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Here are some facts about Sydney Harbour Bridge in Sydney, Australia.

Australia's Sydney Harbour Bridge, nicknamed 'the coathanger' because of the shape of its design, carries road, rail and pedestrian traffic from Sydney's business district to the North Shore.

The bridge was opened in 1932, and it is just over 1,100 yards long. It is also one of the tallest bridges in the world, with a height of 130 yards from water level to the top.

Around 14,000 workers were employed to build the bridge between 1924 and 1932. Many of these workers were immigrants and they were among the highest paid workers in the country at the time.

Since 1998, tourists have been able to climb to the top of the bridge. It takes almost four hours to climb up and down, and tours leave every 20 minutes.

Whenever the Queensland Rugby League team wins the State Championships, the Queensland state flag is flown from the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Sydney Harbour Bridge was constructed with approximately 6 million steel rivets. An estimated 72,000 gallons of paint were used to paint the bridge.

For many years, the south east pylon was an observation platform for tourists. The owners also had several white cats which roamed the bridge and became quite famous.

Several planes have successfully flown under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, including a group of 24 Australian Air Force planes and a huge Lancaster bomber.

To make sure that the bridge could hold enough weight, in 1924, its load capacity was tested by placing almost 100 trains on the bridge.

During temperature changes, the size of the huge arch can actually change by up to seven inches. To allow for this, there are specially made hinges in the top of the arch.

What next? Find out some facts about another one of Sydney's famous landmarks - the Sydney Opera House, or discover some facts about more of the world's rivers and bridges.

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Sydney Harbour Bridge Facts - Primary Facts

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Here are some facts about Sydney Harbour Bridge in Sydney, Australia. Australia's Sydney Harbour Bridge, nicknamed 'the coathanger' because of the shape of its design, carries road, rail and pedestrian traffic from Sydney's business district to the North Shore. The bridge was opened in 1932, and it is just over 1,100 yards long.

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FAST FACTS

OFFICIAL NAME: Commonwealth of Australia

FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Federal parliamentary democracy; Commonwealth realm

CAPITAL: Canberra

POPULATION: 22,507,617

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: English

MONEY: Australian dollar

AREA: 2,969,906 square miles (7,692,024 square kilometers)

MAJOR MOUNTAIN RANGES: Great Dividing Range, Macdonnell Ranges

MAJOR RIVERS: Murray-Darling, Murrumbidgee, Lachlan

GEOGRAPHY

Australia is the only country in the world that covers an entire continent. It is one of the largest countries on Earth. Although it is rich in natural resources and has a lot of fertile land, more than one-third of Australia is desert.

Most Australian cities and farms are located in the southwest and southeast, where the climate is more comfortable. There are dense rain forests in the northeast. The famous outback (remote rural areas) contains the country's largest deserts, where there are scorching temperatures, little water, and almost no vegetation.

Running around the eastern and southeastern edge of Australia is the Great Dividing Range. This 2,300-mile (3,700-kilometer) stretch of mountain sends water down into Australia's most important rivers and the Great Artesian Basin, the largest groundwater source in the world.

PEOPLE & CULTURE

Australia is one of the world's most ethnically diverse nations. Nearly a quarter of the people who live in Australia were born in other countries. They come from the United Kingdom and other European countries, but also from China, Vietnam, North Africa, and the Middle East.

Australia's warm, sunny climate and abundance of open spaces gives the population a love of the outdoors. The people are also passionate about sports, including swimming, surfing, sailing, tennis, soccer, cricket, rugby, and their own invention, Australian rules football.

NATURE

Australia's ecosystem is an unusual one because of its remote location. As a result, there are many animal species that occur here and nowhere else in the world, such as the platypus, kangaroo, echidna, and koala. Australia has 516 national parks to protect its unique plants and animals.

One of Australia's most amazing sites rises like an enormous whale's back from a flat red-soil desert called the Red Center. This site is called Uluru, and it is a sacred natural formation at the heart of the country. Rising 1,100 feet (335 meters) tall, it is the largest rock in the world!

Australia is home to many of the deadliest species of animals on the planet. There are 36 species of poisonous funnel-web spiders in eastern Australia. There are also 20 types of venomous snakes, including the taipan, which attacks without warning and bites repeatedly, killing its victim in minutes.

There are several types of rain forests in Australia. Tropical rain forests, mainly found in the northeast, are the richest in plant and animal species. Subtropical rain forests are found near the mid-eastern coast, and broadleaf rain forests grow in the southeast and on the island of Tasmania.

Australian Dollar

Photograph by Showface, Dreamstime

GOVERNMENT & ECONOMY

As a commonwealth of the United Kingdom, Australia's head of state is the British monarch. Many Australians think the country should end its ties to Britain and become a republic. In a vote in 1999, Australians decided against separating from the UK, but the vote was close, and the debate continues.

Australia is an important exporter of agricultural goods like wool, wheat, beef, fruit, and wine. The country is also rich in minerals and metals and is the world's fourth largest producer of gold.

HISTORY

Aboriginal people arrived in Australia about 50,000 years ago. They may have traveled from Asia across land bridges that were exposed when sea levels were lower. The hardy Aborigines have learned to live in the harsh conditions of the outback.

Dutch explorers first landed in Australia in 1606, and the British began to settle there in 1788. Many settlers were criminals sent to live in Australia as punishment. For a short time, the newcomers lived peacefully with the Aboriginal people. But soon, fighting broke out over who owned the land.

In 1851, gold was discovered in Australia. A rush to find riches brought thousands of new immigrants, and by 1859, six separate colonies existed. In 1901, these colonies joined to form a British commonwealth.

Check out the interactive map and discover more countries.

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Australia Country Profile - National Geographic Kids

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FAST FACTS OFFICIAL NAME: Commonwealth of Australia FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Federal parliamentary democracy; Commonwealth realm CAPITAL: Canberra POPULATION: 22,507,617 OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: English MONEY: Australian dollar AREA: 2,969,906 square miles (7,692,024 square kilometers) MAJOR MOUNTAIN RANGES: Great Dividing Range, Macdonnell Ranges MAJOR RIVERS: Murray-Darling, Murrumbidgee, Lachlan GEOGRAPHY Australia is the only country in the world that covers an entire continent.

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Australia is a large island continent made up of six states and two mainland territories. Its colonies federated in 1901, meaning it is a very young country. Australia has a multitude of unique wildlife and attractions, making it an extraordinary place to visit and a wonderful place to live.

The following information about Australia can be found below:

A printable PDF of the information on this page is available in the right-hand column.

Australia - the basics

Geography

Australia is 4000 kilometres wide (from the east coast to the west coast) and 3200 kilometres 'tall' (from north to south). It is split into six states and two mainland territories: Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory. Each state and territory has its own capital city, but the national capital of Australia is Canberra, which is located in the Australian Capital Territory.

Population

Australia has a population of just over 24.6 million people (as of August 2017), of whom about 50 per cent are female and 50 per cent are male (there is a slightly higher percentage of females, but it is very close).

Over a quarter of Australia's population was born overseas, with most people immigrating from the United Kingdom, New Zealand and China. Australia prides itself on being a multicultural and diverse population. Many languages, cultures, foods, clothes and customs exist side-by-side in Australia.

Wildlife

Australia is a large island continent and has been isolated for hundreds of thousands of years. Because of this, Australia has many species of animals and plants which are unique to the country. For example, 773 of 869 Australian reptile species cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Likewise, Australia has 378 species of mammals, 80 per cent of which can only be found in Australia.

Of Australia's mammals nearly half are marsupials. Marsupials account for some of Australia's most famous and iconic creatures: the kangaroo, wallaby, koala, wombat and Tasmanian devil. Kangaroos are hugely iconic in Australia and it is estimated that their population varies between 15 and 60 million (allowing for seasonal changes).

Another type of Australian mammal is the monotreme. Monotremes are special because they are egg-laying mammals. Monotremes include the platypus and the echidna. An echidna resembles a hedgehog, while the platypus cannot be compared to any other creature. The platypus has a duck bill, furry body, webbed feet and a tail.

There are 828 species of birds in Australia, ranging from the large, but flightless, emu to the famous laughing kookaburra and the teeny fairy penguin. Australia has 55 species of parrots (such as the rainbow lorikeet, rosella and cockatoo) many of which are beautifully coloured.

Government

Australia is a democracy. This means that the people of Australia (everyone over the age of 18) vote to elect members of their community into parliament to make decisions and laws on their behalf.

In Australia, there are three levels of government: local councils, state and territory, and federal. Local councils are the first level and they make laws for their local council area. The next level is state and territory parliaments that make laws for their state or territory. The highest level of government is the federal parliament, which makes laws for the whole of Australia.

People have many different ideas and views about how Australia should be run. Often people who share similar ideas join together to form a group called a political party. There are various political parties that Australians can choose to vote for. After an election, the leader of the winning party, or parties, becomes the Prime Minister.

Australian symbols

What images strike you when you think of Australia? The beach? A barbeque? A cork hat? A cricket bat? Well, Australia actually has a range of symbols (or emblems) which officially represent the country.

The flag

After Federation in 1901 (when Australia's six colonies united), Australia required a flag to represent it as a nation. A design competition was launched which drew over 32,800 entries. Surprisingly, five of these entries were almost identical and were judged equal first.

The Australian flag is set on a blue background. The Union Jack sits in the top left corner to show Australia's ties to Britain. The constellation of stars that is spread across the blue background is called the Southern Cross. This shows Australia's geographic location in the Southern Hemisphere. The larger, seven-pointed star is called the Commonwealth Star. This star represents Australia's government, and its seven points represent Australia's states and territories.

The Australian Aboriginal flag was designed by Mr Harold Thomas. It is half black and half red, with a golden circle in the centre. The black top half of the flag symbolises Indigenous people. The red bottom half of the flag represents the colour of ochre and the red desert sand. The yellow orb at the centre represents the sun.

The coat of arms

Australia's first coat of arms was granted by King Edward VII in 1908. The coat of arms has since been altered. Within the shield appear the symbols of Australia's six states. The border of the shield symbolises federation. The shield is held by two native animals, the kangaroo and emu. It is said that the animals were chosen as symbols of progress and moving forward, as neither animal is able to move backwards easily. Above the shield is a Commonwealth Star and surrounding the shield is Australia's floral emblem, the golden wattle.

Flora and fauna

The golden wattle (Acacia pycnantha) became Australia's official floral emblem in August 1988. The golden wattle also represents Australia's national colours: green and gold. Every year, on 1 September, National Wattle Day is celebrated.

Many Australian states and territories have their own emblems. For example, South Australia's floral emblem is the Sturt Desert Pea and Western Australia's bird emblem is the black swan. Each state and territory also has its own coat of arms which incorporates its emblems.

Famous Australian attractions

Queensland

The Great Barrier Reef is a famed Queensland destination and is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The Great Barrier Reef is a whopping 2000km long, stretching from Port Douglas to Bundaberg, and is the only living thing on earth that is visible from Space. The Great Barrier Reef is full of amazing sea creatures and bright coral, as well as tropical islands and sandy beaches. Queensland is also home to the Daintree Rainforest which is world heritage listed. It is also the world's oldest tropical rainforest. The forest is home to zamia ferns, which are over 600 million years old, as well as to frogs, cassowaries, bats and butterflies.

New South Wales

Sydney is a famous New South Wales tourist destination, attracting people with its iconic man-made structures such as the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. The Sydney Opera House was designed by Jorn Utzon who submitted the winning entry in the Premier's international design competition. The curves of the Opera House represent the sails of ships entering the harbour.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge took 1400 workers eight years to build. It is sometimes referred to as the coat hanger, due to the arched shape it forms between north and south.

Victoria

In 1851, gold was discovered in Victoria and New South Wales. Thousands of men and women from around Australia and the world were drawn to the goldfields hoping to make their fortune. However, few fortune hunters found the wealth they had been promised by the exaggerated rumours that filled the newspapers. Many lived a hard life on the goldfields and the discontent resulted in the bloody Eureka Stockade, where gold miners battled against government forces in 1854. You can still visit the famous goldfields in Victoria, as well as the site of the Eureka Stockade. Sovereign Hill in Ballarat uses actors in period costumes to recreate the excitement and frenzy of the nineteenth century goldfields.

South Australia

South Australia's Kangaroo Island is a famous destination. The island has a fascinating variety of wildlife, including sea lions, fur seals, fairy penguins, pelicans, koalas, wallabies and, of course, kangaroos. Kangaroo Island offers a number of renowned locations such as Seal Bay, a beach popular with packs of sea lions enjoying its protected waters and warm sand. It also has a number of fascinating natural phenomena such as Admiral's Arch, the Remarkable Rocks and the Kelly Hill Caves.

Tasmania

Tasmania was named Van Dieman's Land until 1856. One of Tasmania's most famous historic places is an old convict site called Port Arthur. Port Arthur was a prison for convicts from 1830 to 1877. During that time 12,500 convicts passed through the same buildings that you can walk through today. Many of the convicts were loaded onto ships and sent on the perilous voyage all the way from England for crimes as petty as stealing a loaf of bread to feed their family.

Western Australia

Western Australia is famous for its expansive and pristine coastline. The Coral Coast is renowned for its wildlife and natural scenery. In the waves of the Indian Ocean you can encounter dolphins, sea lions, manta rays, dugongs, humpback whales and whale sharks.

Inland from the coast is a desert landscape where you can find the Pinnacles. The Pinnacles are great limestone pillars that have formed naturally over millions of years, rising out of the yellow sand in Nambung National Park.

Northern Territory

The Northern Territory contains one of Australia's most iconic natural wonders: Uluru. Uluru is also known as Ayers Rock (named after Sir Henry Ayers).

Uluru is an inselberg, meaning 'island mountain'. It is made from sandstone and is about 350m high and 9km around. Uluru is known to change colour at different times of the year, and even throughout the day at sunset or sunrise. The rock is extremely sacred to the Anangu people of central Australia and plays a significant role in their Dreaming stories.

Australian Capital Territory

The Australian Capital Territory is home to one of Australia's most iconic and symbolic buildings: Parliament House. It was opened in 1988 by Queen Elizabeth II and is made almost entirely of Australian materials including timber and marble. The architect Romaldo Giurgola designed Parliament House so that it was nestled within the hill. Parliament House boasts a large art collection which can be viewed by the public.

Australia fast facts

Australians are a clever lot. They are responsible for inventing the notepad, aspirin, the pacemaker, the Hills Hoist clothesline, the dual-flush toilet and long-wearing contact lenses, just to name a few.

Australia has 19 listed World Heritage properties, including the Sydney Opera House, Kakadu National Park and Uluru.

Australia is the world's sixth largest country (in area).

Australia is an island continent. This means that it is completely surrounded by ocean.

Only 6 per cent of Australian land is suitable for farming.

91 per cent of Australia is covered by native plants.

Australia is the driest inhabited continent on Earth.

There are over 300 mines in Australia, mining coal, zinc, silver, gold and more.

Around 80 per cent of southern Australian marine species occur nowhere else in the world.

During the gold rush in the 1850s, 60 per cent of all international immigrants to Australia headed straight for the Victorian goldfields.

Native Australian food is called 'bush tucker'. Local Aboriginal knowledge of insects and the plants that could supply edible roots, nectar, fruit and greens was essential to the survival of many European settlers and explorers.

Australians enjoy a day of national celebration on Australia Day which is held on 26 January every year. This date marks the day the First Fleet arrived in Australia in 1788.

References

The following links will direct you to the homepage of the websites used as references for this topic.

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Australia is a large island continent made up of six states and two mainland territories. Its colonies federated in 1901, meaning it is a very young country. Australia has a multitude of unique wildlife and attractions, making it an extraordinary place to visit and a wonderful place to live.