Australia
/ɒˈstreɪliə/
/ɔːˈstreɪliə/
- a large island country and continent in the south-west Pacific Ocean. Its capital city is Canberra and its official language is English. The first people to live in Australia were the Aborigines, who now form less than 3% of the population. In 1770 the country was visited by Captain Cook, and in the 18th and 19th centuries it was used by the British as a place to send criminals. Many of the people living in Australia today are descended from British people. It is now independent from Britain, although it remains a member of the Commonwealth. Most of the population live on or near the coast in the east and south of the country, and there are large areas in the west, north and centre of the country where very few people live. The climate is generally warm. Australian culture is popular in Britain. A number of Australian programmes, including soap operas such as Neighbours, appear regularly on British television. A popular informal name for Australia is Down Under.
澳大利亚（太平洋西南部的国家和大陆）