The other English-speaking countries

Canada is the second largest country in the world. It covers the northern part of North America and its total area is 9,975,000 square kilometres. Canada's only neighbour is the USA. The capital of Canada is Ottawa.

Canada's motto, "From Sea to Sea", is appropriate because the country is bounded by three oceans – the Pacific, the Arctic and the Atlantic.

Canada's name comes from an Indian word "kanata", which means "village". The first French settlers used the Indian name for the colony, but the official name was "New France". When the area came under the British rule in 1897, the new country was called the Dominion of Canada, or simply Canada.

Compared with other large countries, Canada has a small population, only about 27,300,000. The country, however, is one of the world’s most prosperous. Canadians have achieved a high standard of living.

Canada is a constitutional monarchy. It is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, and Queen Elizabeth II is its official head of state. Although the Queen holds this high position, she doesn't rule. She serves as a symbol of British tradition. Her representative in Canada is the Governor General. The Governor's duties are limited to symbolic, mostly ceremonial acts.

The real power belongs to the Prime Minister and his Cabinet. The Canadian Parliament consists of two chambers: the House of Commons and the Senate.

There are two official languages in the country: English and French. All Canadian children have to learn both French and English at school. "We have two races, two languages, two systems of religious belief, two sets of laws... two systems of everything", said one Canadian journalist.

If you go to Australia it will seem to you rather an upside-down world. The seasons are the other way round. Summer is from December to February, autumn is from March to May, winter is from June to August and spring is from September to November.

New Year is celebrated at midsummer, and midwinter is in June. Hot winds blow from the north; cold winds blow from the south…

Australia is the world's largest island and its smallest continent. People often call Australia the "land down-under" because it lies entirely south of the equator. The capital of Australia is Canberra.

Australia is the oldest of all continents and the driest continent on earth. The four great deserts of central Australia cover 2,000,000 square kilometres. There are few rivers there.

Australia is also the flattest of all continents. Its most significant mountain chain is the Great Dividing Range running down most of the east coast. Because of its overall flatness and regular coastline, Australia is often called a "sprawling pancake".

An island continent, Australia was cut off from the rest of the world for millions of years. As a result, it was the last continent to be discovered and settled by Europeans.

Australia is the only continent that is also a country. As a country, it has the sixth largest area in the world after Russia, Canada, China, the United States and Brazil. It is famous for the magnificent landscapes and unusual plants. It will seem strange to you that trees lose their bark, but not their leaves, and a lot of flowers have no smell. Many of the Australian animals are found nowhere else in the world. There live kangaroo, koala, echidna, platypus and a lot of rare birds.

The country is the least populated of the continents. Only 0,3 per cent of the world's population live there. However, Australia is the most urbanized country in the world.

Australia [os’treiliə] – Австралия

the Great Dividing [di’vaidiŋ] Rangе – "Грейт Дайвинг Рейндж" – ряд горных хребтов и плато