Before settlers from Europe came to Australia, native Aboriginal and Islander tribes primarily populated it. These tribes lived in various regions of the continent and spoke many different languages and had differing social customs.
Throughout the early 1600s to the late 1700s, there were a few European expeditions to Australia. In 1770 Capt. James Cook from England claimed Australia as a British colony and the Crown decided to use it as a prison to send convicted criminals as punishment. The import of convicts began in 1788, and over 160,000 criminals came into Australia from 1788 to 1868.
Australia finally created an organized government in 1901, when it formed six states (1 for each British colony) with one constitution. Many of the citizens in the colonies were from Europe, mainly England and Ireland, though there was also still a large indigenous population of Aboriginal and Islander tribes). After the 1940s, Australia had a huge economic surge that helped it grow into a strong manufacturing country. The country also hosted the Olympics in the 1950s, which helped the economy and made Australia a popular vacation destination.
Australia became independent of England in 1901, when it created its 6 states and constitution. The creation of this constitution allowed Australia to become a federation, which meant that power was split between a country-wide government and several state governments. The state governments then have the power to make laws that may vary from state to state (much like the United States). The central government oversees many crucial parts essential to the well-being of the country, such as the taxation system, military defense, and international affairs.
There are three branches in the central Australian government: legislative, judiciary and executive. The legislative branch is known as Parliament, just like it is in England's government. The executive branch is not a President like in the United States, but rather a committee of ministers.
The geography of Australia is very diverse. It has plateaus, small mountain ranges and several flat beaches. Most people have heard of the Australian Outback, a remote desert environment in the middle of the continent. This part of Australia is largely uninhabited by people, but there are quite a few animals that are native to Australia that call this area home including kangaroos, monitor lizards and tiny brush rodents.
Many animals have also been introduced to the outback and have successfully bred in the wild. Dingos are related to the domestic dog and were introduced over 3,000 years ago. Camels are sometimes eaten as food or exported to other countries because their population numbers are getting so high.
Around 90% of Australia's populations now live in civilized towns and cities. The capital city of Australia is Canberra, but the cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are larger.
One of the most popular landmarks in Australia includes the Sydney Opera House in Sydney. With its white-sailed roof on the edge of the ocean, is probably one of the most thought-of buildings when one thinks of Australia. The next most thought-of landmark is likely the Great Barrier Reef, which is located North of Brisbane. It has very unique ecosystem that includes sea turtles, saltwater fish and dolphins.
