself a number of questions which I will answer in the main body.

1. What is the history of Australia?
-Who are the Aborigines?
2. How is Australia today?
-Which climate has Australia?
-What’s the flora and fauna in Australia?
3. what is the best way to travel around Australia?
-what are nice thing to see?

Main body

1.What is the history of Australia?

-Who are the Aborigines
Aborigines came to Australia about 40,000 years ago. Anthropologists believe that the aborigines came from Southeast Asia. They probably cross the sea in a period when the sea level was low. The aborigines settled over the continent.
The aborigines lived by hunting and collecting plants for food. And they developed a kind of fire-stick farming.
The aborigines were divided into a lot of communities. When the Europeans settlers arrived there were 500 communities which each own dialect, territory and social organization. They only leave there territory for trade and ceremonies with other communities.
Today there are about 314,000 aborigines in Australia, that is only 1,7% of the total population. Manny of them live in cities but a few live in their original area.

The European settlement

In the 16th century, the first Europeans who discovered the Australian continent were the Portuguese. They sailed through the small strait between Australia and New Guinea. Dutch navigators mapped much of the cost line but they were not interested in settlement.
The British man James Cook landed in Botany Bay, close to Sydney. In the boot were several scientists, who discovered plants and animals never seen before.
Captain Cook leaved Botany Bay and moved north and found a good location for settlement, he called the region New South Wales and clamed it for the crown.
After the American revolution, Britain had a problem. They had no space for there unwanted citizens. The jails were full, but they find a quick solution.
The convicted people could produce materials for England in the new colony, Australia.
From 1788 to 1852, about 160,000 convicts were transported to Australia. Most of these people were convicted for "innocent" crimes, like for stealing food. Only three percent was convicted for violent crimes. Many ex-prisoners stayed in Australia and become farmers or labourers

2. How is Australia today?

Australia is the sixth largest country in the world. It's about the same size as the 48 mainland states of the USA and 50 per cent larger than Europe, but has the lowest population density in the world - only two people per square kilometre.
Australia is divided into six states and two territories. On the map you can see the names and location

Population
Australia is as big as the USA, but there only live 18 million people. The population density is only 2 persons per sq. km. 85 percent of the population live in cities.
80 percent of the population lives in areas near to the sea, and those areas are only 3 percent of the total country size.
Most people in Australia are of European origin (95 percent). Of Asian origin is 4. The aborigines make up 1 percent of the population.
Sport is a very important thing in Australia. They are very successful in international sport events.
The main religion in Australia Christian church, but there are also other religions.

-Which climate has Australia?

The Australian climate varies from region to region. In the North the climate is tropical with a hot wet summer and a warm dry in winter.
In the middle of the continent is too less rainfall, there is a great dessert. Around the dessert we find the savannah grasslands.
The South, Southeast and East regions near to the sea have a warm temperate climate. That means in the hottest month the temperature lies between 18° and 21°C and in the coldest months about 10°C.
Australia's seasons are the opposite of the northern hemisphere - summer officially starts in December and winter in June.
Australia's climate and the fact that it is the driest continent on earth makes it a great holiday destination all year round. In the Australian winter you can ski in the southern states one day and be diving the next.

-What’s the flora and fauna in Australia?

Fast Facts
 Of the 20 000 species of plants found in Australia, 17 .000 are found nowhere else in the world.
 Of the 268 species of mammals (including marsupials) in Australia, more than 80 per cent are unique to Australia.
 Of the 770 Australian reptiles, 685 are found nowhere else. 80 to 90 per cent of the insects and arachnids are unique.
 In Australia there are the most poisonous animals of the world. Like snakes, spiders and jellyfish.
Australia’s old, thick, and very flat continental plate drifted away from Antarctica towards the equator. Because of this Australia has been isolated from the rest of the continents for 55 million years, that makes a unique place for animals and plants. Those plants and animals are nowhere else to be found. Like the koala bear, the eucalyptus tree and also the kangaroo.
The great barrier reef, on the east coast is the longest and most complex living corral system on this planet.

4. What is the best way to travel around Australia?

The best way to travel around Australia is to become a backpacker. There are organisations who make it possible for young people to work and travel in Australia. They supply the work and keep in contact with you and your relations back home.
The way to travel is to buy a car and sell it when you leave the country, or to travel by greyhound bus.
You sleep in a tent or in a youth-hostels.
Work is possible all year around, in picking fruit, working on farms or working in restaurants.

-nice things to see and places to go.
This are only a few nice places in Australia there are many more beautifull things to see.
Daintree-Cape Tribulation
One of the largest wild rainforest areas in Australia centres on the Daintree River valley. World Heritage reef and rainforest come together along this section of coast - nowhere else are these two natural wonders seen side by side.
great barrier reef
Australia's most famous natural wonder, the Great Barrier Reef. It's as big as the United Kingdom and Ireland, and contains more than 1,000 islands. You can reach coral sites by air and water taxi to scuba dive or snorkel to see the beautifull reef.
sydney
Sydney is one of the most famous cities in the world, offering great value for a place where almost every traveler can enjoy. Sydney is built around one of the world's most beautiful harbours, with more than 70 beaches.
Wild Rivers National Park
The Franklin - Gordon Wild Rivers National Park is one of the most famous and beautiful
places in the Tasmanian wilderness. Here you can bushwalk, take pictures, camp, kayak or raft. Some people just like to choose a lodge or strike camp and relax in what is one of the last of the truly wild regions in the world.

Epiloque

I don’t want to stop writing! In the beginning I didn’t really know much about Australia. But when I looked for information I really began to like my subject!! It interest me now so much, I really really want to go over there to see everything with my own eyes. In all the story’s I’ve heard and read, Australia seems to be nicer and more beautifull then I thought.

No wonder Aussies believe life is for living!

Index of sources

books:

ANWB reisgids; Australië
bibliotheek der landen; Australië
reader’s diges; Ausrtalië en nieuw-Zeeland


Internet:

www.australia.com
www.australian-embassy.nl


family:

my aunt.