Tasmania

The island of Tasmania is a state of Australia. It was once connected to mainland Australia and was called Lutruwita. The island is named after the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, who "discovered" it in 1642. who named it after Anthony van Diemen, then governor of the Dutch East Indies. The name Tasmania has been used since 1856.

The island has been inhabited by Aboriginal people for 40,000 years. It has a unique flora and fauna since its separation from the mainland. It has a climate different from the rest of Australia, with four seasons. Tasmanian pepper is one of the unique alpine plant species.