The termDown Under is acolloquialism differently construed to refer toAustralia andNew Zealand, or thePacific island countries collectively.[1][2] The term originally referred solely to Australia and gradually expanded in scope. It comes from the fact that Australia is in theSouthern Hemisphere, "below" almost all other countries on theusual arrangement of a map or globe which places cardinal north at the top.[1][3]
The term has been in use since the late 19th century,[4] and the persistence of the media use of the term has led to its wide acceptance and usage, especially in reference to Australia. TheMen at Work song "Down Under" became a patriotic rallying song forAustralians. The Russian-Australian boxing championKostya Tszyu was nicknamed "The Thunder from Down Under", as is Australiansnooker playerNeil Robertson. When the thenMiss AustraliaJennifer Hawkins was crowned asMiss Universe 2004 inQuito,Ecuador, she was called by the same nickname by hostBilly Bush.[5]
According to Americanfilm criticRoger Ebert's tongue-in-cheekGlossary of Movie Terms, theDown Under Rule:
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 getThe Rescuers in Australia orQuigley in Australia.
TheTour Down Under is a cycling race in and aroundAdelaide,South Australia, and since 2009 has been the inaugural event of theUCI World Tour Ranking calendar, which culminates in theGiro di Lombardia.