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Australia Facts
Australia is one of the oldest continents, and is thought to have formed part of Gondwanaland, a gigantic land mass from the Triassic period (245 to 208 million years ago). The effects of over 250 million years of erosion have sculpted it into a relatively flat, low lying land mass. Australia is a vast island continent situated south of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, and lies between the South Pacific and Indian Oceans. The world's sixth-largest country, Australia measures approximately 4000 km east to west and 3200 km north
to south.It is the driest inhabited continent on earth. Its interior has one of the lowest rainfalls in the world and about three-quarters of the land is arid or semi-arid desert.
Australia has a population of about 17 million people. 90% of the population live in the cities and major towns. Most of the populace are spread along a thin corridor of the country on the eastern coastline. Australia is a country of migrants, most of them coming from Europe and Asia. Australia’s lifestyle echo’s its mainly Western origins, but it is a multicultural society which has been influenced by over six million settlers.
Approximately 1.5% of the population are Aborigine or identify as Aborigine. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people totalled over 400,000 at the last census Two thirds of indigenous people live in towns and cities, while others live in rural and remote areas.
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