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Learning a different culture can be difficult sometimes. So, we thought it would be beneficial for doctors who are going on locum assignment Down Under to learn a bit about the religions that are practiced there.
In Australia, there is no official state religion and people are allowed to observe whatever beliefs they want, as long as they follow the law, according to the country's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. However, the majority of Australians choose to practice Christianity, making the Land Down Under a predominantly Christian country.
As of 2006, 64 percent of Australians were Christian, 26 percent were Catholic and 19 percent were Anglican, the government website states.
In terms of non-Christian religions, 2 percent of Australians practiced Buddhism in 2006, while 1.7 percent observed Islam, .7 percent followed Hinduism and .4 percent practiced Judaism.
Australia also happens to be where the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples created their own beliefs. Before many of these indigenous people converted to Christianity after the first European settlement was established in 1788, their spiritual beliefs were rooted in a respect for nature and ancestral beings.
No matter what your views on religion are, you should feel comfortable in Australia, as the country's government promotes respect and tolerance of other people's faiths.