Australia — Capital, Flag and Country Facts
Explore Australia: capital Canberra, population, flag, geography, languages, history and culture.
Australia is in Oceania. Its capital is Canberra.
- Population
- 26,000,000
- Area
- 7,692,024 km²
- Currency
- Australian Dollar (AUD)
- Languages
- English
Climate
Ranges from tropical in the north to temperate in the south. The vast interior is arid to semi-arid desert, while coastal areas receive more rainfall.
Terrain
Mostly low plateau with deserts in the interior, fertile plains in the southeast, and tropical rainforests in the northeast. The Great Dividing Range runs along the east coast.
Facts
Australia has the world's largest coral reef system, the Great Barrier Reef.
Australia is both a country and a continent — the only nation to occupy an entire continent.
Kangaroos and emus were chosen for the coat of arms because neither animal can walk backward, symbolizing progress.
History
50000 BC: Aboriginal Australians arrive, establishing the oldest continuous civilizations on Earth
1770: Captain James Cook charts the east coast and claims it for Britain
1788: First Fleet arrives at Sydney Cove, founding a British penal colony
1901: Federation: six colonies unite to form the Commonwealth of Australia
1967: Referendum grants Aboriginal Australians citizenship rights
2000: Sydney hosts the Summer Olympic Games