Australian Aborigines. Photos, videos of Australian aborigines. Wild tribes of Australia. About the natives of Australia

Long before the advent of Europeans, Australia was inhabited by aborigines whose origins are so unique that researchers attribute them to a separate Australoid race. The first white colonists began to call them the common concept of that time "Bushman", from the English "forest man". The Australian Bushmen are dark-skinned and endowed with large facial features, but are not close relatives of the South African Bushmen.

It is believed that the descendants of modern Bushmen arrived in Australia about 50,000 years ago from the territory of Southeast Asia. Initially, they settled near the sources fresh water, of which there are not so many on the continent. As the population grew, they had to look for new places to live, and over time they populated the entire continent, with the exception of the most desert areas. Climatic and geographical diversity greatly influenced the way of life and even the appearance of the first Australians. Over time, three main national groups of Australian aborigines were formed.

barrinoid group

The Bushmen, who settled in the vast tropical rainforests of the continent, formed the Barrinoid or Barrinean group of peoples. Representatives of local tribes have much in common with the Melanesian peoples of the nearby islands. A characteristic difference is low stature - an adult man is rarely taller than 160 centimeters. Barrinoids are characterized by very dark skin, brown eyes and dark hair. Vegetation on the face is weakly expressed. The superciliary ridges and frontal area are small, although the size of the head is larger than average. Because of this face of the natives of this type look too narrow and elongated.

Carpentarian group

In the north of Australia, there is another group of peoples - the Carpenterian. These aborigines have an almost Central African black skin color. Carpentarians are larger than barrinoids but, unlike the latter, are rarely found in large modern cities countries. Most often, their settlements are located along the coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria. Outwardly, they also differ from their neighbors: massive brow ridges, large teeth and more developed hairline throughout the body. Within the Carpentarian group, anthropologists distinguish two subgroups: western and eastern. Aborigines of the western group live in the region of the peninsula of Arnhem Land. They are on average taller and slimmer than their neighbors. And the Carpentarians who inhabit the Cape York Peninsula are squat and wider. This is largely due to the admixture of the blood of neighboring groups.

Murray group

The last of the large groups of peoples is the most mysterious. The history of the origin of all the ethnic groups of the continent is full of blank spots, but the Murrays raise the most questions. Occupying the southern part of Australia, these Aborigines outwardly most resemble Europeans. Their average height often exceeds 160 centimeters, and their skin tone is the lightest among other natives of the continent. Their hair is most often straight, the facial and body hair is pronounced. In the color palette of hair there are shades not found in other natives, for example, red-brown. A large head, a forehead of medium width and inclination, and a wide jaw, combined with a characteristic elongated face shape, make these Bushmen strikingly different from others. But their most outstanding feature is macrodontia. The increased size of the front teeth, which is found in no more than 12 percent of people worldwide, is a common feature in Murrays. Until now, there is no consensus on what these features are associated with.

Other ethnic groups

Tribes of the "Red Center"

The central region of Australia - the Red Center - is the most severe and least explored of all. Until now, Europioid Australians rarely visit these places. And the anthropological analysis of the local population has only just begun. Local tribes are not even assigned to any ethnic group due to insufficient research. The local Bushmen resemble a mixture of other groups, with the exception of one important feature. Only here on the continent are fair-haired natives found. Most often, blond hair can be observed in local women. On average, men are darker. Also, local Bushmen have a massive nose and a strong physique. Most have a well-developed chest, and the average height can be considered the largest among the Aborigines of Australia.

Western tribes

The inhabitants of the west coast are few in number, and their isolated position has made adjustments to their anthropological type. Pronounced eyebrows and a low position of the nose makes their face wider, which is not typical of the Australian Bushmen.

island peoples

Outside the continent, in the Australian part of Oceania, the Papuans and Melanesians live. Most often, the Melanesian tribes are divided due to their insular location. Despite the number of several hundred thousand people, more than four hundred languages ​​are spoken among the Melanesian tribes. The natives of Melanesia are another owner of blond hair. The number of blondes among them reaches 10 percent. Recent studies have shown that a completely different genetic mechanism is responsible for the light shade of hair in Melanesians than in Europeans or residents of central Australia.

The Papuans, on the whole, are related to the Australoid aboriginal population of the continent. But their culture and way of life have their own characteristics. For example, the social hierarchy in the Papuan tribes is less pronounced. Often a Papuan village can be a long (up to several hundred meters) common Home.

Aboriginal culture and religion

Before the advent of Europeans, the life of the Australian Bushmen was not much different from the life of their ancestors. Presumably, up to five hundred large tribal associations existed on the territory of the continent. The art of the Bushmen is represented in abundance by the petroglyphs that have survived to this day, the oldest of which are about 20,000 years old. The natives did not have a written language, but had a well-developed system of laws. Despite the presence of leaders, the power in the tribe belonged to the elders. The leaders were more like military rulers. The religious ideas of the natives have come down to us in a highly distorted form, but the rite of cremation of the dead began to be practiced here 25,000 years ago, long before it spread among other peoples of the world. The main occupations of the indigenous tribes were hunting and gathering. However, agriculture often originated in the most fertile lands along the largest rivers.

The coming of the white people

Since the opening of Australia to the Western world in 1606, Europeans have visited the new continent occasionally. Real settlement by colonists began in 1788 with the founding of the first British colony, New South Wales. Building relationships with the natives here was stereotyped - they were gradually forced out of their lands. According to various estimates, before the advent of European settlers, the number of Australian Bushmen could be from seven hundred thousand to three million people. Skirmishes with colonists and new unknown diseases have reduced this figure by several times. Even into the 20th century, the Aborigines were subjected to various forms of apartheid. The most striking example is the time of the "stolen generation". From 1909 until the 1970s, Bushmen and Torres Strait children were removed from their families by the Australian government. The official pretext was "child protection". This destroyed many tribes and even peoples. The most striking example is the Tasmanians, today considered an extinct people. Thus, the indigenous population by the end of the 20th century was not much more than a quarter of a million people.

Australian bushmen today

Today the situation is starting to change. Every year there are more and more laws protecting the culture, rights and language of the indigenous population. Despite the great support of the state, only about 10-15 percent of the natives speak the languages ​​of their ancestors. In the 2000s, many educational programs and television channels in Aboriginal languages ​​were launched, but the situation remains dire. The number of surviving dialects today is about two hundred, while 300 years ago it reached five hundred. In the Australian reservations, significant powers have been transferred by the federal government local government. Contrary to low level life, the growth rate of the number of Bushmen is very high. To date, it has exceeded the mark of half a million people. Among them are a number famous people Artist Albert Namatira, writer, journalist and inventor David Yunaipon, musician and singer Geoffrey Yunupingu, singer Jessica Mauboi and 2000 Olympic champion runner Cathy Freeman.

You can get acquainted with the way of life of the natives of Australia by going on an excursion to one of the reservations, where the indigenous population of the continent has preserved their usual way of life to this day.

How Australian Aborigines live

Australia demonstrates high rates of economic growth. However, it is in this country that numerous tribes still live, whose way of life and level of development have not changed since the Stone Age. The indigenous population of the continent does not know how to mine iron, does not know writing, the Australian aborigines do not have a calendar. These people do not use their usual modern man achievements. At the same time, it is the Australians who are the most ancient civilization on the planet.

Their culture is unique and original, it has nothing to do with the heritage of other countries, since the continent has been in complete isolation for a long time. On currently the indigenous population of the mainland stands out in an independent race - the Australoid. Each of the numerous local tribes of the Australian Aboriginals has its own language, which in terms of melody is not similar to any of the European, African or Asian dialects. There are more than two hundred dialects, and the vast majority of them exist only in oral form, because only a few tribes developed writing.

Australian aborigines
The period of the conquest of Australia


According to the 2001 census, Aboriginal Australians make up only 2.7%. This is about half a million people, while in the XVIII century, at the time of the landing of the British, there were more than five million natives. The colonial period is one of the most difficult for the Australian Aborigines in history, because at this time the tribes were mercilessly exterminated and persecuted. From the favorable conditions of the southern coast with a comfortable climate, the natives had to move to arid desert regions in the north of the continent and in its central part.
Modern Australian Aboriginal Lifestyle

Since 1967, when representatives of the Aborigines of Australia achieved equal rights with the white population of the country, the position of the indigenous population began to improve. Many tribes, with state support, assimilated and moved to live in cities. Programs to increase the birth rate and preserve cultural heritage aborigines. In 2007, a television channel for the indigenous population even began to operate, however, due to the wide variety of Australian languages, broadcasting is conducted in English.

Australian aborigines


A fairly large percentage of Australian Aborigines are currently involved in tourism. So, excursions to reservations are very popular among travelers - places where the indigenous population has retained their usual way of life. The natives also act as guides.

In addition, colorful performances with songs, dances and performance of ritual ceremonies are organized for tourists. Many Australians are engaged in the manufacture and sale of souvenirs - tools and hunting, knitted and wicker clothing, utensils. About ten thousand aborigines living in the northwest and in the center are still at the level of development in the Stone Age. Thanks to them, the unique culture of the local population of Australia is preserved.

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Australian aborigines

Any navigator who moored to the shores of Australia found here the indigenous inhabitants of these lands - the aborigines, who were not very friendly to the newcomers. It is believed that Australia was discovered in 1606 by the Dutchman Willem Janszoon. Then other Dutch explored its shore (H. Brouwer, D. Hartog, A. Tasman and others), calling it New Holland. In the 18th century east coast Australia was explored by the brave English navigator James Cook. Then Matthew Flinders went around the entire mainland and proposed calling it Australia (from the Latin "australis" - southern). The local indigenous people were called aborigines. Wandering hunters and gatherers, they lived in a primitive communal system until the 19th century and used stone tools. The most famous tribes are: Kurnai, Narinieri, Kamilaroi (southeast); kabi, wakka (east); dieri, arabana, aranda, warramunga (center); nyol-nyol, cariera (northwest). According to the modern racial division, the Australian aborigines are classified as the Australoid race, common in Australia, South Asia (Veddas, Dravidians, Cuba, etc.) and Oceania. Indigenous Australoids are distinguished from other modern Australians by their dark skin, wide nose, thick lips, wavy hair, and their abundant growth on the face and body. In fact, anyone who has seen an Australian aborigine at least once in his life will never again confuse him, for example, with a black African.

Scientists are still arguing about the origin of the local natives. Some scientists believe that a person entered here about 50,000 years ago from Asia, and from that moment the indigenous population of these places began to form - the natives, who have been living without any changes for the past 40 thousand years. "Arrival from Asia" can be disputed, for example, by the earlier split of the Pangea pra-continent or the gradual separation of Africa, Australia and the eastern "piece" of Antarctica from each other. It is only indisputable that if the Europeans had not disturbed their primordial existence, then it could have continued in such a "conserved" and self-sufficient form indefinitely. However, in some places of this amazing continent it continues even now, and first of all in the deserted and magical Outback - the heart of aboriginal Australia.

Here is the famous sacred rock of Uluru - the main shrine of all the natives and one of the most mysterious places on the Australian continent. According to local concepts, Uluru is a door between the world of people and spirits. The natives are convinced that this huge red rock, 348 meters high, consisting of sandstone, appeared here even before the "Eternal Period of Dreams" (according to scientists: about 6 million years ago!) - the main cult concept of the local population. In fact, this is a rather loose translation. In different tribes in different dialects, the number of which in Australia reaches six thousand, this concept may sound differently: Ngarunggami, Dyuguba, Unzud, Bugari, Alderinga, and so on. They all mean the same thing though. This is something like a parallel non-material world of spirits and mythical ancestors, which has always existed and laid the foundations of human behavior. Everything on this earth is filled with spiritual power, and it is connected with a person into a single related-mythological knot. And the Uluru rock, otherwise Ayers Rock or simply Ayres (as the Europeans called it), occupies a key place in this system of the universe, being the door between the worlds. Next to it, the natives performed their rituals for centuries. And today their attitude towards Uluru has not changed at all. Not a single aborigine dares to climb to its top, as this is considered a terrible sacrilege, capable of incurring the wrath of spirits or ancestors on a person, from that very "Eternal Period of Dreams". Some mysterious cases of wicked tourists confirm that in many ways the natives are right. Uluru has a certain power beyond scientific understanding. Perhaps that is why the natives, possessing this higher knowledge, did not strive for progress. Everything that they needed for life was invented long ago by their ancestors and did not require any improvement. For hunting birds and kangaroos, their ancestors invented spears and boomerangs - the main and only technical discovery of the natives. Dealing with a boomerang, despite the apparent simplicity of its design, is not so easy. You can verify this from your own experience.

In the town of Tzhapukai on the east coast, not far from Cairns, the natives have created a kind of traditional park where every white can try his hand at handling the original weapons of the indigenous population and, of course, get to know their fantastic culture better.

For example, boomerangs are of two types: heavy - for hunting kangaroos and non-returning, and light - for hunting birds. It is the latter, having described an ingenious arc, that return to where they were thrown from. It is they who are of the greatest interest to the public, because, having described an ingenious arc, they return to where they were thrown from. In scientific terms, in order to accurately calculate the flight path, the boomerang must be thrown at an angle of thirty degrees to the momentary wind. Only then can you understand where it will fly. Otherwise, of course, he can return, but his flight will be completely unpredictable. Moreover, an inept throw may well lead to a blow to your own head when the boomerang returns. And since the speed of its flight can reach up to 80 km / h, the consequences of this blow can be very sad.

No less interesting are the aboriginal spears, which are thrown not just by holding the shaft, but using the principle of leverage. Additional acceleration is given to the spear using a special stick with a hook at the end. This hook, just, rests on the end of the spear.

In the Tjapukai park, you can see how the natives can easily make a fire with the help of friction. For them, this is a common thing, because for centuries they have been able to live where it is impossible to live, to get water where it would seem that it does not exist at all, and food in such conditions in which a white man would not last even a few days.

The natives also have their own means of communication and their own special musical instruments. For example, this is the balroer ratchet known to the whole world from the movie "Dundee, nicknamed Crocodile" - a small oval plate that makes chirring sounds when rotated, and didgeridoo, a special musical instrument that sometimes makes an indelible impression on an unprepared tourist. This is due to its special mesmerizing sound. And the sound of the didgeridoo is given by the material from which it is made - termite-eaten eucalyptus wood. The secret of playing the didgeridoo is in the material from which it is made, and in the special circular or continuous breathing of the performer. Although once one of the natives played a classical melody on a piece of an ordinary water pipe in front of surprised tourists. Thus, it turns out that an impressive piece of wood painted with ritual scenes is just a magnificent natural resonator, although it carries symbolic meaning, and the whole secret is in a special circular or continuous breathing, which is impossible to master without long and hard training. Trained human lungs are the main tool. For centuries, all the ritual dances and rituals of the natives were accompanied by the magical sounds of the didgeridoo, which perfectly correspond to their totemic worldview. Its essence is that man is an integral part of Nature and has no fundamental differences from its other components.

Aborigines, indeed, have existed for centuries in harmony with nature. When Captain Cook landed on the coast of Australia, the number of natives reached half a million people. Today this figure is much less, about 1.5% of the total population of Australia. Acquaintance with the "benefits" of Western civilization was not in vain, having a detrimental effect on the gene pool of the indigenous inhabitants of this continent. For a long time they were not considered human at all. Surprisingly, but representatives of one of the most ancient and isolated civilizations of the planet received citizenship on their land only in 1967, and the right to self-government - in 1989. Naturally without intervention modern civilization the aborigines could continue to live for centuries as they have always lived. But the question is, is this antiquity so important, if tomorrow is no different from the same day, but only a thousand years ago? And is there any sense in such a miserable, almost animal life? We do not undertake to answer this question, especially since it sometimes arises not only in front of Australian aborigines.

In conclusion, it would not be superfluous to add that only the inhabitants of Australia could for centuries observe an amazing and incredibly fantastic sight in the sky: a huge Star Cloud in the constellation Sagittarius, which is the center of our galaxy - Milky Way. Such a spectacle, at least once seen, will be remembered for a lifetime, and for those who saw it over the rock of Uluru, everything told about the millennia-old faith of the natives in its magical power and the "Eternal Period of Dreams" will become a strong and indisputable proof of the inextricable connection between man and space.

Source magazine "Around the world"

australian aborigines

Aboriginal Handicrafts

The number is 437 thousand (2001, census), including 26.9 thousand people. in the Torres Strait Islands. Torres Strait Islanders are culturally distinct from other Aboriginal Australians, sharing many similarities with Melanesians and Papuans.

Today, most Aboriginal people rely on state and other charity. Traditional ways of subsistence (hunting, fishing and gathering, among the islanders of the Torres Strait - manual farming) are almost completely lost.

Before the advent of Europeans

The settlement of Australia took place from 70-50 to 30 thousand years ago. The ancestors of the Australians came from Southeast Asia (mainly along the Pleistocene continental shelf, but also overcoming at least 90 km of water barriers). With an additional influx of migrants who arrived by sea about 5 thousand years ago, the appearance of the dingo dog and a new stone industry on the continent is probably associated. Before the beginning European colonization the culture and racial type of Australians have undergone a significant evolution.

colonial period

By the time of the appearance of Europeans (XVIII century), the number of natives was about 2 million, united in more than 500 tribes that had a complex social organization, various myths and rituals and spoke more than 200 languages.

Colonization, accompanied by the targeted extermination of Australians, dispossession of land and displacement to ecologically unfavorable areas, epidemics, led to a sharp decrease in their numbers - up to 60 thousand in 1921. However public policy protectionism (with late XIX century), including the creation of reservations protected by the authorities, as well as material and health care(especially after the 2nd World War) contributed to the growth in the number of Australians.

By the mid-1990s, the number of Aboriginal people reached approximately 257 thousand people, which is 1.5% of the total population of Australia.

Astronomical and cosmological representations in Aboriginal mythology

Australian aborigines believed that there is not only our physical reality, but also another reality inhabited by the spirits of ancestors. Our world and this reality intersect and mutually influence each other

One of the places where the world of "dreams" and the real world meet is the sky: the actions of the ancestors are manifested in the appearance and movement of the Sun, Moon, planets and starshowever, the actions of people can affect what is happening in the sky.

Despite the fact that the natives have certain information about the sky and objects in it, as well as individual attempts to use celestial objects for calendar purposes, there is no evidence that any of the Aboriginal tribes used a calendar associated with the phases of the moon; celestial objects were not used for navigation either.

Current position

Currently, the growth rate of the Aboriginal population (due to high birth rates) is significantly higher than the average Australian, although the standard of living is significantly lower than the average Australian. In 1967, the civil rights previously granted to the natives were legally enshrined. Since the late 1960s a movement is developing for the revival of cultural identity, for the acquisition of legal rights to traditional lands. Many states have enacted laws granting Australians collective ownership of reserve lands under self-government conditions, as well as protecting their cultural heritage.

Famous representatives of the Australian aborigines are the artist, writer David Yunaipon, football player David Wirrpanda, TV presenter Ernie Dingo, actor and storyteller David Gulpilil (Gulpilil), singer Jessica Mauboy (of mixed Australian-Timorian origin).

Since 2007, there has been in Australia, working along with other broadcasts for the national communities of the country SBS (broadcasts in 68 languages, including Russian). These programs, which started as domestic broadcasts, are now available worldwide with the development of the Internet. Although Australian Aboriginal National Television operates in English due to the underdevelopment of Aboriginal dialects, it provides an opportunity for domestic and international audiences to learn Aboriginal languages ​​through TV lessons launched since 2010.

Aboriginal culture in cinema

• - "The Last Wave", a film by the famous Australian director Peter Weir
• - "Cage for rabbits" (eng. Rabbit proof fence), talks about attempts to "re-educate" the children of Australian aborigines.
• - " Ten boats", from the life of Australian aborigines, which was a success in the world film distribution and even marked special prize Cannes Film Festival. All the actors in the film were natives and spoke their own language. mother tongue yolngu matha.

see also

Notes

Literature

• Artyomova O. Yu. Personality and social norms in the early primitive community according to Australian ethnographic data. M., 1987
• Artyomova O. Yu. Past and present of indigenous Australians // Races and peoples, vol. 10. M., 1980
• Berndt R. M., Berndt K. H. The World of the First Australians, trans. from English. M., 1981
• Kabo V.R. Origin and early history Australia. M., 1969
• Lockwood D. I am a native, trans. from English. M., 1969
• McConnell W. Munkan myths, trans. from English. M., 1981
• Rose F. Aborigines of Australia, trans. with him. M., 1981
• Elkin A.P. Indigenous people of Australia, trans. from English. M., 1952
• The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Hunters and Gatherers. Cambridge, 1999 (I.VII, Australia, p.317-371)
• The Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia. Vol.I-II. Canberra, 1994

Links

• //
• // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.

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See what "Australian Aborigines" is in other dictionaries:

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Indigenous peoples, aborigines, autochthonous, natives are the original population of the territory, who have preserved traditional life support systems, special forms of economic activity, for example, hunting (land, sea), cattle breeding (nomadic cattle breeding ... ... Wikipedia

Residents of each country have a particular mentality. Different habits, different character and different rules of behavior... This is what distinguishes the Japanese from the Chinese, the Americans from the British, the Ukrainians from the Russians. Each nation has its own rich history, which is rooted in the depths of time and forms the face of modern man. Who were the indigenous people of Australia and who lives in the country now? More about this.

The first mention of the Australian continent dates back to XVII century, but they explored it only a hundred years later - in 1770, James Cook landed on the shore with an expedition. It is from this moment that the European history of the state begins. 18 years later, on January 26, 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip set foot on the shores of the continent, who founded the first settlement, Sydney Cove. This date is still a big holiday in the country and is celebrated as Australia Day.

The history of the settlement of the continent cannot be called romantic: the first settlers were English prisoners, for whom there was simply no place in prisons. They, led by Captain Arthur Phillip, began the development of Australia in late XVIII century.

Already after 100 years, the group of prisoners has grown to a fully mature society. Immigration was in full swing, wishing to live on the "new continent" flocked from all over the world. Australia became a full member economic life Great Britain, from there even exported meat and wool.

The authorities tried to impose restrictions on those entering on a racial basis: at one time, Asians were forbidden to immigrate here. But the restrictions did not bring results, so the audience crept up motley. Most visitors are of Asian, New Zealand, English origin.

Of course, it is impossible to fit the history of the formation of an entire nation into one small article. If you are interested in how the development of the continent by the British took place, we advise you to view this documentary shot by Australians about Australians.

From the moment the British settled, the problems of the indigenous inhabitants of Australia began. Initially, the number was, according to various sources, from 300 thousand to 4 million people, but with the appearance on the mainland of not the most intelligent Englishmen with a criminal record, the number of aborigines began to decline sharply.

Indigenous people of Australia: how did the most ancient civilization fall?

So who were the masters of the continent before Arthur Phillip appeared on it? The indigenous people of Australia are also called Bushmen. There is a theory according to which the Bushmen - ancient people on the ground. Civilization has more than 70 thousand years! The indigenous inhabitants of Australia are divided into three separate types; at the time of the landing of Europeans, more than 500 languages ​​were spoken on the continent. The main occupations of the Australians were hunting, gathering, construction.

The indigenous people of Australia belong to the race of the same name - Australoids, their facial features are appropriate: dark skin (but lighter than that of Negroids), wide nose, lush hair, very dark and curly

The natives also had a religion, according to which God is nature and all the phenomena that surround a person. Mountains, trees, water are sacred things in which the spirit of mighty gods is hidden.

How does the indigenous population of Australia live today?

The paradox is that Aboriginal descendants could not be Australian citizens until 1967. Until that time, they lived in special reservations - villages, where access to outsiders was closed. They were not taken into account even in the census. Only half a century ago, the indigenous people of Australia received the right to choose their place of residence and move around the country. Not all, however, left the reservation. Moreover, some of them never came to civilization. About ten thousand descendants of the ancient Australoids still live without knowing the written language, in English, modern technology.

Most of the natives dispersed throughout the country, you can meet them in any city. Some work in the field of tourism: they entertain tourists with excursions to fake tribes or real reservations, in which the way of life and way of historical times has been preserved.

As souvenirs, you can buy a variety of gizmos, allegedly made by the hands of the natives. In fact, truly authentic things rarely come across; usually, under their guise, an ordinary village “mass market” is sold. We wrote an article about what souvenirs to buy in the country. Some of them may be no less interesting. Check out the list of the best souvenirs from Australia.

Not far from Australia, in New Zealand there are also aborigines. They are called Maori, which translates as "natural, real." These tribes are remembered as brave people who defend their rights like no other.

Unfortunately, among the natives who moved to large cities, there are many representatives of the marginal segments of the population. A large percentage of the crimes committed in the country are accounted for by them; among the descendants of ancient people, alas, there are often drug addicts and drinkers.

Modern inhabitants of Australia: who are they?

The locals of Australia are full of various types, colors of skin and eyes. This picture is completely unusual for a tourist from Russia, because in our country we see only people who look like us. Everything is mixed up here, therefore, no matter how you look, you will never catch a single sidelong glance on yourself. For the same reason, representatives of different faiths peacefully coexist in the country. Religions were distributed as follows: 26% of the local population of Australia are Protestants, 19% are Catholics, and the rest are less than 5%.

In the country, by local standards, very cheap food. This played a cruel joke on the inhabitants: obesity is very common on the sunny continent.

The number of local residents of Australia is just over 24 million people. This data is for 2016. By 2030, an increase of up to 28 million is expected. The birth rate here is the highest in the world: for every woman, on average, there are 1.9 children. Average life expectancy is also one of the highest - more than 80 years. The majority of Australians are, of course, immigrants from England. Followed by visitors from New Zealand and Italy. There are very few indigenous people in Australia, less than 5%.

The largest city in Australia in terms of the number of inhabitants is Sydney, but there are many Asians among them, which is why the city cannot be called prosperous and comfortable for life.

Nevertheless, there is something to see in Sydney, you just need to know where to go. To find out which sights to see in largest city continent, so as not to constantly stumble upon guest workers - read. In it, we have collected the most interesting sights of Sydney.

What do the people of Australia do?

The country has a high standard of living: the purchasing power of an average citizen is $3,000 per month. This means that life is not aimed at making money all the time. Local residents of Australia devote a lot of time to self-development, hobbies, active and passive recreation.

There is no excessive desire to look good. They dress “immaculately” only for work and on important occasions. The rest of the time, because of the hot weather, it is impossible to constantly induce chic.

It's not just about the weather, but also about the mentality: the locals of Australia are about equally well off, so they don't try to prove something to anyone, but just live in pleasure. Accordingly, no one tries to dress pretentiously and expensively. Distinguishing an employee from a millionaire is not easy.

The hobby of Australians is directly related to the environment. Are there many rocks around? Alright, let's get on them! Around the ocean? Just great, grab a surfboard! No snow at all, but tons of sand in the desert? What's the problem, let's invent a snowboard on the sand!

This sport is called "sneedboarding". He proves that the absence of snow is not a hindrance to real extreme sportsmen. The rules are the same as in snowboarding: slide on the board. The only difference is that instead of snow - dunes, and instead of a warm suit - a T-shirt and shorts.

Another hobby of Australians is gambling and horse racing. It is understandable: when people do not feel a constant lack of money, it is easy to waste them.

The natives of Australia are called the word "ozzy". Or rather, they call themselves that. To be Ozzy is to confuse words national anthem, be proud of the beer belly and give a damn about what is happening in the rest of the world.

In general, Australians have quite a lot of strange character traits. It is these features that form the rules of conduct in Australia for tourists. So that you know how to behave in this distant country - we have collected all the rules

Roughly speaking, the Universe for Ozzy is limited by the ocean. Where the continent ends, everything that can excite the locals ends. If suddenly you would inform a resident of Australia that many interesting and interesting things are happening outside the continent. important events- most likely, he would have grinned, and bluntly stated that he was not interested. Here, in general, as a rule, they do not stand on ceremony and speak directly, as they are. But the charming simple-hearted Ozzy, nevertheless, does not want to be offended at all for this.