Every year, thousands of people from all over
the world come to Canada to start a new life. They come with many
different skills and with the hope of contributing to their new
society. This cultural profile was written to help Canadians welcome
Australian immigrants to Canada. It will give you some insight into
Australian life and culture. This information will be useful if you
are hosting an Australian family as part of the HOST program,
learning about Australia in school or working with Australians
who have recently settled in Canada.
Australians who come to Canada will have many
of the same questions that you would have if you moved to another
city or country. They will want to know about schools and education,
health care, jobs and places to live. Your offer of time, friendship
and concern will be greatly appreciated.
Although this cultural profile provides
insight into some customs, it does not cover all facets of life.
The customs described may not apply in equal measure to all
newcomers from Australia.
Summary Fact Sheet |
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Official Name |
Commonwealth of Australia |
Capital |
Canberra |
Type of Government |
Parliamentary Democracy |
Population |
18.7 million |
Area |
7.6 million sq. km |
Major Ethnic Groups |
European descent, Asian, Aborigines |
Languages |
English, Aboriginal languages, Italian, Greek, Chinese, Vietnamese |
Religions |
Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism |
Unit of Currency |
Australian dollar |
National Flag |
Dark blue with a Union Jack in the upper hoist-side
corner; opposite are the five stars of the Southern Cross constellation,
and underneath the Union Jack is a large, seven-pointed star |
Date of Independence |
January 1, 2022 |
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Did you know? |
Australia is a federation of six states (New South
Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, Queensland, South Australia and Western
Australia) and two territories (the Northern Territory and the Capital
Territory, where Canberra is located).
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Did you know? |
The name of Canberra, Australia's capital, comes
from the Aboriginal word for "meeting place." It is located between
Sydney and Melbourne. An American architect, Walter Burley Griffin,
won an international competition to design the city.
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