Australia

Australia is an island continent in the southern hemisphere. It is washed by the Indian Ocean in the west and the Pacific Ocean in the east. The territory is not very big with the population more than eighteen million people.

The climate of the country is very hot. The biggest part of Australia lies in the tropical belt. It rains heavily in summer, but it's very hot, too.

Northeast coast of the country is protected by the Great Barrier Reef, and in the east there is the Great Dividing Range with Mount Kosciusko, the highest mountain of Australia.

The deepest river in Australia is the Murray River and the Darling is the longest one. In desert regions there are salt lakes like Lake Eyre. The inner part of Australia is occupied by deserts. The most famous ones are Desert Victoria and Gibson's Desert. In the west semi-deserts turn into savannahs.

The plant life of Australia varies. There are desert grasses, scrub, eucalyptus, acacias and others. Australia animals are unique, they can not be found in any other place of the Earth. For example, kangaroos, koalas, Tasmanian devils, echidnas, platypuses, dingos and others.

Australia is a member of the Commonwealth. It is a federation of 6 states and 2 territories. A governor heads each state. Australia is a constitutional monarchy with the Queen of Great Britain (Elizabeth II) as the head of the state. The head of government is Prime Minister. The national currency is the Australian dollar.

English is the official language of Australia. There are also a lot of aboriginal languages and dialects in Australia.

The capital of Australia is Canberra which is often called the Garden City because of its streets lined with trees. Other world famous cities are Sydney and Melbourne. Sydney is the largest city-port called the Queen City of the South. It is Australian main commercial and industrial centre. Sydney Opera House in Sydney is considered to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. Australia is an industrial country rich in coal, gas, oil, ores, gold, opals. It is an agricultural country, too. Most food products are produced for exporting. Australia is number one in producing lamb meat and sheep wool. Bee-keeping is developed as well.

Australia is a very interesting country with rich culture and strange animals. I would love to go there one day.

Canada

Canada is the second largest country in the world. It occupies northern part of North American continent and borders on the United Stated in the south and in the north-west. The country is washed by the Atlantic Ocean in the east and by the Pacific Ocean in the west.

The climate of Canada is rather cold: winters are usually long and snowy and summers in Northern Canada are short and cool. Summers in Southern Canada are longer and warmer. Canada is mostly covered by forests which are one of the most important resources оf the country.

Canada is divided into ten provinces. The biggest provinces are Quebec (which is the largest province of Canada), British Columbia and Ontario.

The capital of Canada, Ottawa, is situated in Ontario. It is mainly a government city but it also has a lot of places of interest such as The Chateau Laurier, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Parliament Buildings Canada which are the symbol of Ottawa.

English and French are the two official languages of the country. English is the first language for most Canadians, but in Quebec province French is the main language.

The flag of Canada has two red vertical stripes and a big middle white vertical stripe with a red maple leaf in the centre. Canada is a member of the Commonwealth. It is a confederation with parliamentary democracy. Queen Elizabeth II is not only the Queen of Great Britain, but of as well. Every Canadian province has its own government.

Canada has numerous cities and towns. Montreal which is situated in the province of Quebec is the largest city in Canada. It is divided into two parts: the English part and the French part. The heart of Montreal offers some excellent restaurants, shops and a lot of leisure activities.

Toronto, which is the capital of the province of Ontario, is the second largest city in Canada, ft is an international commercial and business centre and it has always been an artistic and cultural centre as well. The CN Tower, the world's tallest free-standing building, is the symbol of Toronto.

Niagara Falls is the most beautiful city in Canada. Tourists from all over the world come here to enjoy the view of the Canadian Falls or the Horseshoe. The city is a big entertaining centre with a lot of bars, restaurants, small shops, hotels and a big casino.

Canada is a very interesting country to visit!