Welcome to

AustraliaZhejiang University of Finance &

EconomicsDong Fang College

Toriano Cook

What do you know about Australia?

Did you know ……?

• Kangaroo Jack• Koala Bears• Joey• Outback• Land Down Under• Sydney Opera

House• Crocodile Dundee

“Kangaroo Jack”

Koala bears

Joey

Sydney Opera House

Crocodile Dundee

National Flag of Australia

• The Union Jack for the United Kingdom.• One large 7-pointed star, “Commonwealth star”• 5 white stars, to represent the ‘Southern Cross’

constellation

“Southern Cross” Constellation

Location of Australia

From Hangzhou to Sydney, Australia is 7,844 kilometers.

The “Land Down Under”• Regions (and capital cities):

• New South Wales (Sydney)• Victoria (Melbourne)• Queensland (Brisbane)• South Australia (Adelaide)• Western Australia (Perth)• Northern Territory (Darwin)• Tasmania (Hobart)

• Capital City: Canberra• The largest cities are Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.

The “Land Down Under”• Australia’s outback is very dry and flat (desert). Very few people live in the outback. Ayers rock is located in the outback.

• Most of the people live in the cities and towns on the coast.

• Large country is also a continent.

• Sometimes Australia is considered to be a part of Oceania.

Geography

Major Cities of Australia

• Over two-thirds (60%) of the population lives in big cities.• The Capital city, Canberra, means ‘meeting place’ in

Aboriginal language.• Sydney is the largest city, with a population of 4.4 million.

• Most people live in ‘Greater Sydney’ in the suburbs.• Many historic sites, wildlife parks, beaches and national parks

• The capital city of each region is generally the largest city.• Brisbane on the East coast lies on the famous Australian

Gold Coast.• Adelaide is a center of arts and cultural festivals.• Darwin, the largest most Northern city is known as

Australia’s Gateway to Asia.

Canberra

Melbourne

Sydney

Perth

Brisbane

Darwin

Adelaide

Adelaide – Chinatown

Great Barrier Reef

• The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef in the world.

• There are 400 different species of coral and thousands of different types of sea life.

The Land of Australia

• Although there are many different landforms, mostly 3 regions:• Eastern Highlands

• The East coast is a series of mountain ranges and sandy beaches.

• Greatest amount of rainfall in the country.

• Central Lowlands• Very flat and low land, with the lowest point (Lake Eyre) at

15 meters below sea level.• Region of many rivers

• Western Plateau• Very flat area, but with a high elevation (300 – 450 meters

above sea level)• Below the Western Plateau to the east is the desert of

Australia, a very inhospitable region of the country.

Western Plateau

What time is it?

7:36 a.m.(morning in Chang’an)

9:36 a.m.(morning in Sydney)

Season: Spring Season: Fall

2 hour difference

TRUE OR FALSE ?

• Australia is a small country.

• Most people live in the outback.

• The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef in the world.

• Ayers Rock is located in the outback.

government

The Government of the Commonwealth of Australia

• Adopted a federal constitution in 1901• Mix of British and American government systems.• Composed of three branches of government:

• Judiciary: courts• Legislature: an Australian Parliament, 76 members of the Senate,

150 members of the House of Representatives• Executive: no one ‘head of state, with a Council of ministers and

a Cabinet

• Because Australia is still a dominion of the UK, the ‘head of state’ is between the Queen of Australia (the Queen of the UK) and the Governor General.

• There is a Prime Minister, placed through public elections.• Australia is one of few countries where all adults must

vote in elections.

History

The Aborigines• They are the native inhabitants

of Australia.

• They have lived on the land for about 40,000.

• They are credited with creating the returning boomerang.

• Many ancient drawing can be found at Ayers Rock.

Here come the English

Australia• In 1770, an English explorer, James Cook

became the first European explorer to find the island

continent. • He named the island New South Wales.• It was later changed to Australia. The word

Australia means southern.

Colonization of the British

• Due to a rapidly growing population in London and overcrowding in prisons, Britain needed new land to expand.

• 1787, sent 11 ships to Australia carrying 1,500 people, half of them prisoners!

• The ship arrived on January 26, 1788 (the day is now a national holiday, Australia Day).

• Britain continued to send its prisoners to Australia, but with growing agriculture and farm industry, began full colonization during the 1800s.

• In the late 1800s, Australia’s population grew, with immigrants from Britain, Ireland, Europe, North America and China.

Australia as an Independent Nation

• In 1901, Australia became a nation as a part of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

• During this time, the nation passed the Immigration Restriction Act, which created a “White Australia Policy”.• The policy forced new immigrants to take and pass an

English exam.• Immigration of people from ‘non-white’ countries was

denied

• Enacted many programs to assimilate Native Australians (Aborigines) into white Australian culture.• Involved taking children from their natural parents and

relocating them with white Australian parents.• Many massacres and killings of Native Australians.

Australia during World Wars

• As a member of the British Empire, Australians fought with Britain during World War I.

• Created a boom in the country’s economy and industries

• During World War II, Australia realized that Britain could not help them.• Australia fought for many years against Japanese invasion.• Had to turn to the United States for help against Japan.

• Due to the success of US help for Australia, ties with Britain weakened and those with the US grew stronger.

• With the loss of so many lives and the influence of America, Australia slowly began to change its racist immigration policies.

Australia Today

• Today, Australia has become a very diverse country.• Economics are very well• Cultures from all over the world make up the New

Australian culture

• Has developed a very strong relationship with:• Nations of the West• Other English speaking countries• Greater Asia, in cooperation and friendship (as we see with the search for flight MH-370)

The People

G’Day Mate!• G’day: good day• Mate: friend• Oz: Australia• Dinky do: the real thing• Onkey-dorey: good• Barbie : BBQ• Boomer: big kangaroo• Salty: crocodile• Beaut: great• Mum: mother• Ta: good bye

Australian Facts

• Cricket is the national sport of Australia.

• Other popular team sports are Rugby, Soccer and Australian football (‘Aussie Rules Football).

• Most people live in single-story homes. Apartment buildings are rare in Australia.

• Some children live very far from schools. These children attend school at home using the latest technology. The schools are named, “Schools of the Air”

“Aussie Rules Football”

Animals

Marsupials: mammals with pouches

Kangaroo

Koala

Wombat

Wallaby

Tasmanian Devil

Egg Laying Mammals

Mammals that hatch their young from eggs.

PlatypusSpiny anteater

Other Common Animals of Australia

emu

Other Common Animals of Australia

dingo

Other Common Animals of Australia

Salt-water crocodile

Other Common Animals of Australia

Kookaburra

Other Common Animals of Australia

sharks

Other Common Animals of Australia

Frilled Lizard

Other Common Animals of Australia

Lots of poisonous snakes!

“Come To Australia”