National Flag
The Australian National Flag has three elements on a blue background: the Union Jack, the Commonwealth Star and the Southern Cross. The Union Jack in the upper left corner (or canton) acknowledges the history of British settlement.
Below the Union Jack is a white Commonwealth or Federation star. It has seven points representing the unity of the six states and the territories of the Commonwealth of Australia. The star is also featured on the Commonwealth Coat of Arms.
The Southern Cross is shown on the fly of the flag in white. This constellation of five stars can be seen only from the southern hemisphere and is a reminder of Australia’s geography.
National Colours
The national colours, green and gold, hold a treasured place in the Australian imagination. Long associated with Australian sporting achievements, the national colours have strong environmental connections. Gold conjures images of Australia’s beaches, mineral wealth, grain harvests and the fleece of Australian wool. Green evokes the forests, eucalyptus trees and pastures of the Australian landscape.
National Floral Emblem
Green and gold are also the colours of Australia’s national floral emblem – the golden wattle. As one species of a large genus of flora growing across Australia, the golden wattle is a symbol of unity.
Wattle is purpose-built to withstand Australia's droughts, winds and bushfires. The resilience of wattle represents the spirit of the Australian people
The Australian Coat of Arms
The Commonwealth Coat of Arms is the formal symbol of the Commonwealth of Australia and its authority and ownership. Symbols of Australia’s six states appear together on the shield, which is the central feature of a coat of arms. The border of the shield symbolises federation.
The national floral emblem, the golden wattle, frames the Commonwealth Coat of Arms.
The kangaroo and emu are the native animals that hold the shield with pride. Some say the kangaroo and emu were chosen to symbolise a nation moving forward. This is based on the common belief that neither animal can move backwards easily.
POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT
Australia's system of government
Australia's system of government is based on the liberal democratic tradition, which includes religious tolerance and freedom of speech and association. Its institutions and practices reflect British and North American models but are uniquely Australian.
Responsible government
The Commonwealth of Australia was created in 1901 when former British colonies-now the six States-agreed to federate. Government is based on a popularly elected Parliament with two chambers, the House of Representatives and the Senate. Ministers appointed from these chambers conduct executive government. Policy decisions are made in Cabinet meetings. Apart from the announcement of decisions, Cabinet discussions are not disclosed. Ministers are bound by the principle of Cabinet solidarity. This closely follows the British model of Cabinet government responsible to Parliament.
Although Australia is an independent nation, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain is also formally Queen of Australia. The Queen appoints a Governor-General (on the advice of the elected Australian Government) to represent her. The Governor-General has wide powers, but by convention acts only on the advice of ministers on virtually all matters.
A written constitution
Like the United States and unlike Britain, Australia has a written constitution. The Australian Constitution defines the responsibilities of the federal government, which include foreign relations and trade, defence and immigration. Governments of States and Territories are responsible for all matters not assigned to the Commonwealth. State parliaments and Territory assemblies follow the principles of responsible government. In the States, the Queen is represented by Governors.
Population
As of July 2007, Australia's population is roughly 21.0 million people. The most populous states are New South Wales and Victoria, with their respective capitals, Sydney and Melbourne, the largest cities in Australia.
Australia's population is concentrated along the coastal region of Australia from Adelaide to Cairns, with a small concentration around Perth, Western Australia. The centre of Australia is sparsely populated.
Climate
The majority of Australia experiences temperate weather for most of the year.
The northern states of Australia are typically warm all the time, with the southern states experiencing cool winters but rarely sub-zero temperatures.
Snow falls on the higher mountains during the winter months, enabling skiing in southern New South Wales and Victorian ski resorts, as well as the smaller resorts in Australia's island state, Tasmania.
Geography
Australia is an island continent and the world's oldest and sixth largest country (7,682,300 sq km).
Lying between the Indian and Pacific oceans, the country is approximately 4,000 km from east to west and 3,200 km from north to south, with a coastline 36,735 km long.
Canberra is Australia's capital city. With a population of approximately 320,000 and situated in the Australian Capital Territory, Canberra is roughly half way between the two largest cities Melbourne and Sydney.
Australia has 17 listed World Heritage properties. Australia is also famous for its landmark buildings including the Sydney Opera House, and the Sydney Harbour Bridge; its ancient geology, as well as for its high country.
History
Australia's first inhabitants, the Aboriginal people, are believed to have migrated from some unknown point in Asia to Australia between 50,000 and 60,000 years ago.
While Captain James Cook is credited with Australia's European discovery in 1770, a Portuguese possibly first sighted the country, while the Dutch are known to have explored the coastal regions in the 1640s.
The first European settlement of Australia was in January 1788, when the First Fleet sailed into Botany Bay under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip. Originally established as a penal colony, by the 1830s the number of free settlers was increasing. Transportation of convicts to the eastern colonies was abolished in 1852 and to the western colonies in 1868.
