Australia

===Sport and recreation===
{{Main|Sport in Australia}}
[[File:AFL Grand Final 2010 on the Melbourne Cricket Ground.jpg|thumb|The [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] is strongly associated with the history and development of [[cricket]] and [[Australian rules football]], Australia's two most popular spectator sports.<ref>[http://www.nsm.org.au/the%20mcg/heritage%20listing.aspx?p=1 National Sports Museum Heritage Listing], National Sports Museum. Retrieved 15 April 2015.</ref>]]
About 24% of Australians over the age of 15 regularly participate in organised sporting activities.<ref name="Year Book 2005" /> At an international level, Australia has excelled at [[cricket]], [[field hockey]], [[netball]], [[rugby league]] and [[rugby union]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Pereira da Costa|first=Lamartine|title=Worldwide Experiences and Trends in Sport for All|publisher=Meyer & Meyer Verlag|year=2013|isbn=978-1-84126-085-3|page=68}}</ref> The majority of Australians live within the coastal zone, making the beach a popular recreation spot and an integral part of the nation's identity.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/beach|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100226144234/http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/beach|archivedate=26 February 2010|title=The Beach|work=Australian Government: Culture Portal|publisher=Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Commonwealth of Australia|date=17 March 2008}}</ref> Australia is a powerhouse in water-based sports, such as swimming and surfing.<ref>{{cite book|last=Pike|first=Jeffrey|title=Australia|publisher=Langenscheidt Publishing Group|year=2004|isbn=978-9812347992|page=103}}</ref> The [[surf lifesaving]] movement originated in Australia, and the volunteer lifesaver is one of the country's icons.<ref>{{cite book|last=Booth|first=Douglas|title=Australian Beach Cultures: The History of Sun, Sand and Surf|publisher=Routledge|year=2012|isbn=978-0714681788|page=39}}</ref> Nationally, other popular sports include [[Australian rules football]], horse racing, squash, surfing, soccer, and motor racing. The annual [[Melbourne Cup]] horse race and the [[Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race|Sydney to Hobart]] yacht race attract intense interest.<ref>{{cite web|last=Campbell|first=Peter|title=Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race|url=http://www.cyca.com.au/racing/rolex-sydney-hobart-yacht-race/|work=cyca.com.au|publisher=[[Cruising Yacht Club of Australia]]|accessdate=6 June 2015}}</ref>

Australia is one of five nations to have participated in every [[Summer Olympics]] of the modern era,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Oxlade|first=Chris|author-link=Chris Oxlade (writer)|author2=Ballheimer, David|title=Olympics|publisher=DK|series=DK Eyewitness|page=61|isbn=0-7566-1083-4}}</ref> and has hosted the Games twice: [[1956 Summer Olympics|1956]] in Melbourne and [[2000 Summer Olympics|2000]] in Sydney.<ref>Davison, Hirst and Macintyre, pp. 479–480.</ref> Australia has also participated in every [[Commonwealth Games]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.commonwealthgames.org.au/page/65/by-games|publisher=Australian Commonwealth Games Association |title=Flag Bearers|accessdate=23 April 2010}}</ref> hosting the event in [[1938 British Empire Games|1938]], [[1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games|1962]], [[1982 Commonwealth Games|1982]], [[2006 Commonwealth Games|2006]] and will host the [[2018 Commonwealth Games]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thecgf.com/games/games_index.asp?linkresults=1|publisher=Commonwealth Games Federation |title=Past Commonwealth Games|accessdate=23 April 2010| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100315102922/http://www.thecgf.com/games/games_index.asp?linkresults=1| archivedate= 15 March 2010 | deadurl=no}}</ref>  As well as being a regular [[FIFA World Cup]] participant, Australia has won the [[OFC Nations Cup]] four times and the [[AFC Asian Cup]] once – the only country to have won championships in two different FIFA confederations.<ref>{{cite news|last=Linden|first=Julian|title=Factbox - Asian Cup champions Australia|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/01/31/uk-soccer-asia-australia-factbox-idUKKBN0L40BQ20150131|work=Reuters|publisher=Thomson Reuters|date=31 January 2015|accessdate=6 June 2015}}</ref> Other major international events held in Australia include the [[Australian Open]] tennis [[Grand Slam (tennis)|grand slam]] tournament, international cricket matches, and the [[Australian Grand Prix|Australian Formula One Grand Prix]]. Australia hosted the [[2003 Rugby World Cup]] and the annual Australia–New Zealand [[Bledisloe Cup]] is keenly watched.{{fact|date=May 2015}} The highest-rating television programs include sports telecasts such as the Summer Olympics, FIFA World Cup, [[The Ashes]], [[Rugby League State of Origin]], and the [[grand final]]s of the [[National Rugby League]] and [[Australian Football League]].<ref>"Australian Film Commission. What are Australians Watching?" [https://web.archive.org/web/20100611004833/http://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/gtp/freetv.html Free-to-Air, 1999–2004 TV]. screenaustralia.gov.au</ref> [[Skiing in Australia]] began in the 1860s and snow sports take place in the [[Australian Alps]] and parts of [[Tasmania]].