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• The Commonwealth of Australia is an island continent located in the southeastern hemisphere between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Comprised of several islands including mainland Australia, Tasmania and several other small islands, Australia has one of the highest living standards in the world and boasts a 100% literacy rate.

  In February 2009, deadly bushfires broke out in Victoria, Australia, scorching hundreds of thousands of acres and killing hundreds. Australian authorities believed some of the fires were deliberately set, and investigations were launched in attempt to track down the alleged arsonists. Official death toll counts varied, but Australian media reported that officials feared as many as 300 people had been killed in the fires.CNN: Australian PM: Wildfire arson is mass murder (February 9, 2009) The Sydney Morning Herald: Police fear 300 dead in the ashes (February 11, 2009)

• Fast Facts

  1. Capital: Canberra
  2. Population: 21,260,000 (2008 estimate)
  3. Currency: Australian Dollar
  4. Prime Minister: Kevin Rudd
  5. Area: 2,969,906 square miles
  6. Official Language: English
  7. 85% of inhabitants live in urban areas
  8. Home to the Great Barrier Reef
  9. Government: Federal Parliamentary Democracy and Constitutional Monarchy

• Australia Bushfires

  In early-February 2009, several bushfires broke out in the Victoria area of Australia. Within days, the blazes had blackened 500,000 acres as firefighters struggled to extinguish the flames. The fast-moving fires had claimed at least 170 lives as of February 9, 2009. Australian investigators said they believed at least some of the fires were the work of arsonists.Sky News: Oz Bushfire Death Toll Nears 200 (February 9, 2009) CNN: Australian PM: Wildfire arson is mass murder (February 9, 2009)

  By the morning of February 10, 2009, several blazes continued to burn as officials assessed the extent of the damage. Australian police reportedly feared as many as 300 people had been killed in the blazes.The Sydney Morning Herald: Police fear 300 dead in the ashes (February 11, 2009)

• History

  Australia has been inhabited for over 40,000 years by indigenous people, often called Aborigines, who were largely nomadic hunter-gatherers. In 1770, Captain James Cook sailed and mapped the east coast, claiming it as British territory. His discovery led to the creation of a British island penal colony in 1788. Australia remained mostly a place of banishment until gold discovery in 1851 caused prospectors to colonize the area. In 1901, Australia declared its independence and formalized its constitution, which is partly adapted from that of the United States.

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