1.	General information

2.

Geography

3.

Climate

4.	Political system

5.	System of education

6.	Industry and agriculture

7.	History of Australia

8.	Interesting places and interesting facts

9.	New South Wales

10.

Tasmania

11.	Victoria state

12.	Western Australia

13.	New Zealand

"Political system:
Australia is a part of the British Commonwealth, head of the state is the British Queen Elizabeth II. She is represented by the administrator. As the British system the parliament consists of two chambers: an elected Senate and House of Representatives. The power is also split up between the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. Voting in Australia is compulsory and each state has its own constitution and executive. The main political parties are: the Liberal Party, the National Party, the Australian labor party and the Australian Democrats. The last relics of UK legislative control were removed in 1986.

System of education:
It is not unified and it depends on the decision of the state. The school attendance is compulsory from the age of 6 up to 15. Children living far from school may be excused from school attendance and are educated through Correspondence School and School on the Air. The children in the isolated areas can also use the mobile kindergartens. Bigger towns usually have nurseries and day-care centers. In Australia are about 19 universities (for example in Sydney, Canberra).

Industry and agriculture:
Australia belongs to the highly developed countries of the world. The living standard there is very high. Besides the developed industries and agriculture (sheep, wool, wheat) Australia is well known for its mineral deposits – coal, iron, ore, bauxite, other metals or uranium. Only 7% of the population work in agriculture but the food industry is developed enough, Australia exports its production to many countries of the world – for example to Japan, USA, Britain.

History of Australia:
The aboriginies – the Australian native inhabitants arrived in Australia 40 000 years ago. The first information about the existence of Australian continent was known in ancient times and later it was supported by information from Marco Polo in medieval times. The first recorded European sighting was in 1606. In 1770 Captain James Cook claimed New South Wales as a British colony.
After that there was a wave of immigration – on 13th May 1787 the “First Fleet” set out from England – the commander of this first ship was Arthur Phillip who became the first governor of the colony. The ship landed in Botany Bay. In next years Australia was used as a prisoners continent.
The 1850s were filled with the gold rushes – the rushes brought about the exploration of the country, the economic and constitutional growth of Australia.
The idea of independence appeared in the first half of the 19th century and the independence of Australia was recognized on 1st January 1901. From this time, Australia was called the Commonwealth of Australia."

Tato práce je kompilačního charakteru. Čerpá z následujících zdrojů: http://domitianus.sweb.cz/aj/au.htm; http://maturita.web2001.cz/aj/Aj%20-%20Australia.doc.