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( Australia)
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the mainland of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous other islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.N4 Neighbouring countries include Indonesia, East Timor and Papua New Guinea to the north, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia to the north-east, and New Zealand to the south-east. Australia is the only country to occupy an entire continent. Before European settlement in the late 1700s and early 1800s, the Australian mainland was inhabited by around 250 individual nations[7] of indigenous Australians who lived sustainably on the land for around 40,000 years.[8] After sporadic visits by fishermen from the immediate north and then European discovery by Dutch explorers in 1606,[9] the eastern half of Australia was later claimed by the British in 1770 and initially settled through penal transportation to the colony of New South Wales, commencing on 26 January 1788. As the population grew and new areas were explored, another five largely self-governing Crown Colonies were established during the 19th century. On 1 January 1901, the six colonies became a federation, and the Commonwealth of Australia was formed. Since Federation, Australia has maintained a stable liberal democratic political system and remains a Commonwealth realm. The capital city is Canberra, located in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The population is just over 21.3&_160;million, with approximately 60% of the population concentrated in and around the mainland state capitals of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide. The name "Australia" is derived from the Latin Australis, meaning "Southern". Legends of an "unknown land of the south" (terra australis incognita) date back to Roman times and were commonplace in medieval geography but were not based on any documented knowledge of the continent. In 1521 Spaniards were among the first Europeans to sail the Pacific Ocean. The first use of the word "Australia" in English was in 1625, in "A note of Australia del Espiritu Santo, written by Master Hakluyt", published by Samuel Purchas in Hakluytus Posthumus.[10] The Dutch adjectival form Australische was used by Dutch East India Company officials in Batavia to refer to the newly discovered land to the south in 1638. "Australia" was used in a 1693 translation of Les Aventures de Jacques Sadeur dans la Découverte et le Voyage de la Terre Australe, a 1676 French novel by Gabriel de Foigny under the pen-name Jacques Sadeur.[11] Alexander Dalrymple then used it in An Historical Collection of Voyages and Discoveries in the South Pacific Ocean (1771), to refer to the entire South Pacific region. In 1793, George Shaw and Sir James Smith published Zoology and Botany of New Holland, in which they wrote of "the vast island, or rather continent, of Australia, Australasia or New Holland".
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Australia Subcategories
Australia Articles
Women's Health - Straight to the Heart by Ted Brumby
If you think men are more vulnerable to coronary disease than women, think again. Don't wait for a warning sign - start looking after your heart today. Statistics show one in three Australian women is at risk of heart attack, angina, stroke a...
Michala Banas Joins Celebrity Cast Supporting Acne Treatment, Proactiv Solution by Proactiv Australia
McLeod’s Daughters actress Michala Banas becomes new face of acne management treatment, Proactiv Solution.
Popular Australian celebrity Michala Banas has signed up to be the new face of the best-selling acne management treatment, Proactiv...
Ashley Cheadle New Spokesperson For Acne Treatment, Proactive Solution by Angelique Walsh
Professional surfer, model and actress Ashley Cheadle has become the latest celebrity to speak up about her successful battle against acne thanks to best-selling acne treatment, Proactiv Solution.
Ashley will appear in an infomercial to a...
Kangaroo Island by Anne Bain
I hope you enjoy this article which was brought to you by www.ourgenerationtravel.com. Kangaroo Island Kangaroo Island is just far enough off the beaten track to provide some wonderful surprises. At the end of a rutted dirt road, our guide Craig ...
The Facts on Fats by Linda Andrews
Though you may have been taught the opposite, fat can actually be good for you. In fact, there are healthy fats and unhealthy fats–and knowing the difference is essential to your health. Below is an easy-to-use guide that will help you understand th...
Rev Up your Metabolism and Keep Your Weight Down by Linda Andrews
Put your metabolism to work for you. Now’s the perfect time to incorporate some metabolic-revving tips into your daily regimen and avoid gaining weight. Rev Up Your Body’s Engine We eat food for fuel. When we burn it for energy to run our bodies, the...
Wellness Report on Obesity: Losing Weight May Add Years to Your Life by Linda Andrews
New studies confirm that obesity is on the rise, bringing with it a greater risk of diabetes and a lower life expectancy.
Overweight linked with premature death
In January 2003, the Journal of the American Medical Association ...
Escape the Fat-Free Diet Trap by Linda Andrews
Since the "fat-free craze" began, statistics show we have grown fatter and fatter.
Just because a food is fat-free doesn’t mean it’s calorie-free. Get up to speed on “good fats” and lose the fat from your body, not your diet. ...
Overweight Children by Linda Andrews
Children who watch TV while eating are twice as likely to eat "junk" food as opposed to fruits and vegetables.
Today’s sedentary lifestyle for children is raising their risk of obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis and other disorders. Re...
Relief for 8 Million UK Residents by Liz Wagner
Eight million people living in the UK have osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis - on average 2 million people per year see their GP's regarding osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is more likely to be present in women than m...
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