john

Australia
Australia is the sixth largest country in the world. It's about the same size as the 48 mainland states of the USA and 50 per cent larger than Europe, but has the lowest population density in the world - only two people per square kilometre.

Beaches galore
Australia boasts over 7,000 beaches - more than any other nation.

Little beauties
Australia produces 95 per cent of the world's precious opals and 99 per cent of black opals.

Opal capital
Coober Pedy in South Australia is known as the opal capital of the world. Its population is made up of more than 40 nationalities and, with year-round extremes in temperature, more than 50 per cent of the population live in below-ground 'dugouts'.

Golden city
Kalgoorlie in Western Australia is not only Australia's largest producer of gold, but has the world's largest political electorate - covering a mammoth 2.2 million square kilometres.

Aussie icon
The kangaroo is unique to Australia and one of our most easily recognised mammals. There are more kangaroos in Australia now than when Australia was first settled. Estimates suggest around 40 million.

Merinos en masse
Australia's 140 million sheep (mostly merinos), found on around 53,000 properties, produce more than 70 per cent of the world's wool.

Beef exports
With 24 million head of cattle, Australia is the world's largest exporter of beef.

Flourishing flora
Australia supports at least 25,000 species of plants, while Europe only supports 17,500.

Long haul
The longest stretch of straight railway track in the world crosses the Nullarbor Plain. From Nurina in Western Australia to near Watson in South Australia, the track is dead straight for 478 kilometres.

Long drive
The Eyre Highway at Caiguna in Western Australia has the longest stretch of straight road in Australia - 148 kilometres. Crossing the southern edge of the Nullarbor Plain, it is the only sealed road from Perth to Adelaide, a 2700 kilometre drive.

Long fence
The world's longest continuous fence known as the 'dingo fence', runs through central Queensland for 5,531 kilometres. It is 1.8 metres high and is designed to keep sheep safe from Australia's native dog.