The Book of Australia

This guide is a comprehensive view of Australia for students wishing to take a year out or for people who want to visit relations. It includes information on various subjects: climate - Australia's weather, natural disasters, rainfall and meteorology; geography - area, coastline, mountains, plains, soils, desert, lakes and rivers; flora and fauna - mammals, amphibians, fish, molluscs, trees, and endangered species; population - births, deaths, religion, labour, unemployment, marriages, and divorce; history - convict settlement, the gold rush and federation; the economy - foreign trade, employment, banking and tourism; transport and communtications - road, rail, sea and air; health - hospitals, immunization and diet; media - print, government broadcasting, cable television and satellites; the arts - dance, film, opera, literature, theatre, libraries and festivals; and sport - Olympic games, cricket, surfing, motor racing, tennis, and Australian rules.