Alexander & Australian Fun Facts

In the delightful musical Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (Nov. 8-24, Argyros Stage), things just do not go Alexander’s way. From the moment he wakes up with gum in his hair, to his broken nightlight at bedtime, Alexander just can’t catch a break. Throw in a trip to the dentist, a copy machine mishap and lima beans for dinner, and it’s no wonder he wants to move to Australia!

Since Alexander really loves the Land Down Under, we’ve gathered some fun facts about the country’s animals, culture, people and attractions.

Australian Wildlife

Koala

• There are three times more sheep than people living in Australia.
• Koalas, marsupials native to Australia, sleep for approximately 20 hours a day.
• Australia has over 750 different reptile species. That’s more than any other country in the world.
• The box jellyfish, found in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef, is responsible for more deaths than snakes, sharks and saltwater crocodiles combined.
• Tasmanian Devils have the strongest bite per body size of any mammal.
• There are four different species of kangaroo in Australia, with the Red Kangaroo being the largest.
• 17 of the world’s most poisonous snakes can be found in Australia.
• Kangaroos are considered a national icon, with more than 40 million estimated throughout the country.
• Australia has a larger population of camels than Egypt.

Australian Cities & Landmarks

​Uluru, or Ayers Rock

• Australia is the driest of any continent on earth other than Antarctica.
• Australia is the sixth largest country in the world in terms of land area.
• The Great Barrier Reef is regarded as the world’s largest living organism, and is often listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World.
• The Daintree Rainforest, found in tropical north Queensland, is the country’s largest.
• The Aussie state of Tasmania has the world’s cleanest air.
• Australia is home to the world’s largest cattle ranch.
• Australia’s dingo fence is longer than the Great Wall of China.
• Australia is the only continent in the world without an active volcano.
• The termite mounds that can be found in Australia are the tallest animal-made structures on Earth.
• Melbourne has the largest public tram system in the world. 
• People who live in the city of Sydney, Australia, are called Sydney-siders.
• The Gold Coast has the world’s largest canal system, which is larger than those of both Venice and Amsterdam combined.

Australian People

Aboriginal man.

• Nearly half of all Australians were born overseas or have at least one parent who was born overseas and moved to Australia.
• 90% of Australia’s population lives near the coast, due to the majority of the interior being a vast desert.
• The average Australian will eat the equivalent of 18 full cows and 90 full sheep in his or her lifetime. 
• After Athens, Melbourne has the world’s largest Greek population.
• Australia’s Aboriginal people are estimated to have lived here for roughly 50,000 years, yet they now make up only 1.5% of the total population.

More Facts about Australia

• National Geographic Kids 
• 31 Weird Facts About Australia That Will Amaze You