Australia

Australia is located in the southern hemisphere, between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Australia is a country known for its vast natural landscape, varied climate, rich indigenous culture and modern, multicultural society. With an area of over 7.6 million square kilometers, Australia is the world's sixth largest country with a population of around 26 million inhabitants, mainly concentrated in coastal cities. The capital Canberra is located inland, but it is cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth that attract the most visitors and have the greatest economic importance. Sydney is the most populous city and home to landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. Australia's landscape is incredibly diverse. There are tropical rainforests in the north, desert landscapes in the vast interior ("The Outback"), temperate forests in the south, and snow-capped mountains in the southeast. The country is also surrounded by over 30,000 kilometers of coastline, with famous beaches such as Bondi Beach and the World Heritage Great Barrier Reef, which is the world's largest coral reef system. The indigenous people, the Aborigines, have lived in Australia for over 65,000 years and have one of the world's oldest continuous cultures. Their spiritual and cultural relationship with the land lives on in traditions, art and stories. At the same time, Australia today is a modern, democratic society with strong ties to both Europe and Asia. Australia is also known for its unique wildlife – it is home to animals that are found nowhere else in the world, such as the kangaroo, koala, platypus and wallaby. Many of these species have evolved in isolation, as Australia has been geographically separated from other continents for millions of years.