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Map of Australia

Australian coat of arms

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These two images are from the review on Microsoft's Encarta 97 World Atlas. Why not read the review?

As school children we are taught that Australia is the "world's largest island and smallest continent". (Incorrectly, as the definition of island is a body of land completely surrounded by water that is smaller than a continent [Readers' Digest Guide to the Places of the World]). It is 7,682,300 square kilometres, about the same size as the mainland states of the USA, making it the world's sixth largest country. It covers approximately 5% of the Earth's land surface.

Australian desert scene; photograph courtesy australia.com Australia lies between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and measures approximately 4,000 kilometres from east to west, and 3,200 kilometres from north to south. The coastline is some 36,735 kilometres long. Longest river system: Darling River 2,736km (1,700 miles); Murray River 2,575 kilometres (1,600 miles); Murray-Darling system 4684km (2,911 miles). River lengths are difficult to measure and reported lengths vary. Largest lake: Lake Eyre 9,500 sq km Highest peak: Mount Kosciuszko, 2,228 metres (7,310 feet) above sea level, spelling changed in 1997 from Mount Kosciusko Lowest point: Lake Eyre, South Australia 15 metres below sea level

Australia from Space - B)Spaceshots Buy From Art.com

The Australian continent is one of the most stable land masses on Earth, with only a little seismic activity in the eastern and western highland areas. Only the Snowy Mountains area (around the New South Wales/Victorian border) and in Tasmania, have regular snowfalls during winter.

Wallaman Falls, Queensland; photographer: Peter Lik

Inhabitants known as "Australians" or "Aussies". Abbreviations for Australia include "Aust." although Oz is also popular. There is no national dress, the most recognisable Australian apparel includes the Akubra hat and the Drizabone coat.