Australia is a continent and one of the largest countries in the world, featuring an arid and heat scorched uninhabited
hinterland. The coastal regions, especially to the east, are lush green and hence inhabited.
Despite its remote location
first modern humans set afoot here as early as 75.000 years ago. They must have come by boat via New Guinea, practicing
island hopping.
The DNA from Mungo Man differs substantially from present day Aboriginals, pointing to multiple
emigration waves which are lost in the haze of time.
Before Willem Janszoon stepped ashore here in 1606, Indians,
Chinese and most probably Arabs had already reached Australia but they did not create permanent settlements.
Captain
James Cook explored
the eastern shores in 1770 and claimed Australia as British territory.
A British penal colony was set up in 1788 at Sydney Cove, marking
the beginning of Australia and the decline of the Aboriginal people.
In 1901 Australia became a British dominion and in 1986 the
last formal ties with Britain were cut and the country went on as a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy.
Australia's thriving economy
is based on mining (coal), agriculture, manufacturing and banking.
Most Australians live in urban areas close to the shore
and leave the countryside to kangaroos,
camels and poisonous snakes, while salties and great whites patrol the shores. Somehow
that does not keep droves of tourists from visiting this fantastic and relaxed country.