Australia is a rare combination of tasty exotics, wild nature and glittering ultra-modern cities. The country is very rich, extremely comfortable and completely calm. The isolated position of Australia and the Pacific Islands means that the flora and fauna of this geographical area is very different from the flora and fauna of Asia, Europe, Africa and America. Only in Australia and New Guinea are the only egg-laying mammals in the world - the platypus and echidna (covered with thorns anteater), as well as various types of marsupials, including kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, bandicoots (large rats) and opossums. Assumptions about the existence of the mysterious Terra incognita Australis - "Unknown Southern Land" south of the equator were expressed by ancient geographers. A vast area of land in the southern hemisphere was depicted on maps in the 15th century, although its outlines in no way resembled Australia. Until the 17th century, none of the Europeans managed to see Australia with their own eyes. For many of us, Australia and the islands surrounding it, and now still - the Unknown South Land - the world's largest island and the smallest mainland.