James Cook discovered Australia on the 20th of April 1770. The original inhabitants of Australia were people called Aborigines. This name they gained from British people in 1788. The each group of Aborigines had its land and language. They travelled to different parts of their land to find food and water, they ate plants and fruits and caught animals and fish. After 1788 their life suddenly began to change. Life was very difficult for the Aborigines: they couldn’t own land, couldn’t get jobs, their children couldn’t go to school with white children. Nowadays it is better.
GOVERNMENT
The official title is the Commonwealth of Australia and it is a British dominion. It is federal state with a Governor General at its head. The governor is a deputy to the British queen Elisabeth II. The head of government is the Prime Minister.
- The capital is Canberra. Australia consists of 6 states and 3 territories:
- Western Australia – the capital is Perth
- South Australia – the capital is Adelaide
- Queensland – the capital is Brisbane
- New South Wales – the capital is Sydney (the biggest city)
- Victoria – the capital is Melbourne
- Tasmania – the capital is Hobart
Territories: 1. Northern Territory – the capital is Darwin
2. Australian Capital Territory – the capital is Canberra POPULATION
Country isn’t densely populated. There are only about 16 million inhabitants. The inhabitants are mostly of British origin. The density is one of the lowest in the world, only two people to one square kilometre. Population is concentrated especially along the south – east coast. The tropical northern part is practically uninhabited.
GEOGRAPHY
- DESERTS
There are two big deserts: the Great Sand