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The People of Australia:
Australia, globally known as a liberal and democratic nation, attracts many diverse people due to its warm climate and beautiful scenery. Australia has a population of over 23 million people with the majority living along the south and east coast. Due to the warm climate, it is typical to see people spending most of their time outdoors at the beach or a sporting event. This includes swimming, tennis, golf, bush-walking, football, cycling, and netball. Another influence of the outdoor lifestyle is the nation's diet, consisting of seasonal, fresh foods, especially seafood. Like few other countries in the world, Australia is a country fueled by migration. While the Indigenous Australian culture still holds significant influence in Australia, the country's culture and lifestyle has been infused with Greek, Asian, Middle Eastern and many other cultures, all against a familiar British backdrop. ('Australian Lifestyle') Australia's positive quality of life is reflected through its second ranking in the 2014 Human Development Index. Australia is a member country of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OCED). This organisation promotes policies to improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world. It was reported that 83% of Australians say they have more positive than negative experiences in an average day, more than the OECD average of 76%. Furthermore, Australia is the top-ranking country for civic engagements and remains above average in most other categories, including health status, income and wealth, and education ('Moving to Australia'). Australia's Challenges: The World Wide Fund (WWF) Global reported of continuous concern for Australia's is population growth along the coastline. The formation of massive metropolitan centers with increasing population density on Australia's coasts could disturb valuable biodiversity and ‘high-value’ agricultural land. Overgrazing is one of the main pressures on biodiversity in Australia. Grazing and various agricultural improvement strategies have modified areas of grasslands and open grassy woodlands. In temperate ecosystems, less than 2% of the original grasslands remain ('Environmental Problems in Australia'). Additionally, the increasing numbers of asylum seekers has lead the government to develop offshore processing policies that are harshly criticized because of their inadequate detention centers and injustice. Beauty in Australia: Australia is home to some of the most diverse landscapes in the world. With a plethora of stunning snow-capped mountains, white sandy beaches, impressive million-year-old rock formations, mountain ranges, islands of paradise, and tropical rain forests. Along Queensland, the Great Barrier Reef is held as the world’s largest reef ecosystem, spanning 2,300 kilometers, and is listed as one of The Seven Natural Wonders of the World (Callan). From the Sydney Harbor to Kings Canyon, Australia catches the eye. However, perhaps more importantly, Australia is beautiful because of the impact it has on tackling extreme poverty. In just one year (2012-2013)- at a cost to each citizen of 60 cents a day, Australia enrolled over a million boys and girls in school and vaccinated 2.8 million children against life-threatening diseases (Blampied). |
Works Cited:
“Australian Lifestyle.” Australian Visa Bureau News, www.visabureau.com. Web. Accessed 5 Jan. 2018.
Blampied, By: Catherine. “Join the Fight against Extreme Poverty.” ONE, 4 Oct. 2016, www.one.org. Web. Accessed 4 Jan. 2018
Callan, Paris Donnatella. “15 Reasons Why Australia Is the Most Beautiful Place on Earth.”Culture Trip, 10 Nov. 2017, theculturetrip.com. Web. Accessed 8 Jan. 2018.
“Creating a Better Life by Moving to Australia.” Movingtoaustralia.com.au, www.movingtoaustralia.com. Web. Accessed 4 Jan. 2018.
“Environmental Problems in Australia.” WWF, wwf.panda.org. Web. Accessed 5 Jan. 2018.
Header borrowed from: "The Wire"
Link: https://thewire.in/189687/australia-spend-195-million-housing-refugees/
Link: https://thewire.in/189687/australia-spend-195-million-housing-refugees/