Surfing Australia
Location: Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean
Coordinates: 27 00 S, 133 00 E
Coastline: 25,760 km
Language: English, native languages
Safety: The crime rate in Australia is low, however travellers should be aware that tourists could be targeted by petty criminals. Be vigilant about personal possessions and travel documents, particularly in popular tourist destinations such as along the Gold Coast. There has been an increase in incidents of spiked drinks and women in particular should be cautious in nightspots; many victims were also sexually assaulted. The Commonwealth Games take place in Melbourne from 15-26 March 2006. Tropical Cyclone Larry smashed into Queensland on 20 March 2006, causing serious damage to towns, particularly around Innisfail, and leaving thousands homeless.
Communications: The international access code for Australia is +61. The outgoing code is 0011 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 001144 for the United Kingdom). Local calls from public payphones are untimed and cost a standard rate, while international and long distance calls are charged according to the time spent on the phone. Mobile phone operators use GSM and CDMA networks; mobile phones are available for rent. Internet cafes are widely available.
Climate : Australia's climatic conditions are characterized by warmth, little rain, clear skies and sunshine while temperature ranges are moderate with the absence of an intense cold winter. The continent can be divided into several climatic zones, an arid and semiarid interior, the monsoonal north and the sub-humid to humid east. Australia can experience hurricanes and cyclones on both coasts mainly on the northeast and northwest while droughts are also common. Although droughts are generally limited, severe national droughts have occurred. More than 33% of the country has an average annual precipitation under 260 mm (10 inches) while less than 33% receives over 500 mm (19.5 inches). Average temperature ranges in Sydney are from 8 to 16 degrees Celsius (46 to 61 degrees Fahrenheit) in July to 18 to 26 degrees Celsius (64 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit) in January.
