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The people of Australia are a mixture of native people, known as Aborigines, and those of European descent. Aborigines inhabited the country for several thousand years before the first Europeans arrived. Today, most Australians are of European descent with Aborigines only making up about 2 percent of the population. The most recent immigrants have come from Asia. Australia's cities are becoming more and more diverse as people migrate there in the hopes of finding a better job and because of the clean and safe environment. About 30 percent of the people living in Australia today were born in foreign countries.

Most of the people of Australia live in urban areas. In fact, more than 80 percent of the population live in cities and towns. Because most of the interior of the country has a harsh climate and little fresh water and vegetation, the majority of urban areas, such as Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth, are located along the coasts. The coastal areas receive much more rain than the interior, making the land quite fertile. The coast also provides access to rivers for drinking water and harbors for transportation.

Ranching and mining are two of Australia's main economic activities. Sheep and cattle are raised in every Australian state and territory. Australia is the leading producer of wool in the world. Most of the interior of Australia is used for ranching and grazing. The interior is also rich in mineral resources. Therefore, mining is a major industry here. Some of the minerals include oil, bauxite (which is used to make aluminum), diamonds, gold, copper, and iron. Both ranching and mining contribute billions of dollars to Australia's economy every year.