Australia is of the developed countries in the world. Its economy is very strong. The name "Australia "
was officially adopted and made known by the British governor of the colony of New South Wales in 1817.
The title was proposed in 1814 and is derived from the Latin terra australis
incognita land of the south unknown, which cartographers used
centuries before European colonization. Australia
has developed a complex national culture with immigrants from many parts of the
world, as well as a native and indigenous population of Torres Street , since its time as a
British colony. The marked social and historical differences between the
different countries and regions have not become a great subcultural diversity
based on geographic regions.
For many of the country's history, it has focused on the
integration of different cultural groups into the dominant traditions of British Australia. However, in the early 1970s, a more pluralistic
multiculturalism policy was known. In 1988, the events of the bicentenary were
officially announced as a "celebration of a nation". It is determined
that Australia
is a collective of different people living in a relatively young society.
However, divisions within the nation continue to be expressed in public life
due to social differences of race, ethnicity, social class, and gender.
Geographical Location
Demography
In the 1986 census, the total
population of Australia was just over 15.5 million. By 1992, the population had grown to
17.5 million and In 1996, there were 18.3 million. By 2000, that number is
expected to reach 19 million. In 1997, 4.3 million (23%) of the population were
born abroad. About 2% of the population are natives or islanders of Torres Street ,
descendants of Native Americans on the continent before European colonization.
This sector of the population has a higher birth rate than the others, but also
a higher mortality rate and a lower life expectancy. In 1996, the population
that identified as indigenous or islanders on Torres Street was 372,000, probably about
the same as in 1788; Many of these people have Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal
ancestors.
Religion
Australian constitution guarantees religious freedom for all, and although there is no official national religion in Australia,
The alternatives of religious such as spiritism and theosophy have had a small but constant presence since the 1850s. A growing body of beliefs is represented by the so-called New Age movement, which arrived in the 1960s and became the Movement generalized alternative
Relationship
The countries first immigrants were Chinese, They are attracted by the gold rush of 1850 and 1860. The
fear of misunderstandings and the resulting xenophobia and racial disturbances
led to restrictive legislation against the importation of Chinese workers and
the Pacific. However, immigration was considered important; A well-known phrase
was "populate or perish," which reflects the logic that population
growth would support both defense and economic development.
The Federation of States agreed in 1901 to implement one of
the most influential government policies affecting the development of national
culture: the Immigration Restriction Act. This "white Australia
policy" was mainly aimed at combating the "yellow danger"
perceived by immigrants from neighboring Asian countries. For much of the 20th
century, migrants were selected according to a hierarchy of convenience that
widened when privileged sources were exhausted. The British have always been at
the top of the list and a series of government grants and settlement plans have
been implemented to promote their immigration.
Consequently, immigration can be defined as a series of
waves, the British dominating until the 1940s, followed by Northern Europeans including those displaced by the First World War, Southern Europeans mainly
after World War II world, and finally after the abandonment of the policy of
white Australia in 1972, the Asians. Immigration has been declining since the
1980s and access are now difficult. The number of migrants has become a topic of
discussion.
Australian food
There is no food is reserved for
special occasions, although the religious traditions of certain ethnic groups
include ceremonial meals. Easter and Christmas are observed by the majority of
the population. Christmas is usually celebrated as in Britain , with
roasted turkey, ham and roasted vegetables, followed by a steamed fruit
pudding. However, there is a growing trend for Christmas to involve a light
seafood meal, and barbecues are also becoming popular. Instead of pudding, many
people have ice cream cakes or cold desserts like pavlova made with egg whites
and sugar.
There are some people celebrate "Christmas in July" by using the
coldest month of the year to enjoy the hot dinner of a traditional Christmas. Special meals are eaten among ethnic groups to celebrate
Easter or Easter. At that time, children received molded chocolate products
easter eggs.
Men and women
In this country's many areas for social, economic, political and religious life
remain gender-specific, generally disadvantaged for women. Women are
underrepresented in the scientific, managerial and professional occupations and
are overrepresented in administrative and clerical positions. Women earn on
average less than men and spend more time than men doing unpaid housework.
The right of women to vote in federal elections was
enshrined in the 1901 constitution. However, women's progress in entering the
public service was reducing speed In 1995, the representation of women in
local, state and federal government was around 20%. Although women are more
likely to devote time to religious activities than men, most ministers of
religion are men.
Marriage and family life
Most of the couples marry for love and to confirm long-term emotional, financial and sexual
commitment. Arranged marriages take place in certain ethnic groups, but most
people do not consider them desirable. Marriage is not essential for life or
child-rearing relationship, but almost 60% of people over the age of 15 are
married. The law grants de facto relationships members legal rights and
responsibilities equivalent to those of officially married couples. Gay couples
are not recognized by law as married, regardless of their long-term
relationship. The marriage takes place with a civil or religious ceremony
performed by a registered office and can take place in any public or private
place. The ceremony is usually followed by a celebration with food, drink, and
music. Guests give gifts of household goods or money, and the couple's parents
often contribute substantially to the cost of the wedding. There is no other
official exchange of goods.
Since 1975 the divorce has been available and involves little
stigma. It requires a one-year separation period and occurs in about 40 percent
of first marriages. At the time of the divorce, the husband and wife agree to
share their mutual property and their parental responsibilities; Courts and
mediators sometimes to assist in this process. The new marriage is common and
accepted. An important trend in family education is a dramatic increase in the
proportion of marriages preceded by a period of cohabitation.