There are many things you already know about Australia, it’s the largest island in the world occupying 7,617,930 km², or the koala and kangaroo are its most representative animals.

But in many respects, Australia remains a great unknown, well at least for those who live on the other side of the ocean as the antipodes are far, far away … Do you want to know some of the most interesting facts about Australia? Here we tell you 20:

1. Australia has the lowest population density in the world, with only 2.8 inhabitants per square kilometer.
2. Melbourne is the most liveable city in the world to live in, for five consecutive years (2010-2015) it has led the ranking of the best city in the world for quality of life, infrastructure, services and education.
3. The island of Tasmania has the cleanest air on the planet. Located in the southeast of Australia,  its position along with the direction of the wind allows to breathe pure air, free of all contamination.
4. Australia has the largest camel population in the world which makes it one of the main exporters of this animal, especially to Saudi Arabia, where its meat is highly sort after.
5.  Australia has a little over 23 million inhabitants, but despite its vast extension, most of its inhabitants live in the coastal areas.   Sydney is the most populous city with 4.5 million inhabitants.
6. In Australia are some of the most poisonous animals in the world, including 20 of the most poisonous species of snakes, the Sydney spider (Funnel Web Spider), the most poisonous of its kind or venomous jellyfish.
7. Australia is as wide as the distance you would take to travel from London to Moscow.
8. It was the second country in the world that allowed women to vote, after New Zealand.
9. The number of sheep in Australia triples the human population.
10. Australia has more than 10,000 beaches, exactly 10,685. If you went to one of them every day, it would take you 27 years to see them all.
11. It is the country with the most places recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage, with a total of 19.
12. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef in the world with an extension of 2,600km length.
13. The first photos taken of the arrival of the man on the moon were received in a station near the city of Canberra.
14. Lake Hillier,is one of the most famous lakes in Australia, due to its peculiar colour – pink!
15. 80% of the wildlife in Australia is not found in the rest of the world.
16. Australia is also known as OZ as with an Australian accent it’s pronounced «Oztralia». It is very common to abbreviate the words in the Australian slang.   Australians are called «aussies» (pronounced «ozzies»).
17. Australia has two national anthems but only one is official since 1984, Advance Australia Fair . The unofficial national anthem is called Waltzing Matilda. From 1788 to 1984 the official anthem was the British anthem, ‘God Save the Queen’.
18. Mount Kosciuzko is the highest mountain in Australia, with a height of 2,228 meters
19. The name of Tasmania comes from the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman. He was the first person to see the continent and the island in 1642.
20. The British arrived in Australia on January 26, 1770, a national day known today as Australia Day but the Australian Aborigines have lived in Australia for more than 40,000 years.