Australia type of government. Australia: general information, history and economy

Country information Australia

The area of ​​the mainland of the same name, on which Australia is located, is 7.7 million square kilometers. The capital of the country is the city of Canberra with a population of 310 thousand people. The local time ahead of Moscow by 7 hours.

Geography of Australia

The Australian mainland, located on the Indo-Australian Plateau, is washed by the Indian and Pacific oceans. Australia is the smallest continent, sometimes it is also called the largest island. However, by the size of its territory, the country of Australia ranks 6th in the world. In addition to the mainland, the state also includes nearby islands: Tasmania, Cocos Islands, Christmas Island and others.

The relief of the country is mainly represented by deserts and lowlands. Mountains can be seen only in the east of the mainland, this is the Great Dividing Range. The highest point on the continent is Mount Kosciuszko, 2,228 m high. The largest coral reef on the planet, the Great Barrier Reef, is located off the eastern coast of Australia.

Government of Australia

Australia is a country with a constitutional parliamentary monarchy. The Governor-General rules on behalf of the Queen of Great Britain.

Legislative power is represented by a bicameral parliament, which includes the Queen in the person of the Governor-General. The government is formed from the lower house of parliament and is headed by the prime minister.

Australia weather

Australia's climate is very diverse. In the north, subequatorial climate prevails, in the central and western parts - tropical desert and continental, and the Mediterranean climate is typical for the south and east. Precipitation falls mainly in winter. In the northern part of the continent, the average annual temperature is + 20-24 °C, in the south - January - 23-27 °C, June - 12-14 °C. The best time to visit Australia is from May to August.

Australian language

The official language of Australia is English, but along with it, 40 more languages ​​​​are recognized and used in the country, including Italian, Chinese, German, Greek and numerous local dialects.

Religion in Australia

There is no official religion in the country; it is forbidden by its constitution to impose any religious views on citizens. However, more than 73% of the population identify themselves as Christians, including 26% Catholics and 24% Anglicans.

Australian currency

The Australian dollar - AUD code, $ sign - is the 6th most used currency in the world. There are 100 cents in 1 dollar.

Currency exchange offices can be found in restaurants and hotels, but banks offer the best exchange rates. You can pay for purchases and services with almost any international card. To cash travelers checks, you will have to pay a large commission.

The Australian dollar is issued in the form of plastic banknotes and coins, there are coins in 5, 10, 20, 50 cents and 1.2 dollars. Banknotes come in denominations of $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100.

Customs restrictions

It is allowed to import duty-free into the country (persons over 16):
• up to 1 liter of alcohol
• up to 250 grams of tobacco products.

The following goods are subject to mandatory declaration:
• animals, plants and products derived from them. Australia has a strict procedure for importing protected animals and plants.
• weapon
• drugs containing narcotic substances and steroids.

It is forbidden to import food.

There are no strict restrictions on the import and export of foreign currency. An amount of money imported in excess of 5,000 Australian dollars is subject to declaration. Leaving the country, you must pay a tax equal to 27 AUD (for persons over 12 years old).

Tips

It is customary in Australia to leave a tip for services rendered. So in cafes and restaurants "leave a tip" 10% of the bill, porters in the hotel are given a dollar, and taxi drivers - a trifle.

Office Hours

On weekdays, shops open at 9 a.m. and work until 5:30 p.m., on Saturdays until 12:00 p.m., Sunday is a day off. Banks are open on weekdays from 09:30 to 16:00, on Saturdays until 12:00.

National features of Australia

Traditions

When going to Australia, you need to know that there are restrictions on the sale of alcoholic beverages and smoking in the country. So alcohol can be purchased 6 days a week (Monday - Saturday), from 5 pm to 12 am. Smoking in public places is strictly prohibited, many establishments have restrictions on smoking.

AUSTRALIA (Australia).

The initial chapter of the artistic culture of Australia was the art of the Australian aborigines. However, the art of immigrants from Great Britain at first developed independently of him, continuing the European neoclassical and romantic traditions. The former prevailed in colonial architecture (the most prominent figure of which was the former exile F. Greenaway in the early 19th century), the latter in the art of landscape, which has always played an important role in local painting. By the middle of the 19th century, the early, purely topographic fixations were replaced by more poetic images by K. Martens, and later by A. L. Buvelot. In the painting of the artists of the so-called Heidelberg school (C. Conder, F. McCubbin, T. Roberts, and A. Streeton), romance acquired an emphatically national flavor, often associated with the motifs of primeval "life in the bush." A satirical everyday genre arose (S.T. Gill).

The rapid growth of cities in the 2nd half of the 19th century contributed to the spread of regular planning (with park areas in the suburbs). The so-called boom style, originally due to the "gold rush", was characterized by buildings of eclectic architecture with openwork cast-iron structures of extensive verandas (the most stable element of the traditional Australian house). The shingle style was imported from the USA, the principles of the “arts and crafts” movement, which served as an incentive for Australian modernity, were imported from the UK (architectural work of H. Annear-Desborough, A. North, R. Haddon).

In the middle of the 20th century, along with Art Deco, the international style was established, the largest master of which was the Austrian H. Seidler. Foreigners, including the American W. B. Griffin (according to whose plan the garden city of Canberra was built in 1913-27) and the Dane J. Utzon (the author of the project of the Sydney Opera House, built in 1959-66 and which became the most famous building in Australia) , have made a significant contribution to the process of renovation of architecture; over time, the position of the local school was strengthened, represented in the last quarter of the 20th century by the names of D. Jackson, F. Cox, K. Madigan, G. Murcutt, J. Andrews and other masters who combined high-tech style with regional traditions. In Australian painting and graphics, Art Nouveau (S. Long, H. Heisen) was transformed in the late 1910s into abstract art (R. de Maistre, R. Wakelin); in sculpture (led in the first decades of the 20th century by E. B. McKennall) long time more conservative canons prevailed. In the 1930s, painting and sculpture by the Russian émigré D. Vasiliev and the work of the portrait painter W. Dobell became a major phenomenon of avant-garde art. S. Nolan worked in a surrealistic manner in the middle of the century, whose paintings, dedicated to the legendary robber N. Kelly, became widely known. Interest in the work of aborigines grew (manifested, in particular, in the abstract painting of J. Olsen), and the indigenous people of the country (watercolourist A. Namatzhira and others) increasingly came to the forefront of the artistic scene. Some phenomena of Australian art are characterized by a socially engaged character: paintings and graphics by N. Kunihan, neofigurative art by the Antipodes group (since 1959; A. Boyd and others), pop art of the 1970s and 80s. By the beginning of the 21st century, due to increased emigration from Asia, a specific oriental component intensified in the artistic culture of Australia.

Lit.: Freeland J.M. Architecture in Australia: A history. Harmondsworth, 1974; Creating Australia: 200 years of art, 1788-1988. Sydney, 1988; Apperly R., Irving R., Reynolds R. A pictorial guide to identifying Australian architecture. Sydney, 1989; McCulloch A. Encyclopedia of Australian art. Honolulu, 1994; Smith B., Smith T. Australian painting, 1788-2000. 4th ed. Melb.; Oxf., 2001.

M. N. Sokolov.

Music

The musical culture is represented by the traditions of the Australian Aborigines, Anglo-Australians, settlers of European and Asian descent. In the syncretic culture of the natives, music was part of the system of rituals (initiation, healing, love magic etc.), there was a musical mythology. In Northern Australia, Aboriginal music developed in contact with the cultures of New Guinea, and in the 14th and 15th centuries it was influenced by settlers from Asia (from the Malay Archipelago, etc.). From the end of the 18th century began to take shape modern culture European type. The Sydney Philharmonic Society (1833), the first musical educational institutions, private opera companies, and a symphony orchestra (1906) were organized.

In 1847, the first Australian opera Don John of Austria by A. Nathan (an English immigrant) was staged in Sydney. In the 1920s, the Opera League was founded (N. Melba sang in it), foreign musicians began touring (F.I. Chaliapin, 1929; Y. Ormandy, 1944). In the early 1950s, there were 2 major opera companies: the National Theater in Melbourne and the National Opera of New South Wales in Sydney. The Elizabethan Theater Trust (1954) contributed to the formation of the Australian Opera Company (since 1969 the Australian Opera Company) with branches in all states and a number of musical and educational institutions. In 1935, the Composers Guild of Australia (SC since the 1970s) was established. The most prominent composers: A. Hill, P. Granger (also a pianist), K. Douglas, J. Antill (ballet Corroboree, staged in 1947 in London), M. Williamson, N. Mil, L. Sitsky. Among the performers is the famous singer J. Sutherland. From the late 1940s, mass culture began to spread.

The Sydney Opera House musical and theater complex includes the Opera and Ballet Theater (opened in 1973 with a production of War and Peace by S. S. Prokofiev, conductor E. Downes), the State Theater in Melbourne (1985), the State Opera South Australia in Adelaide (founded in 1974 as the New Opera of South Australia). The largest symphony orchestras: Sydney (founded in 1932 under the Australian Radio Corporation; in 1957-61 it was headed by N.A. Malko), Melbourne (1934), Queensland (in Brisbane, 1947), Tasmanian (in Hobart, 1948), Symphony Adelaide Orchestra (1936, current name since 1975), Penrith Symphony Orchestra (1988); string quartets: Adelaide (1964), Melbourne (1972); choir "Melbourne Chant" (1965). The Australian Music Center is in operation (1976). The Australian Institute for Aboriginal Studies was opened in Canberra; Aboriginal Arts Committee (1973) hosts music festivals. Conservatories have been opened in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Adelaide, Melbourne, and a music department at a number of universities.

Lit.: Hausman R.L. Australia: traditional music in its history. North Quincy (Mass.), 1975; Edwards R. G. Australian folk songs. Folcroft, 1978; Australian composition in the twentieth century. Melb.; N.Y., 1978; Love N. The golden age of the Australian opera. Sydney, 1981.

Traditional Australian Aboriginal dances played a large role in Everyday life, were integral part festivities and rituals. From the beginning of the 19th century, they were included in the form of interludes in the first theatrical performances of local colonists. In 1833 a dance school was opened in Sydney. In the same years, foreign guest performers began to come to Australia. In the 1870s, ballets were rarely staged, and the theater repertoire consisted mainly of musical comedies and operettas. Ballet schools appeared, organized by M. Everett in Melbourne (1897) and Sydney (1909). The tour performances of A. Genet (1913) and M. Allan (1914) were of great importance, but only the troupe of A. P. Pavlova (1926 and 1929) and Levitov’s Russian Ballet (1934) with the participation of O. A. Spesivtseva and A. I. .Wiltzack aroused a genuine interest in the art of ballet. Some European artists have stayed to work in Australia as teachers; M. Burlakov and L. Lightfoot founded the first Australian ballet company in 1929 (“First Australian Ballet”). Then ballet troupes were created: in 1937 - "Modern Ballet Adelaide", in 1941 - the troupe of E. Kirsova in Sydney, in 1945 - the "Australian Ballet Society", in 1946 - the "Melbourne Ballet Club", then called the "Ballet Guild ".

To form a national ballet great importance had the activity of the troupe of E. Borovansky (Melbourne, 1940), which worked (with interruptions) until 1960. In the 1930s-1950s, the growing interest in modern dance stimulated the emergence of troupes: Western Australia Ballet, Queensland Ballet Company, Studio Bodenwieser (later Bodenweiser Balle). In 1962, the choreographer and dancer P. van Prag founded the Australian Ballet (headed until 1978), which included artists from the Borovansky troupe. In the repertoire, in addition to classical productions (Giselle by A. Adam and Coppelia by L. Delibes in the renewal of van Prag; Cinderella by S. S. Prokofiev, choreographer F. Ashton; Raymonda by A. K. Glazunov, choreographer R .Kh. Nureyev), a significant place was occupied by the ballets of Australian choreographers R. Powell (“Only for the sake of fun” to music by D. D. Shostakovich), G. Welch (“Illyria” to music by P. Takhurdin, “Othello” to music by J. Goldsmith). Other modern dance companies include the Australian Dance Theatre, the Victoria Balle, the Australian Choreographic Ensemble, the Sydney Dance Company. Since the late 1990s, there has been an increase in interest in Australian Aboriginal dance culture, as well as in classical Indian dance of the Bharata Natyam style and Japanese modern Butoh dance. The country's leading ballet schools: in Melbourne - the Australian Ballet School and the Goreme Ballet Academy, in Sydney - the Sally-Borovansky School and the Bodenweather Dance Center.

Lit.: Van Praagh R. Ballet in Australia. Melb., 1965; Pask E. Ballet in Australia: the second act, 1940-1980. Melb., 1982.

V. M. Pappe.

Theatre

The first theatrical performances in Australia (by colonists and convicts exiled from England) date back to the 1780s. In the 1830s and 1840s, permanent theaters began to be created in Sydney, Hobart, Adelaide, and Melbourne. In the second half of the 19th century, the theaters united into trusts headed by J. Coppin, J. Williamson, A. Garner, D. Busiko, Jr., and others, who later became well-known theatrical figures. Theaters staged works by Australian authors, European and American classics, trying to copy foreign productions. In the 1910s-1930s, the activities of literary and theatrical associations, which staged plays by national playwrights, as well as French, English, Russian and other European authors, played an important role in the formation of the national theater. In 1936, amateur theater groups that arose in the 1930s united in the "League of the New Theatre", whose activities contributed to the emergence of "new theaters". Established in 1954, the state Elizabethan Theater Trust set itself the task of developing a professional theater, but subsidies were provided mainly to ballet troupes. In the 2nd half of the 20th century, R. Lawler, P. White, D. Williamson, H. Rayson, E. Acworth, H. Bell and others made a significant contribution to the development of national dramaturgy. Since the late 1960s, the aboriginal theater began to develop ; In 1987, the first national conference of Aboriginal playwrights was held, establishing the National Aboriginal Theater Foundation. The leading role in the modern theatrical process belongs to the theaters of Sydney (State Theatre, Sydney Theater Company, etc.) and Melbourne (State Theatre, Melbourne Theater Company, Regent Theater, etc.). The repertoire includes classical drama, plays by contemporary foreign and national authors. The Institute of Dramatic Arts operates in Melbourne.

Lit.: Kardoss J. Theater arts in Australia. Sydney, 1960; Rees L. A history of Australian drama: In 2 vol. Sydney, 1973-1978; idem. Australian drama, 1970-1985. Sydney, 1987.

Cinema

The first feature film, Early Christian Martyrs, was directed by J. Perry in 1900. In 1906-14, 90 films were released. Then began a gradual decline in film production, which continued until the end of the 1960s. main reason protracted crisis - the capture of the film market by American and British rental companies. Among the most significant Australian films of this period: "The Sentimental Guy" (1919), "Australia Calls" (1923), "Forest Tramps" (1925) - all directed by R. Longford. The first sound film was A. R. Harwood's Out of the Shadow World (1930). In the 1930s and 1950s, documentary and visual films were developed. In 1955, one of the leading Australian directors Ch. Chawell shot the first color film "Jeddah" about the problems of the natives. High craftsmanship distinguished the work of S. Holmes ("Three in One", 1957, etc.). In the 1970s and 80s, in connection with government support and the creation of the Australian Film Commission, the rise of cinema began. Among the films of this period: "Picnic at Hanging Rock" by P. Ware (1975), "Cuddy" by D. Crombie (1976), "Song of Jimmy Blacksmith" by F. Shepisi (also known as Skepsi) (1977), "My Brilliant Career » J. Armstrong (1979), Dundee, nicknamed "Crocodile" by P. Feyman (1986). The international distribution success of these films, as well as the works of B. Beresford, J. Dygen, J. Miller, F. Noyce, P. J. Hogan, attracted the attention of American companies that invited leading Australian filmmakers to Hollywood (among them - B. Brown, M. Gibson, D. Davis, N. Kidman, E. Morse, J. Rush).

Created by Australia together with New Zealand and France, the film The Piano (1993, directed by J. Campion; 3 Oscars, Grand Prix at the Cannes International Film Festival, etc.) was recognized by FIPRESCI as one of the outstanding film masterpieces of the decade.

The constant outflow of personnel abroad is a distinctive feature of national cinematography. However, this is precisely what makes it possible for young talents to open up. The works of B. Luhrmann (“Only in the Dance Hall”, 1994), S. Elliot (“The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert”, 1994), P. Cox (“The Diaries of Vaslav Nijinsky”, 2001) and others became an event in world cinema. Many filmmakers working in other countries also make films in their home countries (Miller's Babe, 1998; Noyce's Rabbit Fence, 2002, etc.). An average of 10-15 films are released annually in Australia. The Australian Film and TV School is engaged in the preparation of creative personnel. Film festivals are held in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney and other cities.

Lit.: Pike A., Cooper R. Australian film, 1900-1977. Melb., 1998.

I. A. Zvegintseva.

The circus

Circus art in Australia originated in the 19th century, when foreign circus troupes began to come on tour. In 1832, D. Ashton built the first circus tent in Sydney, in 1850 D. Malcolm founded the Royal Amphitheater (now the Royal Circus). There are several traveling circuses in Australia (Ashton Circus, Bullens Brothers Circus, etc.). Circus schools have been opened in Melbourne and Sydney.

Australia will enchant travelers with many architectural masterpieces. Diving is a real discovery for connoisseurs of beauty underwater world, nature The Great Barrier Reef fascinates tourists. Interesting trips to the desert part of the country, Aboriginal traditions and unusual landscapes diversify the trip. Beach holidays are popular in Australia.

Country Summary

• Australian Union - official name country.
• The only country in the world that is located on the whole mainland. It is washed by the waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans.
• Canberra is the capital.
• The area of ​​the country is 7692024 sq. km.
• The population of Australia is over 24 million people.
• The form of government is a parliamentary monarchy.
• The official language is Australian English.
• The largest cities are Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide.
• The main religion is Christianity.
• The official currency is the Australian dollar.
• UTC time zone from +8 to +11.

The Commonwealth of Australia is a state in the Southern Hemisphere, located on mainland Australia, the island of Tasmania and several other islands in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Australia is one of the developed countries high place in areas such as health, quality of life, education, protection of political rights and civil liberties, economic freedom. The Commonwealth of Australia is a member of the OECD, G20, WTO, UN, APEC, ANZUS, Commonwealth of Nations, Pacific Islands Forum.

origin of name

The term "Australia" comes from the Latin australis, i.e. "southern". Australians colloquially use the word Oz to refer to Australia.

Legends of the Unknown Southern Land date back to the Roman Empire. In medieval geography, they were commonplace despite not being based on any knowledge of the continent. The first mention of the word "Australia" is found in documents from 1625.

The Governor of New South Wales, Lachlan Macquarie, used the name "Australia" in official messages to England, and in December 1817 recommended that it be adopted officially. The British Admiralty in 1824 finally approved this name for the continent.

History

About 40-60 thousand years ago, the ancestors of the Australian Aborigines appeared in Australia. When Tasmania and New Guinea were still part of the continent, people came to Australia by sea - these were the earliest sea travelers in the world. The continent began to be settled by people 42-48 thousand years ago.

Some historians have tried to find evidence that Europeans visited Australia as early as the sixteenth century, others argued that Australia was secretly discovered by the Portuguese in the 20s of the sixteenth century.

The discovery of Australia happened in 1606. Willem Janszon landed on the coast on the ship Dyfken and named it New Holland, declaring it the possession of the Netherlands. The Dutchman Abel Tasman traveled in 1642, discovering Van Diemen's Land (later Tasmania) and New Zealand, which made a significant contribution to the study of Australia.

Thanks to the Dutch navigators, by the 50s of the seventeenth century, the outlines of Australia were clearly drawn on the maps. Lieutenant Cook traveled to Tahiti in 1769, while carrying out secret instructions to search for the southern continent. The crew of the ship Endeavor in April 1770 saw the east coast of Australia, and ten days later they landed in Botany Bay. After exploring the east coast, Cook reported favorable conditions for establishing a colony in Botany Bay.

In January 1788, the first British colony, New South Wales, was founded on the continent. Subsequently, January 26 became national Holiday - Australia Day. Modern Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) was settled in 1803, receiving the status of a separate colony in 1825. In 1828 the United Kingdom declared western part his country, starting to own the entire continent.

Through ten years of consultations, planning, voting, a federation of colonies was created - the Australian Union, which in 1907 received the status of a dominion of the British Empire. In 1911, the federal capital territory (Australian Capital Territory) was formed as the seat of the capital of the federation - Canberra.

Australia in 1914 voluntarily participated in the First World War, taking the side of the British Empire. Australians fought in many major battles on the Western Front during the war.

The only constitutional link between the UK and Australia under Westminster status was the common head of state, the British monarch. After the Second World War, the country began to encourage immigration from Europe. After the abolition of the "White Australia" policy, the level of migration from Asia has increased since the 1970s. The Australia Act was passed in 1986. The document abolished the supremacy of the British Parliament and the supremacy of the British court.

In the 1999 Australian referendum, a majority of Australians rejected the project to make Australia a republic. Australian foreign policy until the early 2000s began to develop ties with countries Pacific region maintaining good relations with allies and trading partners of the state.

Physical and geographical characteristics

The Commonwealth of Australia is the sixth largest country in the world by area. Under the control of Australia are external territories: Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Christmas Island, Cartier and Ashmore Islands, Coral Sea Islands, McDonald Islands, Heard Island, Norfolk Island, Australian Antarctic Territory.

In the north and east, the coasts of Australia are washed by the Coral, Arafura, Tasman, Timor Seas; to the west and south is the Indian Ocean. Close to the mainland are major islands Tasmania and New Guinea. Along the northeast coast stretches the largest coral reef on the planet - the Great Barrier Reef (more than 2000 km).

On the Australian climate have a significant impact ocean currents, including El Niño and the Indian Ocean Dipole. Seasonal tropical low pressure and occasional droughts occur, leading to the formation of cyclones in northern Australia.

The northern part has a tropical climate with summer precipitation. In the southwest of the country the climate is Mediterranean, in the southeast it is temperate. The cold West Australian current affects the aridity of the region, not giving energy to the formation of a cyclone.

In most of the country - lowlands and vast deserts: the Great Victoria Desert, the Great Sandy Desert. To the east of the Victoria Desert lies the semi-desert of the Great Artesian Basin.

In the eastern part of the mainland, there are heavily destroyed low mountains - the Great Dividing Range. River valleys and faults divide the mountains into separate massifs. The western slopes of the mountains are gently sloping, the eastern slopes abruptly drop to the sea. Australia is the only continent on which there is no modern glaciation and active volcanoes. Mount Kosciuszko is the highest point on the Australian continent, the lowest point in Australia is Lake Eyre.

Flora and fauna

In addition to vast deserts and semi-deserts, Australia has various landscapes similar to alpine meadows and tropical jungle. Biota (from other Greek - life) - the totality of species of living organisms in Australia is unique and rich due to the significant age of the continent, the huge diversity climatic conditions and prolonged geographic isolation. Flora and fauna together include up to twelve thousand species, of which nine thousand are endemic.

To preserve and protect the unique ecosystem, many protected areas have been created in the country: 16 sites are included in the World Heritage List, 64 wetlands are on the Rimsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.

A significant part of Australia's woody plants are evergreen, some of them have adapted to droughts and fires, such as acacias and eucalyptus trees. Grows here a large number of endemic plants from the legume family that survive on marginal soils.

From flora mainland the flora of cool Tasmania differs in many ways. In addition to eucalyptus trees, the island has a significant number of tree species similar to those of South America and New Zealand, such as the evergreen southern beech.

The most famous representatives of the Australian animal world are monotremes: echidnas And platypuses, various marsupials: kangaroo, wombats, koalas; birds such as cockatoo, kookaburra, emu. Austronesians who traded from 3000 B.C. e. with the Australian Aborigines, dingoes were introduced. Australia has the largest number in the world poisonous snakes. Many animals and plants, such as giant marsupials, died out with the settlement of the natives; others (such as the marsupial or Tasmanian wolf) became extinct after the arrival of Europeans.

The waters around Australia are rich in cephalopods. Particularly famous species are blue-ringed octopuses, which are ranked among the most poisonous animals in the world; giant Australian cuttlefish that gather each winter in the bay of Spencer Bay for mass mating games.

Ecological situation

In many states of Australia, by the end of the twentieth century, there was a tense situation with fresh water. Because of this, the country has officially adopted restrictions on the use of water. They differ depending on the region. The easing of bans is associated with the beginning of the rainy season and the filling of reservoirs. For example, it is forbidden to wash a car with a hose (you can use a bucket), water hard surfaces (concrete, asphalt), fill pools, water lawns from 10.00 to 16.00.

In the state of South Australia, on the Gulf of St. Vincent, due to lack of fresh water, it is planned to build large-scale water desalination plants based on reverse osmosis.

Features of tourism

Citizens from New Zealand, Great Britain, Germany, Japan, China, the USA, South Korea, Singapore and others choose Australia as a holiday destination. The main tourist destinations are Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns, Brisbane.

Everything in Australia Foreign citizens(except residents of New Zealand) must first obtain a visa to enter the country.

The main tourist centers of Australia: Melbourne, Alice Springs, Sydney, Gold Coast, Cairns, Perth.

Melbourne occupies one of the main industrial, commercial, cultural places in Australia. The city is called the "sports and cultural capital", as cultural and sporting events of the continent often take place here. Melbourne is famous for its magnificent combination of Victorian and modern architecture, numerous gardens and parks. The city is home to many major Australian exhibitions and museums.

Among the main attractions stand out the building of the Parliament of Victoria, State Library Victoria, Royal Exhibition Centre, Federation Square, Captain Cook's Cottage, Flinders Street Station, Eureka Tower, St. Patrick's Cathedral, St. Paul's Cathedral.

Popular tourist routes: Golden Mile, Penguin Parade, Great Ocean Road and Twelve Apostles, Gold Museum, Dandenong National Park.

Sydney known for the Harbor Bridge, Opera House and beaches. National parks surround the residential areas of the city. The coastline is extremely indented. There is an abundance of numerous bays, coves, islands and beaches. The city has a large number of shopping centers, boutiques, shops. Tourists are attracted here by cultural and sporting events, shopping, historical places, architecture.

gold coast annually visited by about ten million tourists. This is one of the main Australian seaside resorts located between Brisbane and Sydney. This tourist center has the following advantages: mild tropical climate, long beaches, high coastal waves that attract surfers. The city once a year hosts the renowned IRL IndyCar racing series at the Gold Coast Grand Prix.

There are a large number of theme parks and reserves in the Gold Coast: a park of water attractions and performances with marine animals - "Sea World"; "Australian Hollywood" - "Cinema World" park; water parks; Disneyland; restaurants, casinos. The city has a large number of high-rise buildings, including the famous Q1 Tower skyscraper, which has a height of 322.5 m.

City of Cairns (Queensland) ranks fourth in terms of the number of foreign tourists. The main natural recreational resources of this region are the humid tropics, the Great Barrier Reef, the Atherton Plateau, as well as the beaches of the Coral Sea and a comfortable tropical climate.

The tourist infrastructure of Cairns includes many holiday homes, hotels, beaches, restaurants and cafes. Guests are offered entertainment tours and all kinds of excursions, various amusement parks and attractions have been built.

big australian city ​​of Perth located on the coast of the Indian Ocean, in the area of ​​evergreen and hardwood forests and shrubs.

Alice Springs attracts visitors with its proximity to Mount Uluru, and big amount nightclubs, casinos, theme parks, restaurants. Among vacationers, excursions to the Desert Park, the Reptile Center, the old telegraph station, Botanical Garden etc. To accommodate foreign tourists, hotels, hostels and special parks are provided for overnight stays for vacationers who come by their own cars.

Throughout the year, the city hosts many different performances and festivals, as well as races along the Todd River and through the desert.

Among visitors to Australia are widely popular sea ​​cruises in the coastal zone. Many routes call at the ports of Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Cairns, Hobart, Sydney, Fremantle (Perth). The excursion programs include cruises to the Great Barrier Reef, to the islands located in this part of the Pacific Ocean.

A trip to Australia to remember for a lifetime huge amount interesting experiences.

origin of name

Even ancient geographers were convinced of the existence of a hypothetical land in the Southern Hemisphere, which was indicated on the maps of those times - Terra Australis Incognita - "unknown southern land". This name was first mapped in the 2nd century by Ptolemy of Alexandria, who suggested that Africa in the south passes into the still undiscovered mainland.

The Dutch sailors, who were the first to sail to this land, gave it the name "New Holland". In 1814, the English navigator Matthew Flinders was the first European to circumnavigate the continent and proposed calling it Terra Australis, "as more pleasing to the ear." But his proposal was not immediately accepted, and only in 1817, the Governor of South Wales, Lachlan Macquarie, began to use the name "Australia" in official documents and invited the British Empire's Colonial Office to accept, which was done in 1824.

Big cities

Flora and fauna

The even warm climate, the variety of natural conditions in different parts of the continent and the long isolation of the mainland contributed to the fact that the evolutionary processes of Australia did not proceed as rapidly as on other continents. Thanks to this, amazing plants and animals that have long been extinct on other continents have survived to this day. Of the 12 thousand species of vegetation, more than 9 thousand are endemic, not found anywhere else in the world. Due to the fact that the climate of the continent for the most part arid, the plants here are dry-loving, among them the most famous are eucalyptus and bottle tree. The tropical forests of the north are rich in umbrella acacias, huge eucalyptus trees (up to a hundred meters in height!), Bamboo, different types ficuses and palms. Eastern subtropical evergreen forests amaze with huge twenty-meter ferns and tree-like horsetails.

Unique animals live in the expanses of Australia, they not only do not exist anywhere else on the planet, they simply cannot survive anywhere else, as they feed on plants that grow only here. Almost 90% of the fauna of the continent are endemic. Of the 235 species of mammals, half are marsupials. On the mainland, "living fossils" - the platypus and the echidna - have survived to this day. Australia is the only continent where there are no ungulates or monkeys. There are two surviving predators here - Tasmanian devil, a carnivorous marsupial, and a dingo dog. One of the symbols of Australia, the Tasmanian devil, used to live throughout the mainland, but man and dingoes pushed him to Tasmania.

The bird world of Australia is extremely rich, numbering 720 species of birds, of which almost half are endemic. Emu ostriches, cockatoos, cassowaries, black swans, honey birds, birds of paradise, lyrebirds are recognized symbols of the continent.

There are no predators here, but there are many other dangerous representatives of the animal world - there are 65 species of poisonous snakes in Australia. If you see a sign forbidding swimming, do not disregard the warning - in coastal waters there are deadly jellyfish and sharks. Blue-ringed octopuses are among the most poisonous animals on the planet.

The appearance of a person in the best way influenced the flora and fauna, many of their unique representatives were irretrievably destroyed. But now, through the efforts of the government, the situation is changing dramatically - compliance with laws on protection environment. Many nature protection parks and reserves have been created. It was possible to restore some species of animals and plants that were on the verge of extinction. National parks have given impetus to the development of tourism. In many protected areas, interesting tourist routes have been created that allow you to touch the past of the planet and observe firsthand the life of Australia's wildlife.

Geographic features

Australia ranks last among the continents in terms of area, which is 7.7 million square kilometers. Australia has no borders with any state. The shores of the continent are washed by the seas of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Australia is the only continent without glaciers and volcanoes. Most of the country's territory is occupied by deserts and semi-deserts, there are fertile lands in the east and southwest, and in the north there are woodlands, savannahs and jungles of the Arnhemland peninsula.

The most fertile regions of the country are coastal ones. Thanks to the moist sea winds that carry precipitation, they get enough water for vegetation, there are also alpine meadows, and tropical jungle.

Along the northeast coast, the Great Barrier Reef, a unique landmark of Australia, stretches for 2000 kilometers. Many islands of the reef have become luxury resorts.

There are mountains on the mainland, but they are few, only 5% of the entire territory, and their smaller half are above 1000 meters. In the mountain range of the Great Dividing Range, rising on the east coast, there is the highest point of the continent - Cape Kosciuszko with a height of 2228 meters.

The main rivers of Australia flow through the southeast of the country. major rivers only two - Murray with a length of 2.5 thousand kilometers, and Darling, whose length is no more than 2000 kilometers. Murray over deep river, which maintains a constant flow, and the Darling dries up during the hot season. An abundance of full-flowing and fast rivers boasts the island of Tasmania.

The south of Australia is replete with salt lakes that do not have a runoff and are filled only during the rainy season. Most large lake- Air with an area of ​​9.5 thousand square kilometers. Air is 16 meters below sea level and is the lowest point on the mainland.

History

The ancestors of the natives, immigrants from the island of New Guinea, began to populate the mainland many millennia ago. The idyllic existence of the natives was first disturbed in the 17th century by Dutch explorers. Europeans landed in the north of the continent and discovered a nearby large island, which they named Tasmania after the Dutch traveler Abel Tasman.

Almost a hundred years later, in 1770, James Cook arrived here. He explored the eastern lands of the mainland, named them New South Wales and proclaimed them the property of Britain. A decade later, Europeans began to actively settle in new lands.

The first inhabitants of the continent were criminals. In those days, England evicted its convicts to North America, but this measure of punishment had to be stopped with the outbreak of the War of Independence in the United States.

The English government decided to use the discovered new lands very conveniently and developed a plan to send convicts to New South Wales. In January 1788, the first flotilla reached the distant mainland. There were 1373 people on board 11 ships, 700 of them were criminals. The newcomers soon established a settlement that later became the city of Sydney. And now on January 26, the inhabitants of the Green Continent celebrate Australia Day.

Over the next 80 years, another 160,000 criminals were sent to Australia. And in the second half of the 19th century, gold was found on the continent, a gold rush began, and more than 40 thousand Chinese emigrants came here in search of happiness.

After the Second World War, the country received thousands of migrants from 200 countries, which made Australia one of the most multinational countries peace.

State device. Population

Australia is a federal parliamentary state. Formally, the head of state is the English Queen Elizabeth II, but the executive power is concentrated in the hands of the prime minister.

The federation consists of 6 states:

• New South Wales, the center of cultural, entertainment and sporting events.
• Western Australia, which occupies almost a third of the mainland and consists almost entirely of deserts. Three-quarters of the country's gold is mined here and one-fifth of the world's aluminum is produced. State's highest average income, but also the biggest population shortage due to the hot climate. The size of the state is comparable to Western Europe.
• Queensland, named after Queen Victoria, is famous for its banana plantations and the Great Barrier Reef.
• Victoria is the smallest skiing state in the world. The history and development of the state is closely connected with the gold rush.
• South Australia is known for its wine and the fact that this state has never accepted prisoners.
• Tasmania, nearly half of the state is occupied by protected World Heritage Sites.

In addition to the states, the Commonwealth of Australia includes two mainland territories - the Northern and the Capital. Also a few smaller areas. Half of the land in the Northern Territory is owned by Aboriginal people, it is the most sparsely populated and least urbanized area of ​​the country. The capital territory at one time separated from South Wales, here in 1927 Canberra, the capital of Australia, was built.

Australia is a country with a highly developed economy, largest exporter beef and wool, also exports a large amount of wheat, lamb, minerals. Accordingly, the standard of living of the population is consistently high.

In terms of population, the country ranks 50th in the world. About 24 million people live in Australia, of which 230 thousand are indigenous people. Aborigines received their legal rights only in the 60s of the last century and they live mainly in the reserves and national parks of Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

According to the Australian constitution, none of the religions is approved by law and does not receive financial support from the state. Australians are free to practice any religion and also be free from any creed.

The population density is different. If up to 80% of the population is concentrated in cities, then in other areas the density may be less than one person per square kilometer. This is explained by the fact that more than half of the country's territory is unsuitable for human habitation due to the extremely hot climate.

Australians are friendly and open people, in their temperament the features of puritanical Great Britain are mixed with the cheerful nature of immigrants from America. locals they prefer free style in everyday clothes, they are friendly and smiling with foreigners.

Holidays

• January 1 - New Year.
• January 26 - Australia Day.
• Easter Monday.
• April 25 - Anzac Day (Day of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps).
• May 1 - Labor Day.
• July 14 is the Queen's birthday.
• December 25 - Christmas.
• December 27 - Boxing Day.

Useful information

The national currency is the Australian dollar. Along with paper money, the world's first plastic money is in use here. It is more profitable to exchange currencies in banks, it is important to remember that they do not work on weekends.

From the Green Continent, tourists bring crocodile skin products, the famous Australian ugg boots, original crafts of the natives - boomerangs, spears, ritual masks. You can buy cheap opals here. A variety of eucalyptus souvenirs are very popular with travelers. Many people buy clothes from the unique merino wool. If you buy more than $300 worth of items, you will receive a 9.1% refund on the amount spent, you just need to keep the receipt.

You cannot import food, weapons, certain medicines, animal products and plant origin, wood products and even soil on the soles. Duty-free you can import goods worth no more than $ 900, 50 cigarettes and 1 liter of alcohol. At the airport of arrival, you and your luggage will be disinfected with a special disinfectant.

Remember - in Australia, spitting in the streets, smoking in public places and driving under the influence of alcohol are punishable by a large fine.

Traffic in Australia is left-handed, so tourists need to be extremely careful. Due to the long distances, the most popular transport in the country is airplanes.

Bus transportation is also in demand in the country.

Railway transport is almost not developed due to the difficulties of laying the railway.

Car can be rented subject to availability international law, driving experience for more than 1 year and over 21 years old and under 75 years old. A deposit will be required.

If you travel deep into the continent, stock up on food, water, fuel and be sure to take a satellite phone with you, because. mobile connection does not work everywhere.

Be extremely careful in nature - there are many poisonous snakes and insects around, brush up on the rules of first aid for bites of poisonous animals.

The mains voltage is 240/250 Volts, adapters are needed for Asian and European appliances.

Australia has 3 time zones. Time in Canberra is 7 hours ahead of Moscow.

A quarter of its inhabitants were born outside of Australia.

Australia is the most law-abiding country in the world, although the ancestors of many of its citizens are deported criminals.

Calendar low prices airfare to australia

Australia(Australia), officially called the Commonwealth of Australia, is the sixth largest country in the world and the only one occupying the entire continent of the same name. This continent, however, is the smallest known - it is sometimes called the island-continent. In addition to the continental part itself, Australia includes a number of small islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans and a large (68,401 km2) island of Tasmania, separated from the main part of the country by a wide (from 240 km) Bass Strait.

Australia is known for the fact that much of the local fauna is completely unique and can not be found anywhere else in the world. Kangaroo, koala, echidna, and even a wild dingo dog - recognizable symbols"Green Continent"

• And in Australia there are a lot of crocodiles, both river and sea. As well as various poisonous snakes - all this should be taken into account by tourists who are going to visit this interesting place on the planet map
• They drive in Australia on the left side of the road, as in the UK, respectively, the steering wheel is located in cars on the right
• A flight to Australia by plane from Russia will take at least 17-18 hours (with 1 change), but usually more than 20-22. And this despite the fact that direct regular flights do not exist today.
• The capital of Australia- the city of Canberra (about 400 thousand inhabitants). Most Big City countries - Sydney (under 5 million)

australian beach

Australian population 80-85 percent consists of the British, Scots and Irish, who moved (forcibly transported) here at the time when the continent was a colony of the British Empire. There are relatively many Germans and Italians (4-4.5% each), about the same number of Chinese.

There are quite a few Russian emigrants - in the range of 30-50 thousand people. There are about half a million local natives who were able to survive the colonization. Oh yes - the population of Australia in 2016 is approximately 24 million 400 thousand people!

Basic information

• Total area of ​​the country: 7,617,930 km2
• Population: over 24 million. Most of the population are descendants of the British, Scots and Irish
• Official language: English
• Official currency: Australian dollar (AUD). It is relatively strong: 0.75-0.8 USD
• Phone country code: +61

The coast of Australia is washed by the waters of the four seas of the Pacific Ocean: Arafura, Coral, Tasman and Timor in the north and east and the Indian Ocean in the south and west

Australia is far away

Administratively, the country is divided into six states and two territories (from west to east and from north to west: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, the Federal Capital Territory and Tasmania). Most populous area: New South Wales. Its capital is the city of Sydney.

The Australian Union is a federal constitutional monarchy and is part of the so-called Commonwealth of Nations. The official head of state is the British monarch, whose interests on the continent are represented by the Governor General. Really in full executive power has a cabinet of ministers headed by the prime minister.

• Legislative power is vested in Parliament, which, according to the constitution, consists of the Queen of Great Britain, the Senate (76 members) and the House of Representatives (150 members). Deputies of the House of Representatives are re-elected every 3 years, the powers of senators are valid twice as long, 6 years. Half of the Senate is re-elected every 3 years.

Top attractions or what to see first

In order to describe literally all the sights of Australia, a multi-volume publication is not enough. In fact, this whole country is one huge attraction. The island-continent by its nature, flora and fauna is significantly different from the rest of the planet, and this alone attracts the increased attention of tourists to it.

"The Twelve Apostles"

• 2,600 kilometers long - a unique water reserve containing such a number of unique life forms that no other place on Earth dreamed of. Includes many island archipelagos that are extremely popular with tourists: for example, the Whitsunday Islands
• The country has its own high mountain range, the Australian Alps. They are located in the southeastern corner of the mainland and are used by the locals for their intended purpose: for skiing and trekking!
• Amazingly beautiful chalk cliffs on the south coast of Vittoria, "The Twelve Apostles".
• Symphony of Grampian National Park, Yarrangobili Karst Caves in Kosciuszko National Park, New South Wales

Whitsunday Islands

Australia is famous for its beaches - the undoubted and longest attraction of the country. Moreover, the climate allows you to swim near the local shores literally all year round!

However, keep in mind that, according to statistics, most shark attacks on humans on Earth happen in Australian waters: about 40% of all surfers, divers or ordinary bathers died due to bites from sea predators off the coast of Australia

Symbols of Australia: marsupials koala and kangaroo, a small dog known as tasmanian devil, whose jaws, when bitten, develop the greatest force of any terrestrial mammal. As well as wild dingo dogs, whose name has long become a household name and tightly associated with the "Green Continent", and a deadly saltwater crocodile that lives near the coast and in the rivers of Queensland.

A lot of sights are created by human hands. The most famous, of course, is the Sydney Opera House: it literally looks like a ship flying at full sail towards sunrise. The building was completed in 1973 and has since become one of the most unusual architectural structures.

• A worthy example is the grandiose building of the Royal Exhibition Center in Melbourne, built at the end of the 19th century and the first on the continent, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Major cities in Australia

The vast majority of Australians live in cities.

• Sydney, located in the state of New South Wales on the southeast coast of the country, is the most populated city in the country. Its inhabitants (together with the surrounding area) are under 5 million people

• More southerly Melbourne in Victoria, slightly inferior in population (just over 4 million), but it is considered the university capital of Australia
• Brisbane is in third place: the capital of the northern state of Queensland is significantly inferior to the southern metropolitan areas (2 million people)
• Perth from Western Australia in 4th place (1.7 million inhabitants)
• well, and closes the top five cities-"millionaires" Adelaide from the state of South Australia (1.2 million)

The capital of the country, Canberra, with its 350,000 inhabitants, occupies only the 8th line in the list of the largest cities in Australia. What does not prevent her from being the most locality continent that is not on the coast