With a population of 19.4 million, Australia has definitely grown from its beginnings. The country is unique in that is the smallest continent but also the sixth largest country. Australia also stands out by its variety in population. It is made up of a blend of people from all over the globe. Australia is home to many different cultures and race. While some Australians, like the Aborigines, have been here since the start of the commonwealth, others, such as the Italians, Greeks, and Turks, have migrated from WWII. Although most Australians are of British and Irish ancestry, Asians have also immigrated from up north and currently stand for a significant part of the population. Due to the diverse conditions of the country, there is no set national religion. The largest churches; however, are the Anglican and Roman Catholic.
Eastern Australia is known to hold most of the economic progress in the country. "Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Adelaide are the leading industrial and commercial cities" (Australia-Economy). The currency in Australia is the Australian dollar. (A$) The standard of living in Australia has remained generally high, despite a recession in the late 1980's. Its industry is based around mining and exporting certain goods. Some of the mineral resources that are valuable are coal, iron, copper, tin, lead, zinc, and uranium. Also expensive opals and diamonds are also produced here in Australia. Another resource that is popular is becoming popular in this country is the skill of farming. Because the vast desert land is very dry, modern agricultural techniques have been found and used to make farming possible.
If there was one thing that acted as a set back to farming it was the European animals brought over during the first exploration. "A large proportion of Australia's native animal species exist nowhere else in the world" (Encarta). From the ever so popular kangaroo to the strange-looking emu, Australia has quite a unique group of creatures.