The 2023 Women's World Cup kicks off today, July 20. For the first time in history, the sporting event is being held in two countries: Australia and New Zealand.
The host countries of the Women's Cup are located in Oceania, continent located between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, in Southeast Asia.
The event will take place until the 20th of August and, throughout the period of the Cup, it will be possible to learn a little about the nations. Tourists have already highlighted the beauties of the two countries, but what is the main information about the nations? How is the economy? And the geography? Are there any curious facts?
Below, we list the main general data and some curiosities about Australia and New Zealand, host countries of the 2023 Women's World Cup.
Australia
Australia is the largest and most populous nation in Oceania. The country also has the main economy of the continent, which is based on the exploration of mineral goods, the manufactured goods industry and tourism.
The country has 7,692,024 km² and is considered the sixth largest in terms of land area in the world. Australia accounts for 89.8% of the entire area of the continent of Oceania.
According to information from the United Nations (UN), the country has 25,788,000 inhabitants. Demographic density of 3.4 inhab./km² and Human Development Index (HDI): 0.944.
One of the main highlights of Australia is its very jagged coastline, with the presence of several beaches.
Read more general facts about Australia
Facts about Australia
Geography
=>Climate: varies between arid and temperate. The lands to the north are warmer than those located to the south, where temperatures are milder.
=> Vegetation: constituted predominantly of desert areas, that is, without vegetation, and regions covered by savannah, composed of low plants, shrubs and small and medium-sized trees.
=> Relief: predominance of plateaus, however, with smooth elevations. The highest point is in a place called the Australian Alps, which reach 2,230 meters in altitude.
The country also has extensive desert areas and a substantial biodiversity of species. There is a high rate of flora and fauna endemism in Australia.
Tourism
Australia is one of the main tourist centers in the world. The main highlights involve beach tourism, adventure tourism and ecotourism.
See below the Australia's main attractions:
Sydney, Melbourne and Gold Coast cities;
Kakadu and Uluru natural regions;
Barossa Valley and the Snowy Mountains;
Whitsunday Islands, Fraser and Tasmania.
Flag
The flag of Australia was officially adopted by the country on September 3, 1901 and features the representation of the flag of the United Kingdom in its corner. top left, evidencing the British influence on the design of the flag, which stems from the fact that Australia is a former colony british.
More fun facts about Australia
The country is recognized for defending human rights and adopting liberal policies;
The acacia, with its foliage in shades of green and yellow, is considered the national symbol of Australia;
Australia is the biggest winner of the World Surfing Championships, both male and female.
There are 19 world heritage sites in Australia, with the Great Barrier Reef standing out.
Do not stop now... There's more after the publicity ;)
New Zealand
New Zealand is a country made up of two large islands: the North Island and the South Island, which are separated by the Cook Strait. These two territories are located in the south of Oceania, being considered as part of Polynesia.
The country's territorial extension is 270,986 km² and the population, also according to the UN, is 4,266,498 inhabitants and the demographic density: 15.7 inhabitants/km².
One of the highlights of New Zealand is that its HDI occupies the 3rd place in the world ranking: it is 0.907, considered very high.
Facts about New Zealand
Population
The majority of the population is concentrated in the North Island, as this portion of the territory has physical characteristics that are more suitable for housing. Cut by a mountain range, the Southern Alps, the South Island is called by the native population Aotearoa (land of the long white cloud).
Geography
New Zealand's geography is very rich due to its biogeographic isolation, with a high number of endemic species, that is, species that only exist in that region.
Economy
New Zealand has a high degree of industrialization. The country has large herds of sheep, cattle and pigs, providing the production of wool, meat and dairy products. Another highlight for the national economy are oil, coal and natural gas reserves.
Tourism
New Zealand's natural beauties attract millions of tourists, a fact that has made tourism an activity of fundamental importance for obtaining financial income for the country.
Culture
New Zealand's culture is marked by two counterpoints: the influences of the country's traditional peoples, the Maoris, and the influences brought by the British colonizers. The country's two official languages are Maori and English, and the most widely practiced religion is Christianity.
The diverse and often adverse nature also impacts on local customs, buildings, clothing and local cuisine.
sports
New Zealand is known for the practice of extreme sports in its territory. In addition, sports of English origin, such as football and rugby, are widely practiced.
high life expectancy
Social welfare policies are developed in New Zealand, providing high social indicators. The life expectancy of the national population is one of the highest on the planet: 80 years. The country has low illiteracy rates and infant mortality is only 4 deaths per thousand live births.
By Silvia Tancredi
Journalist
