6._AUSTRALIA

- no less than 13 areas are on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List

- flora - because Australia is separated from the rest of the world, it has a lot of unique animals

- kangaroo, koala, emu, echidna, kiwi, cockatoo and dingo (this one is not original, like rabbits and sheep)

- platypus is a very strange animal, it’s a mammal, but it has a beak and webbed feet and lays eggs

- emu is a tall swift-running (rychle běžící) bird with undeveloped wings

- echidna (ježura) is a primitive mammal covered with fur and laying eggs like the platypus, it feeds mostly ants

- the kangaroo, a strange animal whose female has a pouch in which its young are carried, only in Australia

- box jellyfish (čtyřhranka) is the most dangerous animal in Australia, a large dose can death within minutes

- fauna - typical plants of this country is eucalyptus and national flower is wattle (akácie)

places of interest

- Sydney - is Australia’s largest city, nearly 60 kilometres of beaches

- it is called “the Paris of the Pacific”

- there is a famous Sydney Opera House - it stands in the harbour and looks like sailing boats or like waves

when they break on the beach, it is designed by a Danish architect

- some people go to Sydney to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge – it’s a very adrenalin experience

- Canberra - it is the capital city of Australia

- Melbourne - is Australia’s second largest city and financial and commercial centre

- it is centre of Australian’s Rules Football, cricket, horse racing, tennis and golf

- Tasmania - island state off the south-eastern coast

- more than 20% is covered by national parks

- Great Barrier Reef - is a collection of a chain of more than 2500 reefs

- it is the largest coral reef (2000km) in the world and one of Australia’s most popular tourist attractions

- it extends along Australian’s north-east and is composed of about 400 species of corals of many shapes, colours

* STATES AND CITIES, POLITICAL SYSTEM, ECONOMY OF THE COUNTRY

states and cities

- political subdivisions: six states (Western Australia, Southern Australia, Queensland, New South

Wales, Victoria and Tasmania) and two territories (Northern Territory, Capital Territory)

- cities: Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaine

political system (government)

- form of government: Constitutional monarchy, in practice a parliamentary democracy

- head of state: Queen of the United Kingdom, who is also the queen of Australia

in practice, “governor general” (prime minister) performs functions in queen’s absence

- head of government: Prime Minister, who rules instead of the Queen

- legislature: parliament of two houses: 76-member Senate and 148-member House of Representatives

- executive: Prime Minister and Cabinet

- Australia is a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations

economy of the country

-> chief products:

- agriculture: sheep, cattle, wheat, wool, milk, barley, forestry - eucalyptus and pine timber

- manufacturing: processed food and beverages, iron and steel, chemicals, textiles, motor vehicles