The Commonwealth of Australia: Know It All

The Commonwealth of Australia: Know It All

Australia, better known as the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country and a continent. It falls in the Southern Hemisphere and is surrounded by the Indian and the Pacific Oceans. That accounts for its varied landscape and various ecosystems. These features make Australia one of the most interesting countries to visit and study.

A Little History

Australia is home to the Indigenous Australians. Their existence exceeds more than 65,000 years. They are attached to cultures, traditions, languages, and spiritual beliefs of each group.

It is astounding to think that Europeans did not really set foot on the continent. Their explorers picked up the effort to survey the coastline. This effort was begun by Dutch navigators in the 17th century. To this continent, the British sent a permanent settlement in 1788 to Sydney Cove. Over the next hundred years, more colonization occurred for the British. The face of their social and political environment had forever changed.

It was on January 1, 1901 that in a federation, the colonies united to become the Commonwealth of Australia.

This was the birthday of a new nation born.

This formation of a federation gave birth to a constitution. It formed a base for the political system and governance for Australia.

Government and Political System

The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. In substance, through his viceroy, the Governor-General, the British monarch acts as head of state for Australia. The Parliament of Australia itself is bicameral, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

It follows the federal form of the political system. Hence, the powers are divided between the national government and the six states. Furthermore, there is a division into two territories. Each state government has its government and legislative assembly. This setup ensures effective running of regional governments within the bounds of a common national framework.
This enormous size of the land experiences great variation in its geography; from tropical rainforests to arid deserts. Other major geographical features marking the country include:

• Great Barrier Reef: Lying off the north-east coast, it is the world’s largest coral reef system. It supports an immense diversity of marine life.
• Uluru: A sandstone monolith that lies squarely in the centre of the country, considered sacred by the Indigenous People.
  Great Dividing Range: This runs parallel to this eastern coastline. It will leave its marks on both the climate and flora and fauna with its mountain range.

So, the climate varies from tropical in the north to temperate in the south, with arid conditions in central Australia. That sets up a strange environmental problem to do with drought and bushfires.

People and Culture

Australia is a multicultural country hosting about 25 million residents. It comprises various ethnic groupings, languages, and cultures. These are mostly a result of immigration that took place over the past two hundred years.

The other group in the cultural ecosystem is that of the indigenous Australians. The way to reconciliation and recognition has been continuously underway. It comes through festivals, art, and educative initiatives. These initiatives celebrate the indigenous culture with an aim of preserving it. They also help raise understanding among all Australian citizens.

Australia is a highly industrialized country with two of the biggest economies in the world. These strong anchors have immensely helped develop the economy of the country to include the next sectors:

• Mining and Resources: It is endowed with great mineral reserves. Minerals like iron ore, coal, and gold contribute significantly to the economy. Its mining sector is particularly important.
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  Agriculture: This country is amongst the heavyweight exporters, as far as agriculture produce, including wheat, beef and wine is concerned.
• Tourism: From awesome scenery to boisterous cities, this country has everything any tourist ask for.
• Education: Great in Australia. International students easily migrate for this reason.
  Australia is geographically advantageously placed at just the right location in the Asia-Pacific. Australia is strengthening her trade relations, especially with China and Japan. Rumor has it that there is also trade with the United States.

Education and Healthcare

The education system of the country is above average. This is true whether it is at the primary, secondary, or tertiary level of education. The world-class universities attract students from far and wide toward it. Research and innovation in education within the country are also quite commendable.

What strikes most as one of the country’s attributes is that most health services fall under the Medicare system. Under this system, all basic medical facilities are covered for its citizens and permanent residents. This universal health care model stands to be Australia’s assurance. It ensures that everyone gets quality medical attention irrespective of the financial ability of the residents.

Environment and Wildlife

The flora and fauna of Australia are so unique in nature. Several species exist here at both life and plant levels. These species do not occur in any other part or country in the whole world. The country hosts a wide and varied nature because of a large number of ecosystems. These range from iconic animal species like kangaroos, koalas, and emus to diverse plant life.

This is regarded as nothing less important than the preservation of Australia’s natural heritage. Many national parks and reserves protect extended areas of biodiversity, among them Daintree Rainforest and Kakadu National Park. Most of these environmental challenges, though-climate change, habitat loss, and invasive species-still threaten the future of Australia’s ecosystems.

Tourism and Sites

Australia is one of the well-visited countries in the world, having lots to see and experience. Here’s are some of the popular attractions, not a limited list, though.

• Sydney Opera House: Not only an engineering wonder, but also it’s a hub for culture.
• The Great Ocean Road: Scenic coastal drives with hip natural formations.
• Gold Coast: Gorgeous beaches and hounding clubs.
• Melbourne: Capital for arts, culture, food, and wine.

It is very important that Australia can combine nature and culture. It is also important that a great venue is there to bring beauty and importance inherent within. The UNESCO world heritage embodies the two. With the Great Barrier Reef and the Tasmanian Wilderness, the beauty of the combination really takes form.

Australia and the Rest of the World

It extends its international relations to international bodies like the United Nations and G20. Its effect is felt in more than one country globally. The country is, nevertheless, lucky to have strategic alliances with countries like the United States. It also has alliances within the Asia-Pacific region. These alliances offer it a large hand in regional security and economic cooperation.

It is, thus, a responsible global citizen. It is committed to the responsiveness of global challenges. Among these challenges are environmental concerns that include climate change and human rights.

Challenges and the Future Outlook

Australia faces several challenges. These include, but are not limited to, global warming and above-average incidence of climate change anomalies. This already pressed mutual, mass action on the part of the planet to cut emissions. Other challenges are indigenous rights and the lengthening process of undoing the past. Additionally, economic diversification is necessary. This lessens over-dependency on resource extraction and would spur investments in other areas necessary for sustained growth.

Fairly speaking, Australia has great institutions. It has large vibrant economies. These are full of many presumptions for development. These can be furthered by steps now being taken in renewable energy, technology, and social equity.

Conclusion

The Commonwealth of Australia is an amazingly variegated country. Ancient Aboriginal cultures and modern multiculturalism coexist perfectly. It is quite singular and dynamic. It raised excellent miracles for landscape and economy. It also took care of problems related to social development. Australia strides through the challenges of the New Millennium. There is much more to excite interest in this fascinating country. Each of these aspects impacts far beyond its shores.