Basic Facts
What is the capital and what language do Australians speak?
Canberra, English
Australia is a BLANK and a BLANK
Country AND continent
What is the name for the original inhabitants of Australia?
The Aborigines
What type is landscape makes up most of Australia?
Mostly plains and deserts
What type of government does Australia have?
Constitutional monarchy (member of the British Commonwealth of Nations)
What is the currency?
Australian dollar
What is another nickname Australia goes by and why?
Down Under, situated below the equator
What did the indigenous people use for hunting and what was a popular musical instrument they played?
Boomerang, didgeridoo
What is the largest piece of rock in the world that was very meaningful for the Aborigines?
Ayers Rock (Uluru)
Who is the head of government?
Prime Minister
6 states, 2 territories
Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria South Australia, Tasmania
Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory
Compared to other countries, how big is Australia (ex: 1st, 2nd...)?
6th largest country in the world
Where did the indigenous people come from and how long ago?
Arrived from Asia, 40,000 years ago
What are the seasons like in Australia?
The opposite of the northern hemisphere (summer starts in December, autumn in March, winter in June, and spring in September)
Australia has 2 legislative houses, what are they called?
Senate (76 members)
House of Representatives (148 members)
How big is Australia (in square kilometers)?
8 million square killometers
What is Australia situated between?
the South Pacific and the Indian Oceans in the southern hemisphere
What are four popular/unique animals in Australia?
Kangaroo, koala, emu, echidna, cockatoo, dingo, wombat, platypus
What is the highest mountain?
Mt Kosciusko (in the Australian Alps discovered by the Polish scientist)
Many children in Australian outback live on large sheep farms, what are they called?
Stations
What does the Australian flag look like/ represent?
The Union Jack(top left), Blue background, 5 stars that stand for the constellation of the Southern Cross, and a big seven-pointed star for the 6 states and 1 point for territories
Australia's name comes from the Latin phrase "Terra Australis", what does it mean?
Southern Land
What are the two popular plants in Australia?
Eucalyptus and wattle (the national flower)
What are the two main deserts in Australia called?
The Great Sandy Desert, the Great Victoria Desert
How does schooling work in "schools of the air"?
Since these farms are very far away from schools or even towns that children have to study from home... ALL LEARNING IS DONE BY COMPUTERS, THE INTERNET, RADIO, PHONE, OR THE POST
(Children go to school for only a week or two a year and teachers visit once a term, all homework is sent by mail)