TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 AN ISLAND CONTINENT Chapter 2 EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY Chapter 3 A NEW NATION Chapter 4 DAILY LIFE 4 14 20 26 Glossary 30 Index About the Author 31
4 CHAPTER 1 AN ISLAND CONTINENT An island unto itself Australia is the only country on Earth that covers an entire continent Oceania is a grouping but not itself a continent Although it is the second-least populated continent after Antarctica the rich biodiversity and variety of ecosystems makes Australia one of the most unique natural environments on the planet From arid deserts to sandy beaches snow-capped mountains to bustling cities Australia really is a place like no other
AN ISLAND CONTINENT 1 Australia isn't just a country It's also a continent and an island In fact it's the world's smallest continent and the world's largest island 2 The country's name comes from the Latin term Terra Australis Incognita which means unknown land in the south European explorers used this term to identify any lands unknown to Europeans in the southern oceans so when they landed on Australia the name stuck TERRA AUSTRALIS INCOGNITA 5
