We are visiting Australia, a massive country that is also its own continent, located between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. There are around 27 million people living here, and while many people think it is Sydney, the capital city is actually Canberra. The official language is English, though you will hear plenty of unique “Aussie” slang like “G’day”.

Australia is enormous! It covers about 7.7 million square kilometers, or roughly 3 million square miles. To imagine its size, it is almost the same size as the mainland United States, or about 32 times larger than the United Kingdom. Most of the people live near the beautiful coasts because the middle of the country is a giant, dry desert known as the Outback.

The most popular sports are Cricket and Football, especially a unique version called Australian Rules Football where players jump very high to catch the ball. Australia is famous for its one-of-a-kind wildlife, like the Red Kangaroo, which can jump over a school bus in a single bound, and the Koala, which spends most of its day napping in eucalyptus trees.

The flag has a dark blue background with the Union Jack in the corner, a large seven-pointed star representing the states and territories, and a cluster of smaller stars that show a constellation of the night sky called the Southern Cross.

The food is a mix of flavors from all over the world, but everyone knows Vegemite, a salty, dark brown spread that Australians love to put on their morning toast. They also enjoy Meat Pies and a delicious meringue dessert topped with fruit called Pavlova.

Australia is home to a lake called Lake Hillier that is bright bubblegum pink, and scientists believe the color comes from special algae living in the salt. You can find the Great Barrier Reef here, which is the largest living structure on Earth and is so big it can be seen from outer space! The country also has more venomous snakes than any other continent, and it is the only place in the world where you can find the Platypus, a strange creature that has a bill like a duck, a tail like a beaver, and lays eggs like a bird.

From the white sands of Bondi Beach to the giant red rock called Uluru, Australia is a land of sunshine and wild adventures.