Australia is often referred to as being "down under" because it lies entirely within the Southern Hemisphere. The name Australia comes from the Latin word austral is, which means southern. The official name of the country is the Commonwealth of Australia.
Australia is a dry, thinly populated land. Only a few areas along or near the coasts receive enough rainfall to support a large population. The south-eastern coastal region has the most population. Australia's two largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, lie in this region. Canberra, the national capital, is situated only a short distance inland. The huge interior of Australia is mostly desert or dry grassland and has few settlements. The country as a whole averages only six persons per square mile (two persons per square kilometre).
Australia is famous for its vast open spaces, bright sunshine, enormous numbers of sheep and cattle, and unusual wildlife. Kangaroos, koalas, platypuses, and wombats are only a few of the many unusual animals that live in Australia.
The first Australians were a dark-skinned people known today as Aboriginals. The Aboriginals had lived in Australia for as long as 65,000 years before the first white settlers arrived. Britain settled Australia as a prison colony in 1788. Since then, the number of whites has steadily increased and the total number of Aboriginals has declined. Today, the vast majority of Australians are white.
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