AustraliaThe Commonwealth of Australia

The name Australia derived from the Latin austral is, meaning "southern". Since the early 20th century, the country has been referred to as Aussie is common colloquially, as an adjective and a noun referring to an Australian.

Geography一.

GEOGRAPHYit stretch from 10 to 44 south of latitude and 113 east to 154 east of longitude. It is surrounded by the Tasman [tæzm n] Sea(塔斯曼海(在澳大利亚和 新西兰之间) )and the Pacific Ocean to the east, by the Indian Ocean to the west, by the Coral Sea(珊 瑚海), the Arafura Sea(阿拉弗拉海)and Timor Sea(帝汶海)to the north, and the Southern Indian Ocean and the Great Australian Bight(澳大利亚海 湾)to the south. the highest point: Mount Kosciusko(科西阿斯克 山峰)_(2,225 meters high)

1.Location and sizeo

location:

Area:-----7.7 million square kilometers ----- The world's smallest continent and sixth largest country by total area, Australia – owing to its size and isolation is often dubbed the 'island continent and variably considered the world's largest island. ----Australia has 34,218 kilometers of coastline (excluding all offshore islands)

2.Geographic regions---The Eastern highlands ---The Central-Eastern lowlands ---The Western Plateau ---the outback usually refer to the interior and the center of the Western Plateau and its northern plains, ---the Red Center an area with red-brown and tan soils in the heart of the country. the Great Western Plateau: a vast upland made of ancient rock; a land rather flat and about 300 meters above sea level, the interior of the plateau made up of the Great Sandy

Desert, the Gibson Desert, the Great Victoria Desert and the Nullarbor Plai ----- the Eastern Highlands: ----- the Great Diving Range * * * the Australian Alps, the highest plateau in Australia; *** Mount Kosciusko, the highest peak in Australia, *** The longest river in Australia: the Murray (2,520 km), form the major part of the boundary between the states of New South Wales and Victoria before it enters the sea in South Australia. -----the central Lowlands: Laky Eyre regarded as Australia's largest lake.

3.Climate--- factors that affect Australia's climate (1) a hot continent (2) a dry continent (3) causes of the hot and dry climate: ---- latitude: most of Australia lies between 20 to 35 south; ---- Australia has few mountains; ----the air masses that affect Australia for most of the year are dry,sunny and high pressure cells. ----distance from the ocean also affects the weather. ----effects of the hot and dry climate:a great effect on vegetation.

---It claims an extensive Exclusive Economic Zone of 8,148,250 square kilometers (3,146,060 sq mi). This exclusive economic zone does not include the Australian Antarctic Territory ---It is influenced by ocean currents, including the India Ocean Dipole and the Southern Oscillation

4.Major cities--- Canberra Sydney , Melbourne, Brisbane , Perth , Adelaide , D

arwin

二. HISTORY1.It is estimated to have begun between 42,000 and 48,000 years ago --It is begin with the arrival of the Aborigines --three regions a. Northern coast b. The southeast c. Tasmania 2. Discovery and Exploration --the Dutch chartered the whole of the western and northern coastlines, named Holland, during 17th century

3.European SettlementLate 18th and early 19th centuries The Industrial Revolution transformed the country from a largely rural society to a town-centered . -----The rapid population growth ------The rising crime rate ------The colonies’ establish

The first recorded European sighting of the Australian mainland and the first recorded European landfall on the Australian continent were attributed to the Dutch navigator Willem Jan zoon who sighted the coast of Cape York Peninsula on an unknown date in early 1606. On 26 February 1606, he made landfall at the Penne father River on the western shore of Cape York, near the modern town of Weip0061During the 17th century, the Dutch charted the whole of the western and northern coastlines of "New Holland", but made no attempt at settlement. In 1770, James Cook sailed along and mapped the east coast of Australia, which he named New South Wales and claimed for Great BritainCook's discoveries prepared the way for establishment of a new penal colony. The British Crown Colony of New South Wales was formed on 26 January 1788, when Captain Arthur Phillip led the First Fleet to Port Jackson. This date became Australia's national day, Australia Day Van Die men’s Land now known as Tasmania, was settled in 1803 and became a separate colony in 1825. The United Kingdom formally claimed the western part of Australia in 1828

The composition of Australia‘s population(a) Aboriginals(and Torres Islander people (b) Immigrants and their descendents; (c) influence of Britain: many aspects such as their language, system of government, the Australian flag, legal system, sports, family and place names and even school system (including school uniforms) (d) population distribution: one of the most urbanized countries in the world (80% live in suburbs of coastal cities and towns, with most of these in the narrow coastal strip between Brisbane and Adelaide (e) The main reason: an environmental reason;

4. colonizationa. It is traditionally believed that the British colonization of Australia is the 18th century was because the British government wanted to transport convicts there. b. In the 1850sbecame a period of great economic expansion in Australia due to gold rush. 5.The road Toward Federation On January 1,1901,the commonwealth of Austria came into being. A federal government was formed to govern all Austria. 6. Austria in the 20th Century a. In World War 1, Austria followed British's Lead and declared war on Germany.

b. the Austria-New Zealand force called the Anzacs fought many battles and by 1916,Anzac Day was being celebrated, which remains Austria's most important holiday. c.

there was optimism and economic growth in the 1920s, but inn 1929, Austria was also in serious economic and social difficulties. d. Austria joined World War Two and fought against Germany . e. From 1950 to 1966, there was a boom in economic growth under Menzies’s rule.

Government and Society1.Governmen The Commonwealth of Australia is a constitutional democracy based on a federal division of powers. The form of government used in Australia is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government a. the commonwealth of Austria is a federation, formed in 1901. b. Austria federation has a three-tier system of government : The federal parliament and government Six State parliaments and governments About 900 local governments c. British's monarch is also Austria ‘s and represented by the Governor General and six State governors.

2.The constitutionAustria has a written constitution . The constitution can be changed only by referendum, that is by a majority of States. The constitution is based on the principle of federalism and the principle of responsible government. 3. Parliament It consists the Queen and two House of Parliament

:the House of Representatives {the Lower House} and the Senate {the Upper House }. ------Each number of the House of Representatives represents a special area of Australia. ------The Senate is in Australia an elected house. 4.The Legislature

------The parliament of the Commonwealth is the federal legislature of Australia. 5.The Executive a. It consists of the Prime Minister and other members of the ministry.

b. The cabinet ,which is made up of the most senior and experienced ministers, is the major decision-making body in the government.

6.The JudiciaryIt includes the High Court of Australia {the most superior}, the Federal Court of Australia {established in 1977 } and the Family Court of Australia dealing with marriage problems.]

7.Political Parties# Three major political parties: a. the Labor Party b. the Liberal Party c. the National Party