Global - Technology - Review

Australia, either the smallest continent or the largest island, lies between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and consists of a desert interior, the ‘outback’, and temperate areas on the coasts, where the great cities are situated. Australia’s geographic isolation has meant it has developed a distinctive fauna; creatures like the kangaroo, emu, koala, and kookaburra have become icons of Australia’s national identity. Sports like cricket, rugby, Australian Football and tennis have become an important focus of national pride. The capital is Canberra, though most visitors will base their stay on either Sydney, famous for its Opera House, Bondi Beach and Harbour Bridge, or Melbourne, where skyscrapers tower over historic lanes and arcades, and each year the Melbourne Cup horse race, ‘the race that stops a nation’, is held. Visitors also come to the cosmopolitan west coast city of Perth, as well as subtropical Brisbane, and Adelaide, city of churches. Natural wonders include the Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef in the world, and the monolith known as Uluru or Ayers Rock. Australian wines are famous throughout the world. There has been renewed interest in the lifestyle, culture, art and music of Australia’s indigenous peoples.