Map, Country info

Here is a map of Australia for those you who are unfamiliar with the country. I am in Brisbane.

The farther north you go, the warmer and more tropical. South Australia gets fairly cold in the winter. Cairns stays warm all year round. The Great Barrier is on the North-East coast and runs from Cairns nearly down to Brisbane. There is a mountain range just inland on the East coast and beyond that is the outback. Not too much in the middle of the country expect Ayers Rock.

Australia is about the same size as the US mainland, so it is a lot bigger than we usually give it credit for.

Country Info:

Australia is a federation of 6 states: Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, and Western Australia. Also two territories: Northern territory and Capital Territory.

Australia is the only nation to govern an entire continent and is the sixth largest country in the world in land area. It is the driest inhabitated country in the world.

Brisbane was ranked #6 in the worlds top liveable places. It is the capital of Queensland and has a population of 1.69 million

Australia is one of the most urbanised and coast-dwelling populations in the world. More than 80 per cent of Australians live within 100 kilometres of the coast.

Queen: Elizabeth II

Prime Minister: John Howard (some of the locals call him bonsai or 'little bush' because he follows George Bush)

Australia’s currency: consists of coins of 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent, $1, and $2 denomination; and notes of 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollar denomination. No more pennies and $1 bills.

$1 AUD = $0.77 USD Yeah- everything is cheaper in US dollars!!

Minimum wage here is also much higher than the states- it's about $13. It is common for young people to make $15-$25 an hour!!

Capital: Canberra

Size: 2,988,888 sq mi

Population: 20.5 million

Over 450,000 backpackers ages 20-24 travel to Australia each year.

‘