The British founded the first European settlement in 1788 and named it Sydney. Many of the first settlers were convicts, but free settlers started to arrive in increasing numbers, particularly after the discovery of gold in the mid-19th century.

Today, just over 90% of the population are of European descent, with less than 3% descended from the indigenous Aboriginal population.

The government formally apologised in 2008 for the past wrongs committed against the indigenous Australians, who still suffer from high rates of unemployment, imprisonment and drug abuse.

The gradual dismantling of the “White Australia” immigration policy in the decades after World War II heralded an increase in the number of non-European arrivals.

AT-A-GLANCE Politics: The Labor Party won a landslide victory in elections in 2007, ending more than 11 years of Liberal Party government. Julia Gillard heads a minority government Economy: The strong, services-based economy has seen sustained growth; mining and agriculture provide the lion’s share of exports International: Australia is a regional policeman; further afield, its troops are in Iraq and Afghanistan

Migration continues to shape Australia and is a politically-sensitive issue. The country has taken a tough stance on unauthorised arrivals.

Originally composed of six separate colonies of the British Empire, Australia’s path to independent statehood began with the formation of a common federal state in 1901, and was largely complete by World War II. The last few remaining constitutional links with the United Kingdom were severed in 1986.

However, Australia remains part of the British Commonwealth, and the UK monarch remains the formal head of state, represented by the governor-general, who has a largely ceremonial role.

There is an influential republican movement and the debate over future of the monarchy is a recurring issue in Australian politics. In a 1999 referendum, nearly 55% of Australians voted against becoming a republic.

The country has federal structure, with the six states retaining extensive powers, particularly over education, police, the judiciary and transport.

Australia’s growing orientation towards its Asian neighbours is reflected in its economic policy. It is a key member of Apec, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, and aims to forge free trade deals with China and Asean, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

It has also played a bigger regional role, mediating between warring groups in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, as well as deploying thousands of peacekeepers in newly-independent East Timor.

The island continent combines a wide variety of landscapes. These include deserts in the interior, hills and mountains, tropical rainforests, and densely-populated coastal strips with long beaches and coral reefs off the shoreline.

Isolated from other continents, Australia has an abundance of unique plant and animal life.

Map Of Australia Australia – the lucky country Australia is the world’s smallest continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean, and also the most beautiful country in the whole world! Australians call their motherland “the lucky country” Australia has been inhabited for over 40,000 years by Indigenous Australians (Aboriginals). European discovery of Australia was made by Dutch navigators but most people think it was Captain James Cook who discovered it in 1770. Australia was settled as the British penal colony of New South Wales on 26 January 1788. As the new areas were explored, another five colonies were established in the 19th century. On 1 January 1901, the six colonies federated and the Commonwealth of Australia was formed. Colonies became states, and soon new nation capital Canberra was built. The current Australian population of around 20.4 million is concentrated mainly in the large coastal cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

Tags: Aboriginal Population, Australia Country, Australia Immigration, British Empire, European Arrivals, European Descent, European Settlement, European Settlers, Free Settlers, Home Australia, Immigration Policy, Indigenous Population, International Australia, Julia Gillard, Landslide Victory, Liberal Party Government, Minority Government, Sensitive Issue, Unauthorised Arrivals, World War Ii