Australia is Huge!
Australia is the 6th largest country in the world and so vast that you could fit the entire UK into it 32 times!
Longest Fence in the World
The Dingo Fence, built to keep dingoes away from livestock, is over 5,600 km (3,480 miles) long — longer than the Great Wall of China!
More Kangaroos Than People
With over 50 million kangaroos, Australia’s kangaroo population far exceeds its human population of about 26 million.
Largest Coral Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system in the world and can even be seen from space.
Home to the World’s Oldest Living Culture
Indigenous Australians have a cultural history spanning at least 65,000 years, making it the oldest continuous culture on Earth.
Emu Wars Were Real
In 1932, Australia declared “war” on a group of emus that were destroying crops in Western Australia. The emus won — the army couldn’t stop them!
Kangaroo and Emu on the Coat of Arms
The Australian coat of arms features a kangaroo and an emu because neither animal can walk backward, symbolizing progress.
Drop Bears!
Australians love to prank tourists by warning them about “drop bears,” which are supposedly vicious, carnivorous koalas. (Don’t worry, they’re not real!)
Banning the Word “Mate”
In 2005, Australia briefly banned the use of the word “mate” in parliament. The ban was lifted just 24 hours later because, well, it’s Australia.
Camels for Sale
Australia has the world’s largest population of wild camels, and they even export them to the Middle East!
UFO Capital of the World
Wycliffe Well, a tiny town in the Northern Territory, is known as the UFO capital of Australia, with frequent reports of sightings.
