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Australia

OFFICIAL NAME: Commonwealth of Australia

DATE OF FORMATION: 1901

POPULATION: 19.9 million

DENSITY: 7 people per square mile

LANGUAGES: English, Italian, Cantonese, Greek, Arabic, Vietnamese, Aboriginal languages

RELIGIONS: Roman Catholic 26%, Anglican 24%, Other 23%, Nonreligious 13%, United Church 8%, Other Protestant 6%

ETHNIC MIX: European 92%, Asian 5%, Aboriginal and other 3%

GOVERNMENT: Multiparty elections

CURRENCY: Australian dollar

 

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The world's sixth-largest country, Australia is an island continent located between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Its varied landscapes include tropical rainforests, the deserts of the arid "red center," snowcapped mountains, rolling tracts of pastoral land, and magnificent beaches. Famous natural features include Uluru (Ayers Rock) and the Great Barrier Reef, while Sydney boasts the world-renowned Opera House. Around 90% of Australians live near the coast, and all the state capitals are coastal cities. Only Canberra, the national capital, lies inland. The vast interior is dotted with large nature reserves and some communities of the small Aboriginal population.

 

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