The year 1770 proved to be the watershed in the history of Australia when Capt. James Cook reached the shores of the country. Before that, the continent was being inhabited by the aboriginals whose arrival on the land dated back to some 40000 years.

The British claimed the eastern half of the continent in 1770. In the due course of time, another five largely self-governing Crown Colonies were successively established by the British.
On 1 January 1901, the Commonwealth of Australia was formed, comprising the six federations. Since then, Australia has been a liberal democratic political system and remains a Commonwealth Realm.
Australia is bounded by Indonesia, East Timor and Papua New Guinea to the north, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia to the northeast, and New Zealand to the southeast. Having a coastline of 36,738km, the country has a current population of around 20.4 million, most of which is concentrated mainly in the large coastal cities of Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.
Australia is a multicultural society. Cultural vibrancy developed by generations of immigrants from across the world has become the hallmark of the continent.
Australia, the smallest continent and the 6th largest country in the world, has a very diverse climate. A temperate climate coexists with dry deserts, tropical rainforest. This makes it a compelling destination.
Travel overview
One the most popular destinations in the world for backpackers and luxury travellers alike, Australia is famous for its dazzling landscapes, cosmopolitan cities, adventure sports, and distinctive wildlife, including kangaroos, wallabies, platypuses, koalas, echidnas and kookaburras. Its landscape encompasses the entire spectrum including stunning mountains to dry deserts, beautiful beaches, scenic reefs, and lush tropical forests. The young cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Adelaide and Perth are major travel destinations in Australia. Sydney is home to world famous landmark Sydney Opera House. Other attractions of Australia include the Great Barrier Reef, Cable and Whitehaven Beaches, Uluru (Ayer's Rock), Norfolk Island, Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, Kakadu National Park and Phillip Island Nature Reserve. Tourists can also indulge in a wide range of exciting activities like surfing, skiing, scuba diving bushwalking, fishing and bungee jumping. All these make Australia a diverse destination.