Discovering Australia

澳洲是一片充满奇趣的大地，这里有明媚的阳光、迷人的沙滩、美丽的城市和独特的野生动物。由于澳洲大部分地区极为干旱或是半沙漠，并不适宜居住。大多数澳洲人都生活在沿海城市。下面我们到澳洲游览一下。

【趣味英语】春节小知 世界节日（1）Spring

Is Australia the world’s largest island or its smallest continent? Actually, it’s both. In fact, Australia is the only country that is also a continent. Although roughly（大致地） the size of the United States mainland, Australia has a population of about 16.5 million people. That makes this island nation one of the least densely（稠密地） populated countries.

What ethnic groups make up the Australian population? The majority of Australians are of English, Irish, Italian, GREek, Dutch, and Polish descent（血统）. However, over the past 50 years, some 4 million people from more than 120 countries have made Australia their home. This includes a large number of Asian and African immigrants. About one percent of the population is Aborigine. The Aboriginal people were the first settlers in Australia. They came from Asia about 40,000 years ago.

In addition to being the smallest continent, Australia is also the driest inhabited continent. Lush（茂盛的） GREen pastures may be typical in sheep farming areas (there are, by the way, more sheep than people in Australia). However, much of the land, particularly in the Outback, is so arid（贫瘠的） that people are unable to live on it in its undeveloped state. That explains why most Australians live in metropolitan areas, many of which line the coast, and why Australia is considered one of the world’s more urbanized（城市化的） countries.

Make friends with a koala at one of our wildlife parks. Explore the lush GREen bush land areas of the Blue Mountains. Marvel at the coral of our magnificent Great Barrier Reef. Or be awed by our ancient landscapes and strange land formations. Whatever your interests, Australia has what you’re looking for.

Lining our coast are some of the world’s most sophisticated（先进的） cities —like Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney. There you can enjoy all the best in food, fashion, the arts, theater, and sports. But you won’t want to miss the wonders of the vast and amazing Outback or the peaceful beauty of the bush. Australia has a variety of unique（独特的） trees, plants, and wildlife. Discover them at any of our magnificent wildlife preserves and parks.

No matter where you go in Australia, you’ll find something to delight you. So surf or ski, relax on our beautiful beaches, see Aboriginal rock art painted thousands of years ago, and meet interesting people. Don’t wait. It’s always a good time to visit Australia.