Geography
Australia, an island continent located Southeast of Asia and collaborating with the neighboring island of Tasmania, the Commonwealth of Australia, a self-governing member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Australia, once part of Asia's massive land that drifted south thousand of years ago, is also the largest island and the smallest continent in the world.

Climate
Australia is situated in the Southern Hemisphere, between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean. Australia's seasons are just the opposite of the Northern Hemisphere - summer starts in December, fall in March, winter in June and spring in September. The seasons are arid to semiarid; with Temperate Zone in south and east; tropical climate in north. The tropical zone (consisting of 40% of Australia) has two major seasons, summer ('wet') and winter ('dry') while the temperate zone has all four seasons (winter, spring, summer and fall).

People
People of European descent make up 95 %of Australia's inhabitants. The majority is from British or Irish heritage, however about 18 % of the total population is of other European origins. Asians, including Middle Easterners, accounted for 4 % of the population. Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders make up 1 % of the population.

History
The Aborigines were the first inhabitants of Australia. Most anthropologists believe they migrated to the continent at least 40,000 years ago, and that most of the continent was occupied about 30,000 years ago. Although Chinese, Malaysian, Indonesian, and Arab seafarers might have landed on northern Australia before AD 1500, Australia was essentially unknown in the West until the 17th century.

Culture
Australia has its own unique culture made up from bits and pieces from different world cultures, and customs, including those of the migrant customs.

Language
English is the official language of Australia. Aboriginal and other minority ethnic languages are spoken in ethnic communities, including Italian, German, Greek, Vietnamese, Chinese dialects and Aboriginal languages.

Administration
Gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1901. The Head of State is represented by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, is and represented locally by Governor-General Sir William Deane since 1996. All individual States and Territories have their own autonomous legislative, executive and judicial systems (though certain powers remain under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government).

Religion
Australians are mostly Roman Catholics, Anglican and Protestant with smaller portion of minority religions.