australia
Post on 21-Aug-2015
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Australian anthemAustralians all let us rejoiceFor we are young and free
We've golden soil and wealth for toil,Our home is girt by sea:
Our land abounds in nature's giftsOf beauty rich and rare,
In history's page let every stageAdvance Australia fair,
In joyful strains then let us singAdvance Australia fair.
Beneath our radiant Southern Cross,We'll toil with hearts and hands,To make this Commonwealth of oursRenowned of all the lands,For those who've come across the seasWe've boundless plains to share,With courage let us all combineTo advance Australia fair.In joyful strains then let us sing,Advance Australia fair.
GeographyAustralia's 7,617,930 square kilometres (2,941,299 sq. mi)
landmass is on the Indo-Australian Plate. Surrounded by the
IndianN4 and Pacific oceans, Australia is separated from Asia
by the Arafura and Timor seas. Australia has 34,218 kilometres
(21,262 mi) of coastline (excluding all offshore islands) and
claims an extensive exclusive economic zone of 8,148,250
square kilometres (3,146,057 sq. mi). This exclusive economic
zone does not include the Australian Antarctic Territory.
The Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef, lies a
short distance off the north-east coast and extends for over
2,000 kilometres (1,250 mi). Mount Augustus, claimed to be
the world's largest monolith, is located in Western Australia. At
2,228 metres (7,310 ft), Mount Kosciuszko on the Great
Dividing Range is the highest mountain on the Australian
mainland, although Mawson Peak on the remote Australian
territory of Heard Island is taller at 2,745 metres (9,006 ft).
enviromentBy far the largest part of Australia is desert or semi-arid. Only the south-
east and south-west corners of the continent have a temperate climate.
Most of the population lives along the temperate south-eastern coastline.
it includes a diverse range of habitats, from alpine heaths to tropical
rainforests, and is recognised as a megadiverse country. Because of the
continent's great age (and consequent low levels of fertility), its
extremely variable weather patterns, and its long-term geographic
isolation, much of Australia's biota is unique and diverse. About 85% of
flowering plants, 84% of mammals, more than 45% of birds, and 89% of
in-shore, temperate-zone fish are endemic. Among well-known Australian
fauna are the monotremes (the platypus and the echidna); a host of
marsupials, including the kangaroo, the koala, and the wombat; the
saltwater and freshwater crocodiles; and birds such as the emu and the
kookaburra. The dingo was introduced by Austronesian people who
traded with Indigenous Australians around 3000 BCE. Many plant and
animal species became extinct soon after first human settlement,
including the Australian megafauna;
Sydney opera house
Construction of This landmark was started in 1959, completed in 1973
The Sydney Opera House is an expressionist modern design, with a series
of large precast concrete 'shells', each taken from a hemisphere of the
same radius, forming the roofs of the structure. The Opera House covers
1.8 hectares (4.5 acres) of land. The Opera House was formally opened by
Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on October 20, 1973, which a crowd of
millions attended. The opening was televised and included fireworks and a
performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9.
Inside:» Concert hall with 2679 seats
» Opera theatre with 1574 seats
» Drama theatre with 544 seats
» Playhouse with 398 seats
» Studio theatre with 318 seats
Harbour bridge
Construction of This landmark was started in 1923, completed in 1932
Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel arch bridge across Sydney Harbour,
carrying rail, vehicular, and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central
business district (CBD) and the North Shore, together with the Sydney
Harbour Tunnel. The bridge is locally nicknamed The Coathanger[1]
because of its arch-based design, although this usage is less prevalent
than it once was. The bridge was the city's tallest structure until 1967.
statistics:» Longest span: 503 metres
» Total length: 1149 metres
» Width: 49 metres
» Height: 139 metres
» Clearance below: 49 metres
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