GENERAL INFORMATION.

     Australia is entirely situated in the Southern hemisphere. “Australis” means “Southern” in Latin. Australia is the only country occupying a whole continent, the smallest one, lying on and extending north and south from the Tropic of Capricorn. With an area covering 7,682,300 km2 it is the sixth largest country of the world after Russia, Canada, China, the US and Brazil.    

     The continent of Australia, with the island state of Tasmania, is approximately equal in area to the United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). Mountain ranges run from north to south along the east coast, reaching their highest point in Mount Kosciusko (7,308 ft.; 2,228 m). The western half of the continent is occupied by a desert plateau that rises into barren, rolling hills near the west coast. It includes the Great Victoria Desert to the south and the Great Sandy Desert to the north. The Great Barrier Reef, extending about 1,245 miles (2,000 km), lies along the north-east coast. The island of Tasmania (26,178 sq. mi.; 67,800 sq. km) is off the southeastern coast.

     To sum up Australian culture is a big ask. Trying to define “culture” is like trying to catch a kangaroo in an open paddock. Every time you think you’ve got hold of it, it gets away from you again.

     Australian culture is as big and as varied as the landscape. Australia is a multicultural and multiracial and this is reflected in their food, their lifestyle and their cultural practice and experience. The Australians have an important heritage from Australia’s indigenous people.

     This diversity creates a cultural practice which is lively, energized and innovative. Australia follows a Westminster system of government and law inherited from the British who originally colonized the country. Now Australia’s executive power is vested in the British monarch, who is represented throughout Australia by the governor-general.

     There are two main political parties and a number of minor parties which make up the Federal parliament. Each state and territory also has its own government.

     The capital is Canberra, a city of 300,000 situated in the Australian Capital Territory about 50km south west of Sydney.

     Australia has a population of about 20 million people. It is famous for its natural heritage areas like the Great Barrier Reef, famous buildings like the Sydney Opera House, its ancient geology, as well as for its high country.

QUESTIONS.

1. What does the continent of Australia consist of?
2. What do you know about the Australia culture?
3. What system of government does Australia have?
4. How many political parties make up the Federal Government?
5. Does Australia have a big population? How many people live there?

REVIEW.

Fill in the blanks with the correct words from the list:

Paddock, governor-general, indigenous, British, the United States,  extending, occupying, Westminster.

1. The continent of Australia, with the island state of Tasmania, is approximately equal in area to __________________________(excluding Alaska and Hawaii).
2. Trying to define “culture” is like trying to catch a kangaroo in an open _____________.
3. The Australians have an important heritage from Australia’s _______________ people.
4. Australia follows a ________________system of government and law inherited from the ______________________- who originally colonized the country.
5. Now Australia’s executive power is vested in the British monarch, who is represented throughout Australia by the ______________________.
6. Australia is the only country _____________________a whole continent, the smallest one, lying on and _____________________ north and south from the Tropic of Capricon.

FLORA AND FAUNA.

     Australia is home to many unique and fascinating animals. Most of these are marsupials, which means their young are born blind and bald and they complete their development in their mothers pouch. Don’t be surprised if you meet a hopping kangaroo or running emu – a large flightless bird – while driving along in the countryside. The national symbols, featured in the Australian coat of arms are found throughout the continent in large numbers. Australia’s isolation for more than 55 million years has created a unique sanctuary of animals and plants found nowhere else in the world. Australia’s marsupials did not have to compete with highly developed mammals and there are still over 100 species which flourish in ideal conditions. Take a koala, for instance, sleeping peacefully on a branch high above the ground in a tree with its baby holding itself tight to mum’s back*. Australia hosts a really interesting animal group, the monotremes, egg laying mammals, that are often referred to as living fossils**, like the platypus. Another representative of this group is the echidna and the wombat. Wombats have been in Australia for 15 million years and are found in many parts there. Another marsupial, the Tasmanian Devil, is a really fascinating animal.

     There are 520 lizard species in Australia that range from small geckos to the frill-necked lizard and the swift moving goanna that can reach a size of 2m.

     Whales migrate from Antarctica during winter to warmer waters of Australia. The mighty animal travels along the coast staying on and plunging into water again, playing and frolicking.

     The Great Barrier Reef provides a home for a wide range of marine animals.

     Another wildlife area is Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory. There are a large variety of crocodiles, wild buffaloes, reptiles, frogs and insects.

     There are more than 750 species of birds recorded in Australia, 300 of which are found nowhere else in the world. Among them are the kookaburra, lots of the different parrots, hundreds of small fairy penguins, large flightless emu as well as a variety of water-birds.

     Australia has many vegetation regions. There are many rainforests there. The eucalypt is called gum tree and it has been brought to other countries from Australia. Wildflowers turn open country into a blaze of colors in spring and some of the best known are the Stuart’s desert pea, kangaroo paw and the Christmas bush.

     Much of the high country is now part of the network of eight national parks which make up the Australian Alps National Park system. The Parks contain more than 1000 native Australian plant species and a number of threatened species such as the Smoky Mouse, the Spotted Tree Frog and the Mountain Pygmy Possum.

*   который крепко держится за мамину спину.

** которые часто относят к живым ископаемым.

QUESTIONS.

1. Why is Australia considered to be home to many unique and fascinating animals?
2. What kinds of animals are called marsupials?
3. Name any kind of animals which are the national symbols of Australia?
4. What kind of Australian animals are often referred to as living fossils?
5. What native Australian plant species do you know?
6. What are monotremes?

REVIEW.

Fill in the blanks with the correct words from the list:

     Pouch, mammals, else, threatened, goanna, fossils, geckos, sanctuary, marsupials, native.

1. Most of these are _______, which means their young are born blind and bald and they complete their development in their mothers __________________.
2. Australia’s isolation for more than 55 million years has created a unique _____________ of animals and plants found nowhere _________________in the world.
3. Australia hosts a really interesting animal group, the monotremes, egg laying ____________, that are often referred to as living ___________________, like the platypus.
4. There are 520 lizard species in Australia that range from small ____________ to the frill-necked lizard and   

            the swift moving ___________________ that can reach a size of 2m.

5. The Parks contain more than 1000 _______________________ Australian plant species and a number of _____________________species such as the Smoky Mouse, the Spotted Tree Frog and the Mountain Pygmy Possum.