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| *Travel Tips>>>General - Australia & New Zealand Travel Tips |
Why is Australia called the 'Land Down Under'? |
Travel Info Why is Australia called the 'Land Down Under'? Travel Tips The term Down Under is a colloquialism referring to all things Australian, which is known as "the land Down Under" for its position in the southern hemisphere. This is because when one looks at a map in the most common way, Antarctica at the 'bottom' of the page, north appears to be "up" and south; "down" Despite the term's wide usage, it is rarely used by Australians themselves, many of whom regard it with some derision. Nevertheless, Australians are not above using it themselves, as exemplified by Men at Work song "Down Under" which has become a patriotic rallying song. Australia's most famous boxing champion, Kostya Tszyu, was nicknamed as "The Thunder From Down Under". According to Roger Ebert, "No film set in Australia is allowed to use the word Australia in its title where "Down Under" is an acceptable alternative. For example, we don't get The Rescuers in Australia or Quigley in Australia." Others it's below the equator or because Men at Work said so. Because we're a large land in the southern hemisphere quite close to the bottom so we are down and almost under and also a land. Because it is south of the equator. If the first map maker had been in the southern hemisphere, he may have put Antarctica at the "top" of the world, and so we in the northern hemisphere would be "down under." From the vantage point of space, there is no "up" or "down." because, it's at the bottom part of the globe On a globe that has the Northern Hemisphere on top, the way globes are usually presented historically, Australia is located entirely on the bottom half of the globe. Australia is sometimes called the 'Land Down Under鈥?because it lies in the Southern Hemisphere, under the Equator. If you look at a globe of the world, we are "the Land Down Under". |
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