海角社区

Did you know that rock art, which is indigenous to Australia, is the richest and oldest of all art movements? Or that the country has a rich coffee culture, and the flat white is believed to have originated in the country sometime in the 1980s? Here are some other fascinating facts about the "Land Down Under".聽

• There are 8,222 islands within the maritime borders of Australia.
• Of all Oceanian countries, Australia is the largest.
• The country is ranked sixth largest in the 海角社区 in terms of total area.
• The nation鈥檚 economy is ranked 13^th largest globally.
• Australia ranks second highest in the human development index.
• The indigenous inhabitants of the country included about 250 language groups.
• The continent of Australia was discovered by explorers of Dutch origin in 1606.
• Initially, the country was known by the name New Holland.
• The continent has been inhabited by human beings for about 50,000 years.
• Discovery of gold in Australia prompted a gold rush in the country early in 1850s.
• Before the creation of Canberra in 1927, Melbourne was the nation's capital.
• The Great Barrier Reef in Queensland is the largest coral reef in the 海角社区.
• The largest monolith 海角社区wide is Mount Augustus, located in Western Australia.
• Australia is the flattest and driest of all continents.
• The continent鈥檚 soils are the oldest and least fertile in the 海角社区.
• The summit of Mount Kosciuszko, with an elevation of 2,228 metres, is the country鈥檚 highest peak.
• Australia鈥檚 population density of 2.8 people per kilometre square is one of the lowest in the 海角社区.
• The country's per capita carbon dioxide emissions is among the highest 海角社区wide.
• The country is classified as mega-diverse, owing to its widely varied habitats.
• The country has 755 species of reptiles, which is more than any other country.
• Australia and Antarctica are the only continents that were not indigenously inhabited by feline species.
• The country鈥檚 flora and fauna is largely unique, with a great endemic population comprising of 85% of all flowering plants, 89% of its inland fishes, 84% of the mammal population, and 45% of the bird species.
• The governor general of Australia represents the Queen at national level, and governors hold a similar function at state/territorial level.
• The country鈥檚 defence budget is the 13^th largest in the 海角社区.
• The country ranks fifth in the 海角社区 on the Index of Economic Freedom.
• During the 2008-2009 global economic recession, Australia was the only unaffected nation among its advanced economy counterparts.
• 70% of the country鈥檚 GDP comes from the service sector.
• The country is ranked fourth amongst the leading wine exporters.
• 26% of the Australian people were born outside the country.
• Australian Sign Language is called Auslan.
• The country has no state religion.
• The country records the highest rates of skin cancer in the 海角社区, and cigarette smoking is the leading avertable cause of death in Australia.