The Dreamland
Studying in Australia is an amazing adventure and a life changing experience. It is a country with infinite professional and personal opportunities. Language and vocational schools or universities provide high level education, the quality of life is the highest in the world and the climate is just fantastic. A relaxed and optimistic way of life and long sunny days make Australia the perfect place to study, live and settle. Australia is the place where your dreams will come true.
Area & population
Australia, with the area of over 7,500,000 square kilometers, is the only entire continent governed by one nation. The mainland is both the largest island and at the same time the smallest and the flattest continent on Earth. The highest point on the mainland, Mount Kosciusko, is only 2,228 meters.
It has, however, a relatively small population with a little over 23.5 million people (August 2014). Statically there are less than 3 people per km2 (2.91 /km2). That makes Australia the 3rd least densely populated country in the world. Only Mongolia, Western Sahara, Suriname, Mauritania and Botswana have fewer people per square kilometer than Australia.
It is also worth noticing that most of the Aussies live in major cities. The population of Sydney is 4.4 million (21%), Melbourne 4 million (19%), Brisbane 2.1 million (10%), Perth 1.7 million (8.5%), Adelaide 1.2 million (5.5%). That means that around 36% of the population lives in other smaller cities or towns or in the outback.
People
Life expectancy at birth is around 80.62 years, with the average comparison to the world of 70 (male: 79.99 years, female: 84.15 years). It is the land where people live long and happy lives. The society is young, open-minded and multicultural. The average age is 37. It’s a place where people from all over the world come to share and contribute to a modern nation living experience.
Since 1945, over six million people from 200 countries have come to down-under. Migrants have made a major impact on modern Australia lifestyle, culture and economy. Almost one quarter of the total population is made up by people born overseas.
Administration
The Commonwealth of Australia is a democracy but it recognizes the monarch of Great Britain as sovereign. Generally speaking, the Queen of England has the title “Chief of State” and performs ceremonial duties.
The Australian federation consists of six States and two Territories with the capital in Canberra. The largest State, Western Australia, is about the same size as Western Europe. The states and their capitals are New South Wales (Sydney), Victoria (Melbourne), Queensland (Brisbane), South Australia (Adelaide), Western Australia (Perth), and Tasmania (Hobart). The territories and their chief cities are the Australian Capital Territory (Canberra) and the Northern Territory (Darwin). The location of the National Capital in Canberra was basically a compromise between the two rival cities of Sydney and Melbourne.
Fun facts from down-under
Since Australia is located in the Southern Hemisphere it is called the “down-under”.
Water flushes or spirals in the opposite direction compared to water in the Northern Hemisphere. Summer is from December to February, meaning it is hot at Christmas time and you can spend your Christmas on the beach, sunbathing and surfing.
Oh, and all the stars are upside down.
Also if you have ever wondered where does Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman or Kylie Minogue come from you already might have a clue…
Economy
Australia has a developed modern market economy and has had one of the most outstanding economies of the world in recent years. With its low-inflation, high-growth, and low interest rates it has been a temping place for many companies and investments. Inflation has generally been 2–3% over the past decade. There is an efficient government, a very flexible and well-functioning labour market and a really competitive business sector.
The service sector dominates the Australian economy (68% of Australian GDP). More than 57% of the Australian exports comes from the agricultural and mining sectors.
Life & culture
If you are looking for multicultural experience, then you must know that about 20% of people living in Australia were born overseas, and 40% have mixed cultural heritage. There are about 225 languages spoken in Australia, making it one of the most multicultural countries in the whole world.
Australians are very friendly and helpful and going to the beach on weekends in Australia is a very popular exercise for many of them. The so called Australian Beach Culture, is similar to California, Rio de Janeiro, and the Mediterranean.
The fashion in Australia is pretty casual and laidback, of course if you are not going to a special event.
Majority of the Australian are very concerned about ecological and preservation matters, involving themselves as much as possible to keep it that way.
Wildlife
Australia has a unique collection of wildlife, such as the kangaroo, koala, the platypus or echidna all of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Platypus and echidna are the only two mammals in the whole world that lay eggs and the koala is considered to be the cutest animal in the world – confirmed by anybody who actually sees a koala with their own eyes.
Beyond the cities, in rural and outback areas you can easily see Australian native animals in the wild.
Most of Australia’s wildlife is found nowhere else in the world. Around 87% of our mammal species, 93% of reptiles, 94% of frogs and 45% of our bird species are found only in Australia. The Great Barrier Reef is the longest reef and the largest organic construction in the world. It is over 2,000 km long and can be seen from space. The reef contains a richness of marine life and covers over 3000 individual reef systems and hundreds of gorgeous tropical islands with some of the world’s most beautiful sunny, golden beaches. It includes 600 types of soft and hard corals, more than 100 species of jellyfish, 500 species of worms, 1625 types of fish, 133 varieties of sharks and rays, and more than 30 species of whales and dolphins.
Climate
Australia’s landscape and climate is highly diverse, including the dry Outback, the high plateaus of the Great Dividing Range, the woods of Tasmania, the rainforest and coral reefs of the tropical north and over 10,000 beaches. Australia offers a wide range of climates with generally no extremes and the average temperatures of maximum 25.5C and minimum 15.7C. Lying in the southern hemisphere, Australia’s seasons are opposite those in the northern hemisphere. Summer is from December to February, autumn from March to May, winter from June to August and spring from September to November.
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