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Australia:
Fifty thousand years ago groups of Southeast Asians immigrated to the continent and settled among it vast desert plains and resource-rich coasts. In 1770, British Captain James Cook claimed the entire continent for the British Empire and continued on his fated journey. The independence of the thirteen American colonies led the British to begin colonizing the Australia in 1788 as a penal colony (the American colony of Georgia had previously served that purpose for England). Transportation of prisoners ended in 1868 and non-incarcerated emigrants began settling {down-under.} To reach Australia from Europe, one had to travel along the African coast to the Cape of Good Hope and east across the Indian Ocean to reach the second-driest continent they would call home (Antarctica's the driest).
As European colonization continued and the mental image of Australia as a penal colony began to fade, the major coastal settlements became seven independent colonies. Sydney was the focus of New South Wales, Brisbane of Queensland, Darwin of the Northern Territory, Perth of Western Australia, Adelaide of South Australia, Melbourne of Victoria, and Hobart was the focus of the island territory of Tasmania. By 1861 the straight-line boundaries between the colonies that we know today in Australia were established. The boundaries were much easier to establish than was the nation of Australia. It took over forty years of discussion for the seven territories merged to become the Commonwealth of Australia on January 1, 1901. In the development of the federal state the major cities of Sydney and Melbourne fought over which would become the national capital. The "Australian Capital Territory" was created in New South Wales (the home of Sydney) as the site of a new capital – Canberra. Melbourne served as the capital until the building of Canberra was completed in 1927.
The current flag of Australia was officially adopted on May 22, 1909.
It includes a blue ensign and three motifs, each signifying important aspects of statehood.
The 5 stars of the southern cross appear on the right half,
the commonwealth star and the Union Jack are shown at left.
The southern cross is visible in the southern night skies and has been used as a
navigational tool for centuries.
The commonwealth star originally represented the six federal states.
The seventh point was added in 1909 to help signify the addition of the Northern Territory.
The Union Jack was named the national flag in 1788, and it remains on the current flag
denoting Australia's historical links with Great Britain.
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