Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. It is the largest country in Oceania and the world's sixth-largest country by total area. The population of 25 million is highly urbanised and heavily concentrated on the eastern seaboard. Australia's capital is Canberra, though its largest city is Sydney. The country's other major metropolitan areas are Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide.
1. Australia is the 6th largest country by size, a massive 2.9 million square miles.
2. While it’s huge, the population is only 25.7 million.
3. The Great Victoria Desert, just ONE of Australia’s barren areas is larger than the United Kingdom. You could lose an entire country in Australia and never know it.
4. A single cattle ranch in South Australia is larger than the state of Israel.
5. Don’t think Australia gets snow? Well it’s all relative. The area of Australia that is covered by snow in winter is larger than the area of Switzerland.
6. The longest fence in the world is in Australia, and it runs for over 5,530 kilometers.
7. The world’s longest golf course, measuring more than 850 miles long is located in Australia.
8. Australia includes the world’s longest stretch of dead-straight railway track, a 297 mile length.
9. Australia is home to 10 of the world’s 15 most poisonous snakes as well as a disproportionate number of venomous spiders.
10. Marsupials like koalas, quokka and kangaroos can be found nowhere else in the world.
11. The only two mammals in the world that lay eggs are found in Australia, the platypus and echidna.
12. There are more than 150 million sheep in Australia and only 25 million people. That’s 6 sheep for every person.
13. There are over 60 different species of kangaroos.
14. 1 million wild camels roam the Australian deserts. They were originally brought over to help with railroad construction.
15. Aboriginal culture is the oldest on Earth. It’s estimated that the continent’s original inhabitants have been in Australia for a staggering 40,000-60,000 years.
16. The largest Greek population in the world beside Athens in Greece can be found in Melbourne Victoria.
17. More than 80 percent of Australians live within 100 kilometers of the coast.
18. Australia has 19 world heritage listed sites including historic townships, cities and landscapes.
19. More than 80% of Australians participate in gambling of some kind.
20. Australians developed a fake animal to further scare tourists. The drop bear was purported by mainstream institutions including the Australian Museum to drop from trees and attack tourists. There is no drop bear.
21. More than 25% of all Australians were born in another country.
22. Australia is the only continent without an active volcano.