November 6th-21st, 2004

New Zealand Flag

Australia Australia
Australia Australia


Australia is located in the southern Pacific Ocean, approximately 8,000 miles from the U.S.

It is the only country that comprises all of its own continent. The United States is the world's fourth largest country at about 3.6 million square miles and Australia comes in sixth at about 3 million square miles. Comparing Australia to the "U.S. lower 48", taking Alaska out of the equation, the sizes are very close. Australia is about 95% the size of the U.S. (see above map for comparison).

Australia geography includes spectacular landscapes incorporating the vast deserts in its hot dry outback, vast grasslands for raising cattle and sheep, plateaus scattered throughout the country, to beautiful coastal beaches.

Australia experiences summer from December - February and winter from June - August.

Highest point: Kosciusko 7,310 feet
Population: Approximately 20,000,00