Ah, Australia.
A country that is the biggest island, and smallest continent in the world.
A country characterised by mate-ship, sport, and multiculturalism.
A country that is home to almost everything that can kill you.
Today is Australia Day. To celebrate (apart from eating Weet-Bix, Vegemite on toast, a snag on the barbie, a meat pie, lamingtons and pavlova) I thought I'd brush up on some facts about this wonderful sunburnt country that we live in.
• Assuming new births, deaths, and immigrant acceptances, the population of Australia increases by one person every 1 minute and 18 seconds, and is currently estimated to be 23, 364, 312 at the time of this post.
• Australia is the driest inhabited continent on earth. The only continent drier than Australia is Antarctica.
• Pubs, bars, and hotels in Australia cover more land mass than mines. There are currently 6033 established pubs, taverns, hotels, bars, and licensed restaurants in Australia. 69% of those are located on corner blocks.
• The Snowy Mountains receive more snow than Switzerland.
• The only type of boomerang that will come back when thrown is the "Hunter". Other types are called the "Hook", the "Club", and the "V".
• The Australian Coat of Arms has a kangaroo and emu on it, because they are animals incapable of travelling backwards.
• Kangaroo meat is 98% fat free.
• Ayers Rock, also known as the Red Centre, or heart of Australia, is the largest solitary rock in the world. It rises 348m above ground, and sinks 2.5km underground.
• 91% of Australia is vegetation.
• Australia was the second country to give women the right to vote in 1902. New Zealand was the first, in 1893.
• The dingo fence in Australia is the longest fence in the world (5,530km), and twice as long as the Great Wall of China.
• Approximately 30% of Australia's population were born overseas, from over 200 different countries.
• "Koala bears" are marsupials, not bears, and sleep for 18 hours a day.
• Australia's first police force, formed in 1789, was made up of 12 of the best-behaved convicts.
• Former Prime Minister of Australia, Bob Hawke, held a guinness record for chugging beer.
• Australia is the only continent without an active volcano.
• Australians eat 260 million meat pies each year.
Happy Australia Day!
I hope you had a great day celebrating this wonderful country we live in,
in whichever way you chose to do it :)
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