Country Profile: 60 Facts & Figures About Australia

In their "coming of age" ritual, aboriginals in Australia cut a “birth control” hole in the base of the boy's penis and insert into it a splinter to keep it from closing. Urine and semen come out of the hole unless this sub-incision is plugged with a finger.

2. In 1992, an Australian gambling syndicate bought almost all the combinations in a Virginia lottery and won, turning a $5 million purchase into a $27 million winnings.

3. In Australia, Burger King is called "Hungry Jack's"

4. Unvaccinated children in Victoria, Australia are prohibited from enrolling in childcare.

5. An Australian research institute ran a four-month study “to answer the age-old question, ‘Where have all the bloody teaspoons gone?’”. Results: 80% of the teaspoons in the study disappeared, with the half-life of the teaspoons calculated at 81 days.

Ex-Prime Minister of Australia Bob Hawke once held the world speed record for beer drinking. In his memoirs, he suggested that this single feat may have contributed to his political success more than any other, by endearing him to a voting population with a strong beer culture.

7. The show Australia's naughtiest home video show has the record for the quickest cancellation at 23 minutes. The owner of the network was quoted as saying "Get this s*** off the air."

8. Australia is moving 7cm north every year. It is the fastest moving continental landmass in the world.

9. Explorer Abel Tasman discovered Tasmania, New Zealand, and Fiji on his first voyage in 1642-43, but managed to miss the entire continent of Australia and only discovered it on his second voyage in 1644.

10. There is also a mountain in Australia named Mt. Disappointment, named as the explorers found the view from it subpar and wanted to reflect that.

It's illegal in Queensland (Australia) to own a pet rabbit unless you can prove that you're a magician.

12. Australia has claimed to the largest territory of Antarctica, which is only a couple of million square kilometers smaller than the Australian continent itself.

13. Boring Oregon is the sister city to Dull Scotland and Bland Australia.

14. Mick “Crocodile” Dundee was based on an actual person who survived 56 days in crocodile infested outback Australia. He died in a police shootout after he killed a cop while high on amphetamines.

15. While Australia might have all kinds of deadly animals, the entire continent has been rabies free since 2010.

Australia is the only Western democratic government in the world to not have a Bill of Rights. “Western democratic government” is a style of government, not a geographic determination.

17. Australia committed genocide against the Aboriginal, native people from 1910-1970 in an effort to create a “white Australia.”

18. There is a suburb in Australia called Surfers Paradise that has “Meter Maids” who are dressed in bikinis and feed expired parking meters to promote the area and preserve goodwill.

19. In 1859, English settler Thomas Austin released only 24 rabbits onto his property in Australia, stating “The introduction of a few rabbits could do little harm and might provide a touch of home, in addition to a spot of hunting.” By the 1920’s the population reached 10 billion.

20. The first ever modern commercial refrigerator was built by James Harrison in Australia in 1856 to keep the beer cold.

A 2012 episode of Peppa Pig was banned from Australia as the central message that spiders were not to be feared was deemed “inappropriate for an Australian audience.”

22. Nobody has died from a confirmed spider bite in Australia since 1979, but deaths do occur due to being surprised by them, while driving, etc.

23. In 1999, an Iraqi refugee named Sam Eisho fled to Australia and lived off their welfare system. Years later after he became successful, he walked into the local welfare office and tried to pay back every cent with an $18,000 check.

24. Australia straight-up lost Harold Holt, its Prime-minister in 1967. He still hasn't been found.

25. You are most likely to survive a trip to ICU with a severe infection in New Zealand and Australia than anywhere else in the world, despite an increase in the severity of infections. This is partially due to the fact that all patients have 24-hour one-on-one nursing.