· Australia is the smallest continent in the world. It is part of a region known as Oceania. This region includes New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and many more small island countries.
· The Aborigines were the first people to live in Australia. They moved to Australia from Southeast Asia more than 40,000 years ago. The Maoris were the first to live in New Zealand.
· The largest desert in Australia is the Gibson Desert.· The Murray-Darling is the longest river in Australia.
· Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, is the largest single block of stone in the world. It varies in color from mauve to fiery red, depending on the time of the day. Ayers Rock is a sacred landmark to the Australian Aborigine people. Paintings, thousands of years old, by Aboriginal artists cover the walls of many caves in it.
· The Sydney Opera House is one of Australia’s best known monuments.
· The boomerang is an ancient Aborigine weapon. When you throw it, it comes back to you.
· Australia is the home of many strange animals and birds, which do not live naturally in any other part of the world. The most popular Australian animals are the kangaroo and the koala. The kangaroo has become the symbol of Australia.
· The Great Barrier Reef, off northeastern Australia, is the world’s biggest coral reef.
© 2005 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
