Eighty per cent of the population live in Eighty per cent of the population live in cities.cities. Nearly all the large Australian cities Nearly all the large Australian cities are on theare on the

CoastCoast and the distances between them are and the distances between them are vast. Perth, in Western Australia, is over vast. Perth, in Western Australia, is over 2700 kilometers from its closest neighbour, 2700 kilometers from its closest neighbour, Adelaide.Adelaide.

Sydney is Australia’s largest city. It has a Sydney is Australia’s largest city. It has a spectacular harbour, spectacular harbour, harbourharbour bridge and bridge and modern opera house.modern opera house.

The Australian population today is a The Australian population today is a mix of European, Asian and mix of European, Asian and Aboriginial. Since the nineteenth Aboriginial. Since the nineteenth century, milions of people have century, milions of people have emigrated to Australia from other emigrated to Australia from other countries. Although Aboriginies have countries. Although Aboriginies have lived in Australia for over 40,000 lived in Australia for over 40,000 years, only one per cent of years, only one per cent of population today is Aboriginial.population today is Aboriginial.

After the first European settlers After the first European settlers arrived in the eighteenth century, arrived in the eighteenth century, many Aborigines died of disease and many Aborigines died of disease and hunger. Today only abaut 100,000 hunger. Today only abaut 100,000 Aborigines survive.Aborigines survive.

The landscape of the south and south- east The landscape of the south and south- east is green and fertile.is green and fertile.

Central Australia is called ‘ the Outback’. It Central Australia is called ‘ the Outback’. It is a huge area of desert, small trees and is a huge area of desert, small trees and bushes, where very few people live. In the bushes, where very few people live. In the centre of the Outback is Uluru or Ayer’s centre of the Outback is Uluru or Ayer’s Rock, a giant red sandstone rock.Rock, a giant red sandstone rock.

The Great Barrier Reef, a chain of coral The Great Barrier Reef, a chain of coral reefs and islands, runs for over 2000 reefs and islands, runs for over 2000 kilometres along yhe east coast.kilometres along yhe east coast.

Australia is separate from other continents and has its own unique species of wildlife. These include ‘ marsupials’ – the kangaroo, wallaby and koala bear – which keep their young in a pouch. In the northern territories, you can also find crocodiles and aligators.