Australia is home to some of the world's most beautiful beaches, the most cosmopolitan of cities, snowfields that are similar to that of Switzerland and a friendly population. Situated all the way down there at the bottom of the glove, the continent of Australia has so much to offer to the world.

Here are some essential facts about Australia for anyone intending to visit, or for those interested in moving to this amazing part of the world.

THE BEGINNING

Australia was originally part of Asia and Antarctica. Due to the sea levels rising over millions of years, it separated and became its own continent.

Many travelers and explorers sighted the coasts of Australia over the years, to finally be named by a British explorer called James Cook. Up until this time, much of Australia was inhabited by Aboriginals who were thought to have been living in the country for over 40,0000 years. The Aboriginals are said to have originally have migrated from South East Asia.

The first convicts, who became the first settlers to Australia, happened in 1788.

The word Australia is derived from the Latin word "Australis" meaning south.

WHERE IS AUSTRALIA?

Australia is situated between the Indian and Pacific oceans. Comprising a landmass of 2,965,368 square miles, Australia is divided into six states and two territories making it the sixth largest country in the world.

The six states are Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania. The two territories are Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory.

85% of the population are mainly situated around the cities, whereas the other 15% inhabit more rural and outback areas.

The capital of Australia is called Canberra or the ACT, Australian Capital Territory.

The Australian flag has a picture of the Union Jack on it as it's a commonwealth country and shows the history of the country's colonization. It also has six stars that represent each state of the country, commonly called the "southern cross".

CITIES OF AUSTRALIA

There are eight major cities located amongst each state; these are Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart and Darwin.

WHAT LANGUAGE DO AUSTRALIANS SPEAK?

The official language spoken throughout Australia is English. The native Aborigines speak a number of dialects, but the more common are Western Torres Strait Island and Western Desert language. Australia is also a multicultural country, comprising

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