Emblem
Animal- Red Kangaroo
Bird - Emu
Flower - Golden wattle
Gemstone - Opal

Australian coat of arms 1912 edit
curtesy: Wikipedia

Australia has six states and two major mainland territories. Each of the states boasts it's own capital city, with Canberra being the National Capital of Australia. The six states are:

New South Wales (NSW) - state capital is Sydney
Queensland (Qld) - state capital is Brisbane
South Australia (SA) - state capital is Adelaide
Tasmania - state capital is Hobart
Victoria (Vic) - state capital is Melbourne
Western Australia (WA) - state capital is Perth

The two territories are:
Northern Territory - Capital is Darwin
Australian Capital Territory (ACT) - Capital: Canberra

Activities in Antarctica and its surrounding seas are governed by a unique agreement between nations: the Antarctic Treaty. Australia was one of 12 original Parties to the Treaty, which entered into force in 1961.
Antarctic territorial claims

outlines the interests of the 47 countries that have become parties to the Antarctic Treaty since 1961

In recognition of Antarctica as the last great wilderness on earth the Madrid Protocol was created under the Antarctic Treaty System in 1991 to make certain mutually agreed resolutions on the environment legally binding upon member nations.

Australia is among seven nations that have claimed territory in Antarctica. These claims are based on discovery and effective occupation of the claimed area, and are legal according to each nation's laws. Three countries – the United Kingdom, Chile and Argentina – have overlapping claims in the Antarctic. Some countries explicitly recognise these claims; some have a policy of not recognising any claims in Antarctica, and others reserve the right to make a claim of their own. The Antarctic Treaty puts aside the potential for conflict over sovereignty by providing that nothing that occurs while the Treaty is in force will enhance or diminish territorial claims. Member states cannot make any new claims while the Treaty is in force. Australian Antarctic Territory Australian Antarctic Territory covers nearly 5.9 million square kilometres, about 42% of Antarctica and nearly 80% of the total area of Australia itself. (and is equivalent to... For information about the Australian Antarctic Territory please follow this link to the Australian Government Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and The Arts.   The Australian claim is based on a long historical association with this part of Antarctica. Australia's Douglas Mawson (later Sir Douglas Mawson) led a group of Australians and New Zealanders in the 1911 to 1914 Australasian Antarctic Expedition, which had bases at Commonwealth Bay, south of Tasmania, and the Shackleton Ice Shelf south of Perth. This expedition explored extensively along the coast near the bases. Mawson also led the British, Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition (BANZARE) of 1929 to 1931. During this expedition Mawson claimed what is now Australian Antarctic Territory as British sovereign territory. Early in 1933, Britain asserted sovereign rights over the claimed territory and placed the territory under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia. Sovereignty over the Territory was transferred from Britain to Australia under the Australian Antarctic Territory Acceptance Act 1933, which came into effect in 1936. This act stated: That part of the Territory in the Antarctic seas which comprises all the islands and territories, other than Adelie Land, situated south of the 60th degree south latitude and lying between the 160th degree east longitude and the 45th degree east longitude, is hereby declared to be accepted by the Commonwealth as a Territory under the authority of the Commonwealth, by the name of the Australian Antarctic Territory.

Since 1961 Australian claim to 42% of Antarctica

This continent/country/island has an area of 2,966,368 square miles (7,682,300 square kilometers). .Km of coastal streatch

The interior of Australia is often called the Outback. It is dry and with many deserts.

Well adapted to the conditions of the land is the most diverse and unique range of animal and plant life on earth.

Yes, a 'sunburned country' of unbound vastness and beauty and with aspects that are among most extreme in the world. It has arid climate producing draughts, high heat and horrendous bushfires which are soon followed by torrential rains resulting in floods. Her less than average soils do not inspire certainty of successful crop production on any given year. Instead you can almost rest assured part of those crops will get destroyed by vermon and hungry, native animals.

But it realy is about the people who have been given such raw deal. True, tough, Australian nature of those who endured and survived or just witnessed such suffering, is that of extreme generosity of heart, comradery and mateship. When they say "She'll be right, Mate" they mean to say: "I will help you if you need me". And they do.

Current monetary units in Australia are those of Australian dollars and cents and have been since February 14th, 1966. Prior to that date Australian currency system were pounds, shillings and pence.

Government and Economy: The Commonwealth of Australia is a democracy (leaders are elected by the adult population) but it recognizes the monarch of Great Britain as sovereign (the Queen of England has the title "Chief of State" and performs ceremonial duties). Australia has a strong, modern economy. Its monetary unit is the Australian dollar.

Nation's population is currently just under 21.5 million people. More than half are concentrated along the coastline, residing in and around the major cities.The borders are openned annually to (currently) 110,000 people from all over the world. This makes Australian population one of the most integrated in the world.

Modern Indigenous Australians are the descendants of their great ancestors who are believed to have begun to inhabit Australia somewhere between 42,000 and 48,000 years ago. They came from South East Asia as hunters and gatherers. The Aborigines culture differs greatly from that of the Torres Straight Islanders who are ethnically Melanesian.

Mother nature not having endowed this land with climatic richness certainly made up for it in fauna and flora. Recognised well around the world as national representatives of Australian Fauna are the kangaroo and koala. They are to be found scattered through out the whole of this continent. But the fauna in it's entirity is one of the richest and uniquely exclusive on earth. In the nothern part of the country are the land animals of the tropics, as is the bird life and fish.

Though the countrie's weather patterns make it into an arid climate the plant life is of undescribable beauty and diversity of species surpass the best on earth. Additionally, imported varieties of plants have adapted themselves to the conditions and are thriving all over the Australian continent. Climate differs somewhat in different parts of Australia thus allowing growth of plants varying from desert plants to tropicals and anywhere in between.