Australia (The Commonwealth of Australia) - also known as "Down Under" - a country situated in the Southern hemisphere, is the largest island as well as the smallest continent in the world with a total area of approximately 7,7 million km?. The North-South latitude of Australia is about 3,700 km and the West-East latitude circa 4,000 km. Australia is subdivided into several federal states and territories: New South Wales, Queensland, Southern Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia, Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory.

Australia, the homeland of one of the oldest civilizations of the world, with its exceptional diversity of fauna and flora, an overwhelming landscape and its unique geological characteristics and archaic remains, is one of the most fascinating countries in the world. The Australian mainland has been inhabited for at least 50,000 years by indigenous Australians, the Aborigines. In the caves which are spread all over the country their archaic paintings can still be admired and they give also proof of the cultural exchange with other civilizations.

The Australian population is a mixture of a multitude of nations. Approximately 92% of its population are of European ancestry. The remaining 8% are of Asian descent, out of this 2% are of indigenous origin. Australia has the lowest population density of the world, i.e. circa 2 inhabitants per square metre.

Approximately 90% of the Australians are living in coastal cities, mainly on the South-East coast, the area of Perth and Tasmania. Central Australia is almost uninhabited. The cities are quite extent, there are only a few skyscrapers, that is because the Australians love to have their home together with a small garden, whenever possible. The criminal rate is rather low and the life in Australia is said to be very safe.

The Outback, a typical Australian denomination for regions which are far away from the civilization, comprises approximately three quarters of Australia. There you can find the most diversified climate conditions and landscape formations with untouched tropical rain forests as well as wide regions which are completely inaccessible. However, on the other hand some areas have been developed for tourism purposes, among those are the Uluru-Kata-Tiuta National Park with the famous monolith Uluru (Ayers Rock), Karlu Karlu (Devil`s Marbles) and the Kakadu National Park.

Since the nineties the economy in Australia is booming with one of the highest growth rates among the OECD countries. At the same time the unemployment rate has decreased remarkably. The Government makes an effort in nationalizing more foreign qualified manpower. Physicians, nurses and engineers are highly demanded. With a per capita GDP of 34,359 USD (2007 estimate) Australia is on equal level with the leading countries of Europe. The basis of the high growth rate is given by a strong domestic market and rising export revenues for products in the sector of raw material and agriculture.

Public holidays in 2008:

The Australian Dollar (AUD, A$) is the currency in Australia. One Dollar is equal to 100 Cent (C) and corresponds almost exactly to 0.61 Euro. Currency notes have the following denominations: 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 A$. Coins are available in ranges of 5 Cent, 10 Cent, 20 Cent, 50 Cent, 1$ and $2.

With EC- and credit cards money can be obtained using the ATMs of the banks. Mostly, a service charge will be levied of around 3-5 EUR per payout. This charge is usually lower with EC cards than with credit cards. If one decides to bring cash from home, it is advisable to change that in one of the banks or exchange offices. The exchange rates in hotels are often not as good. A better and safer option is to carry around Traveller`s Cheques. Credit cards (Master, Visa, American Express, Diner`s Club) will be accepted in almost every location.

Living costs in Australia are considered as relatively same priced by western visitors. Due to the strong Euro the purchasing power is quite high for Europeans in some domains. Except for cigarettes and alcohol, which are more expensive than in European countries, because of the significantly higher taxes in Australia. How much money do I need per month for a comfortable lifestyle in Australia? Depending on the city, you should budget 200 - 400 EUR per month for renting a 1-bedroom apartment. Mostly your employer will help you with the accommodation search. You should add for further costs - food, excursions, transport, leisure - around 500 EUR per month. Consequently the total costs arise to approximately 700-900 EUR per month.

Generally the monthly salary for internships for students and graduates is between 1,200 and 2,400 A$. However there are quite a number of internships without payment (especially with exchange organizations).

Because of the great distance between the different places in Australia it is quite common to travel by air. Qantas is the first international airline of Australia. Ansett Australian is a private airline. Furthermore there are several small, local airlines, which assure the national connections.

The Railways of Australia are not a real good alternative for travellers who are in a hurry. It is known for a rather slow transport and long distance travels with couchette and catering are relatively expensive.

Buses are the cheapest and most common means of travelling. The "Greyhound Pioneer Australia" for example operates twice a day between all Australian capitals. Some other bus operators offer an additional broad range of connections. Whenever you travel mainly by bus you should buy a "bus passport".

Someone who wants to see a lot of Australia should hire a car. European driver licences are valid for one year - however an international driver licence can be advantageous.