|
Understanding Australia and Australians
Geography
Australia is a land of contrasts: sweeping golden beaches, coral
reefs rich with marine life, tropical rainforests, mountain ranges,
vast grazing lands and sparse deserts.
One of the oldest continents, Australia is as wide as the distance
from Kuala Lumpur to Taipei and as long as the distance from Singapore
to Manila. It is the only country to occupy an entire continent.
Situated between, and isolated by, the Indian and Pacific Oceans,
Australia has many animals and plants, which are unique to the planet.
The surface geology is typically old and flat.
Climate
Nearly a third of Australia is in the tropics and the rest is in
the temperate zone. The highlands and tablelands of Tasmania and
the south eastern corner of the mainland are the coldest areas.
Summer is from December to February; autumn from March to May; winter
from June to August; and spring from September to November.
Settlement
Sites showing human occupation have been dated back to 40,000 years.
Recent work in north west Australia identified rock art that may
be 175,000 years old.
Inhabited by Aborigines for more that 40,000 years, indigenous
Australians have a mystic tradition that explains their close relationship
to the land and tells of a dreamtime rich in stories of creation.
On 26 January 1788, European settlers reached Port Jackson and
established a settlement in what is now Sydney.
Multiculturalism
The British influence originating in Australia's colonial origins
has evolved over two centuries into a dynamic multiculturalism with
invaluable contributions from migrants from all parts of the world.
Almost a quarter of today's 18 million Australians were born in
another country. There are nearly one million Asian-born Australians.
About 2 per cent are of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent.
More than 100 different ethnic groups are represented in Australia,
making Australia one of the most ethnically diversified countries
in the world.
Language
Although English is the official language, a host of other languages
are spoken in Australia.
Religion
Australia is predominantly a Christian country, however, all religions
are represented in the community. Devotees will find churches, mosques,
temples and synagogues located in most major cities.
Culture
Australia is rich in the arts. There are eight professional orchestras
and a national opera company. Within Australia there are more than
1000 museums preserving and displaying Australia's diverse cultural
heritage.
Australian films are winning international acclaim and many Australian
film directors, actors and technicians have been acclaimed in Hollywood
at the highest level.
Australian authors have received international recognition particularly
with the Booker Prize, won twice by Australians and with Patrick
White winning the Nobel Prize for literature. Novelists, dramatists
and poets are internationally accepted by their peers as having
made a substantial contribution to world literature.
Australians traditionally have provided strong support for theatre,
from regional amateur troupes to polished professional companies.
In music, Australia has developed a fertile environment that supports
a great range of musical tastes ranging from the most avant-garde
experimental to folk, from the youthful sounds of chart-busting
pop to the unique music of the Aboriginal people.
Painting in Australia has a history that can not only be traced
back over forty thousand years of Aboriginal culture but also is
represented in the major museums and galleries of modern and avant-garde
art, worldwide.
Sports and Recreation
Australians are very keen on sport and outdoor activities. Australia
has more than 120 national sporting organisations and thousands
of state, regional and club bodies. It is estimated that 6.5 million
people, about a third of the population, are registered sports participants.
While there are over 120 sporting organisations, Australians also
take part in bushwalking, fishing, boating and water sports.
Australia has a world wide reputation for sports and outdoor activities.
This is endorsed by the Olympic Committee's selection of Sydney
to host the Olympic Games in the year 2000.
Science and Technology
Australia's contribution to scientific and technological developments
has had a profound impact on the lives of people in every part of
the globe.
From atomic absorption spectroscopy to the Xerox photocopy, from
the bionic ear to the plastic bank note, from gene shears to penicillin
and the pedal wireless, Australian scientists have contributed immeasurably
to the advancement of humankind.
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
(CSIRO) is Australia's main scientific research body. It assists
Australia's rural, manufacturing, communications, minerals and energy
and construction industries.
Other major government scientific research bodies include the Australian
Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, the Australian Institute
of Marine Science and the Defence Science and Technology Organisation.
Nobel Prize Winners
For many years, Australia has received worldwide recognition for
its expertise in the fields of science, mathematics and the arts.
Australia has produced seven Nobel Prize winners:
- Sir William Bragg, physics, x-ray crystallography;
- Lord Walter Florey, medicine, penicillin;
- Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet, medicine, immunology;
- Sir John Eccles, medicine, brain physiology;
- Patrick White, literature;
- Sir John Cornforth, chemistry, enzyme catalysed reactions; and
- Peter Doherty, medicine, cell mediated immune defence.
|
Client
Center
step 1
|