Windows 7 world tour wallpapers

Thanks to Windows 7, there will always be some corner of your desktop that is forever Australia. Or Canada, England, France, Russia, China, Mexico, Italy, Turkey, South Africa or wherever your heart calls home because localised wallpapers are included in the newest iteration of Microsoft's operating system.

Windows 7 is here, kind of: the release candidate is out as a soft launch ahead of the proper finished version, which is expected sometime before the end of this year. Among the new features are a fistful of new wallpapers created by illustrators and designers. But if you like your computer to reflect a little piece of home, you can choose from a large selection wallpapers depicting scenes from specific countries.

Each of the beautiful photographs in our collection here shows a slice of landscape from Australia, the UK, Canada, the US or South Africa. The files take up 19.2MB of disk space, divided into folders depicting each country. Some are obvious landmarks, while others are a little more generic.

Click through our gallery to see the wallpapers, some of which are frankly stunning. While you're at it, find that part of your brain that stores geography trivia and see if you can name them all. Some are easier than others, so good luck.

Windows 7 promises fireworks, so we'll kick off our tour with Sydney Harbour on New Years Eve.
The Twelve Apostles dot Victoria's coast, along the Great Ocean Road.
An Outback billabong. Jolly swagman not pictured.
A burbling Aussie stream.
More Australian bush.
Another view of Sydney Harbour and the Sydney Opera House.
O Canada! Our home and native land!
Pastoral Canadian beauty.
A Canadian lighthouse. Or should that be 'lighthoose', eh?
It's places like these that make us wish we travelled more.
A Canuck canoe.
Some famous Canadians: Donald Sutherland, John Candy, William Shatner, Wolverine.
To the UK, or, in the words of Spinal Tap:

Stonehenge! Where the demons dwell,
Where the banshees live and they do live well,
Stonehenge! Where a man's a man,
And the children dance to the Pipes of Pan,
Hey!
No matter how hard you look, no, Nessie is not in this picture.
The Giant's Causeway in northeast Ireland.
A castle! How very British.
The Seven Sisters in Sussex look almost photoshopped in their beauty.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch... Welcome to the USA.
An American lighthouse. It's just like the Canadian lighthouse, but fatter.
R.O.C.K in the U.S.A!
Anyone fancy a roll in the hay?
Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow you may be in Utah.
The sun sets on the US wallpapers.
Welcome to the South African portion of the tour.
We're not sure whether to feel awe at this magnificent creature or terror at the fact its charging at us.
Scenic mountains overlooking this South African vineyard would make a lovely wallpaper for your computer.
Embarrassment ensued when it became clear that everyone had been to the same swimsuit sale.
The beautiful Table Mountain, as seen from Bloubergstrand in Cape Town.