INTRODUCTION

	Australia is the smallest of the seven continents of the world. However, including a major part of its territory, it becomes one of the largest in land area.The Australian mainland is the driest on earth with 30 per cent recieving less than 250 milimetres of rainfall a year. It is also the flattest land mass with more than half being less than 350 metres above sea level.
	Geographically, Australia dates back at least 2000 million years.Human beings established themselves here at least 40 000 years ago while discoveries around the now dry Lake Mungo in western New South Wales indicate the first people visited here about 120 000 BC. The Australian mainland, Tasmania and New Guinea were one continent and the first Australiansprobably came down from Asia over the island chains. The Aborigines lived in harmony with the harsh conditions of the land until the arrival of the white man.
	First visited by the Chinese from about 1400, Australia was frequently visited after that,notably by Tasman in 1642, Dampier in 1688 and 1699 and finally, Cook in 1770. The continent is made up of six States-Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia - plus the territories of Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory. Australia also administers the surrounding islands of Lord Howe (part of New South Wales), Norfolk, which is establishing its own government, Christmas,Cocos, Heard, McDonald, Coral Sea, Ashmore and Cartier Islands as well as a large part of Antartica, called the Australian Antarctic Territory.
	The length of the coastline, including Tasmania, is 36 735 kilometres and the area of the continent is 7 682 300 square kilometres. It is slightly smaller than the US but 24 times larger than the United Kingdom and about three-quarters the size of Europe. The eastern side of Australia is separated by the Great Dividing Range, the highest peak of which is Mt Kosciusko at 2228 metres. These ranges tumble to the coast and cause a change in climate from the inland. The north-east of Australia compromises rain-forests and dense tropical vegetation while in the south there are snow-capped peaks in winter. The centre is low tableland, mostly desert, and it is this area visitors wish to see.The 'red centre' as it is commonly known forms a sedimentary basin. Any rain that falls here usually evaporates or runs into salt lakes, the largest of which is Lake Eyre in South Australia.

This great outback is the heart of Australia. Vast sheep and cattle services are run in remote areas with medical services being supplied by the Royal Flying Doctor Service and children being educated by the School of the Air, a schoolroom run on the wireless system with children listening in to a teacher at regulated times each day. At high school level, it is usually necessary for children to attend boarding schools in the major cities.

Over sixteen million people live in Australia and they make up one of the most multi-cultural societies on earth. Most people live on or near the coast, particularly the east coastand the capital cities.

The economy of the colony was founded on the 'sheep's back'. Known as a leading primary producer of wool, beef, lamb, wheat and dairy products, Australia is also abundant with natural resources with mining being a major industry. In the last thirty years Australia has begun to lead the world in medical technology and is now a leader in high tech industries such as computer software and development.

Australia is governed from Canberra, the capital. Head of the government is the Governor-General, appointed by the Queen under the recommendation of the Common-wealth Government.Head of the government in Parliament is the Prime Minister with his Cabinet. There are two Houses of Parliament , the House of Representetives and the Senate

Bills must be passed through the lower house before being presented to the Senate. Australia has two major political parties , the Labor Party and the Liberal Party. Other less parties arethe National and the Australian Democrats. The government is elected for four years.

Each State has its own government consisting of a Legislative Assembly and a Senate. The leader in the State is the Premier.

Each shire or municipality has a council or local government consisting of aMayor or President and his council.

Voting is compulsory over 18 years of age and income tax is paid to the Commonwealth Government while the States impose indirect taxes on goods and services. Currency is in dollars and cents - 100 cents to a dollar. All weights and measures are metric.

Communications in the form of Australia Post and Telecom and airlines in the form of Qantas and Australian Airlines are run by the Commonwealth Government while schools and other transport are run by the States.

The vast majority of Australians belong to trade unions which are organised on an industry by industry basis. They are extremely powerful and dominate the workplace. Workers receive compulsory four weeks annual leave and most work a 38-hour week.

Australia is greatly influenced by the economic pressures from overseas, particulary Japan and the US, and there is a continual problem of importing more than exporting, upsetting the Balance of Payments.

Although still a land of high home ownership, it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the high standard of living enjoyed for so long. Distance from the rest of the world and even from each other- there is a two-and-a-half-hour time difference from Sydney to Perth - makes travel expensive and leads to increased costs in freight,etc.

Sport is a consuming interest in weekend Australia. Rugby league, Australian rules, netball, yachting, surfing, trail-bike riding, motor-racing, horse-racing, whatever sport imagined, it is played here. Australians not participating are avid spectators and the major television and radio networks devote hours daily to sports coverages.

Australia has no national service and as a result, recruitment in the forces is low. War has only directly invaded twice, in the bombing of Darwin and the discovery of enemy mini-submarines in Sydney Harbour, both in World War II. Defence is a huge problem because of the remoteness of the country and the vast coastline, most of which is uninhab-

ited.Australia depends largely on foreign allies for protection and is actively engaged in treaties with the US and New Zealand, as well as a number of other countries. Strategically it is a country well placed in regards to Asia and thus it is important to maintain these ties.

Australia is a tourist's mecca. From the wonder of the Great Barrier Reef, the ski slopes of the Snowy Mountains, the metropolises of Sydney and Melbourne, to the vast 'nothing'of the Nullarbor, it is a country of breathtaking contrasts with something for everyone. The people are open and frank and, suprisingly not always ready to accept a winner, but always glad to talk about their country and criticise their politicians.Australia is avast open of free enterprise where it is still possible to 'have a go'.