53
Located between the IndIan and PacIfIc oceans, australia is
a continent and the sixth largest country in the world. It is a land of varied
landscapes, including tropical rain forests, vast deserts, snow-capped
mountains, rolling tracts of pastoral land, and magnificent beaches. the
country boasts a great number of natural features, the most famous of
which are the Great barrier Reef and Uluru (ayers Rock). australians have
an outdoor lifestyle and enjoy a high standard of living. almost 90 percent
of the country’s 22.7 million people live in the fertile strip of land on the east
and southeast coast. Many of them live in Melbourne and sydney, australia’s
two largest cities, and in the na tion’s capital, canberra. today, few people live
in the dry australian interior known as the outback. the original inhabitants
of australia, the aborigines, learned to survive in the
harsh conditions there. however, only a small
number of the 670,000 aboriginal population
live a tra di tion al life in the outback today.
other australians are descendants of settlers
from brit ain, continental europe, and
southeast asia.Australia 53-
During the celebrations of Australia’s
200th anniversary, oceangoing
sailing ships gathered in Sydney’s
famous har bor. sydney
the city of sydney is the oldest
and largest in australia.
sydney was founded in
1788 as a british prison
colony with about
1,000 prisoners and
their guards; today it
is home to more than
4 million people.
the city stands
around Port Jackson,
a huge natural bay
spanned by sydney
harbour bridge. sydney
is a busy industrial center
and tourist resort.
fILMMakInG
the australian film
industry produces a
number of important films
each year. some, such as
Australia (2008), which tells
the story of an australian family
during 1939-42, have received
international acclaim.At a surfing
carnival lifeguards
give demonstrations
of lifesaving.
Surfing competitions
are hotly contested
and often draw
many spectators.beach cULtURe
the majority of australians live in towns and cities along
the coast. therefore the beach is the most popular
venue for leisure pursuits. australia’s climate is ideal for
beach activities such as surfing, swimming, sailing, and
beach volleyball. Mild winter temperatures mean that
these sports can be enjoyed all year round.Australia’s currency is the
Australian dollar. On one side
the coins feature a portrait
of the Queen of
England, who is
the head of state.australia lies southeast of asia,
with the Pacific ocean to the
east and the Indian ocean to
the west. It is the only country
that is also a continent.
together with several nearby
islands, australia covers a total
area of 2.98 million sq miles
(7.74 million sq km).sURfInG
surfing is a favorite australian sport. surfing carnivals
are held regularly in many towns. Polynesian people
invented the sport hundreds of years ago; recently it
has expanded to include windsurfing, trick surfing, and
long-distance surfing. surfers often travel vast distances
to reach a beach with the best waves of the day.US_053_Australia_1.indd 53 20/01/16 4:33 pm